Photo: Flying foxes at Wat Pho Bangkla (Wikimedia Commons / panoramio).
Some travelers nickname Wat Pho Bang Khla the “bat temple.” Use the full temple name with respect. Official guides describe Lyle’s flying fox (fruit bats) living in the trees on the temple grounds in Bang Khla district. By day they hang like dark fruit. At dusk they leave in a river of wings.
Inside the temple: a golden reclining Buddha and old murals. You visit for bats and for prayer.
When to arrive
Before sunset. Late afternoon (often roughly 4–6 pm depending on season) so you see both the hanging colonies and the evening lift-off. Bring a light jacket if the river breeze cools.
Respect rules
- Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered
- Quiet voices; this is an active temple
- Do not throw things at bats or trees
- Follow staff if they guide visitors to a tower or viewing spot
Maps & official info
Also: Tourism Thailand · TripAdvisor.
Why overnight helps
Day-trippers from Bangkok often rush. If you stay at Krazy Home (฿500, cash on arrival, ~10 min from the station), you can watch the bats without glancing at the train clock, then sleep among the fields.
Some miracles do not need tickets. Only patience at the right hour.