Short answer
Our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour costs from $75 per person for a small-group half day of about 4 hours. The price includes all three entrance tickets, which cost foreign visitors 500, 300 and 200 baht at the gate, so 1,000 baht in total. It also includes the ferry to Wat Arun and back, an English-speaking guide and a bottle of water. Hotel pickup, tips and anything you buy on the way are extra. The group meets near the Grand Palace at about 8:30 am.
The tour costs from $75 per person
Our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour costs from $75 per person. It is a small-group half day of about 4 hours in Rattanakosin, the old royal part of Bangkok. The group meets at about 8:30 am at a central point near the Grand Palace, and the exact place and time are confirmed with your booking. The guide takes you through the palace and Wat Phra Kaew, on foot to Wat Pho, and by ferry across the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun. The tour ends at about 12:30 pm.
Booking is done on WhatsApp. Send us the date, the number of guests and whether you want hotel pickup. We confirm availability, the meeting time and the total before you pay, and how and when to pay is agreed with your booking. Hotel pickup is not in the base price, because the group meets near the palace. It may be possible, and we tell you the cost before you pay. For the route stop by stop, see our travel guide for this tour.
What the price includes, and what it does not
The price includes the entrance tickets to the Grand Palace with Wat Phra Kaew, to Wat Pho and to Wat Arun, the ferry crossing to Wat Arun and back, an English-speaking guide and a bottle of drinking water. The tickets are bought for you, so you need no cash at the three ticket windows. The next section gives what each ticket costs, so you can see how much of the price they make up.
Not included: hotel pickup, tips, drinks other than the water, snacks and anything you buy on the way. The Grand Palace rents audio guides for 200 baht, according to its official FAQ page, but with a guide on our tour you do not need one. Children under 120 cm enter the Grand Palace and Wat Pho free, according to their official sites, so send us the ages when you book and we confirm the price for children.
What each ticket costs at the gate
The Grand Palace's official visitor page gives 500 baht for foreigners. That ticket also covers Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, which are inside the same compound. Thai visitors enter free. Wat Pho's official visit plan gives 300 baht, with free entry for children under 120 cm. The palace sells tickets from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and Wat Pho is open from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm.
Wikipedia's article on Wat Arun gives 200 baht for foreigners, as of March 2024. We found no official Wat Arun page with a price, and the fee there has moved before: a Tourism Authority of Thailand release of 3 January 2020 announced a rise from 50 to 100 baht from 1 June 2020. Together the three tickets come to 1,000 baht, which matches our tour information, but the amount at the gate is the one that counts.
Going on your own: what it costs and what you give up
On your own you pay the same 1,000 baht in tickets at three different gates, plus the transport. The Grand Palace's official page says to take the BTS to Saphan Taksin station and an express boat to Tha Chang pier, or an express boat to Tha Tien for Wat Pho. It also warns that a tuk-tuk to the palace may cost more than a taxi unless you are used to bargaining. Wikivoyage's Rattanakosin guide, which is undated, adds that the palace offers free English tours four times a day.
So the tour does not save you the ticket money. What it adds is a guide at all three temples, the tickets and the river crossing arranged, and one morning planned from start to finish. The dollar value of 1,000 baht depends on the exchange rate on the day, so check it before you compare. Wikivoyage also warns that anyone who says the palace is closed without an official notice is a common scam, often steering visitors to tuk-tuk rides or shops; on our tour you meet your guide at a set point.
Can the Grand Palace be closed on your date?
Yes. The Royal Household Bureau's 2024 visiting regulation says visits are suspended on days with a royal ceremony or official business, and the palace's online calendar lists closures. On 28 October 2026, the day we checked, the calendar showed the palace, Wat Phra Kaew and the Chapel of the Emerald Buddha closing at noon, with online booking not available. Otherwise the palace is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and ticket sales stop at 3:30 pm.
If your date is affected we tell you on WhatsApp, and we confirm the date before you pay. The calendar itself says dates may be changed or added, and gives the ticket office's phone number, +66 2 623 5500, extension 2171. Our guide to the Grand Palace dress code and hours has the opening times of all three temples and what to do if you are unsure about a date.
What to wear and what to bring
Dress is the one thing that can stop you at the gate. The Grand Palace turns away sleeveless tops, shorts, short skirts and tight or see-through clothes, and its official page lists the same, adding vests, torn trousers, bike pants and sleeping suits. Wat Pho asks for polite dress and says shoes come off before the religious buildings. Trousers or a long skirt with a T-shirt with sleeves are the easiest choice, with shoes that slip off.
Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, because most of the visit is outdoors, and a scarf or shawl for your shoulders if you need one. The tour runs in the rain, and showers are usually short, so a light poncho helps in the rainy season. Drones are not allowed over the Grand Palace, and the palace has its own rules on filming and photography, so follow the signs and your guide.
Who should not book this tour
Skip it if you want a full day at the palace. Wikivoyage's Bangkok guide suggests giving the Grand Palace and Wat Pho together a full day, because the heat and glare are wearing and there is a lot to take in. Our tour allows about 1.5 hours for the palace and about 1 hour for Wat Pho. Skip it too if you would rather see these landmarks lit up: our night tuk-tuk food tour rides past them after dark and does not go inside.
It is also a walking tour of about 4 hours, mostly outdoors, so think twice if anyone in your group finds long walks in the sun hard. Children can join; send us their ages when you book. If you are still choosing between day trips, our guide to floating market or Ayutthaya compares two longer options, and why book this tour says what it does best.
Practical checklist
- Check your date with us on WhatsApp: the palace closes early or all day for some royal ceremonies.
- Wear sleeves, long trousers or a long skirt, and shoes that slip off easily.
- Bring cash only for tips, drinks and snacks; the three tickets are included.
- Carry water, a hat and sunscreen for about 4 hours outdoors.
- Be at the meeting point on time: the group waits up to 10 minutes.
- Tell us the ages of any children, and whether you want hotel pickup.
Questions and answers
How much is the Grand Palace tour from Bangkok?
From $75 per person for a small-group half day of about 4 hours. It includes the tickets for the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, the ferry, an English-speaking guide and water. Hotel pickup and tips are extra.
Are the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tickets included?
Yes. The price includes all three tickets, which cost foreign visitors 500, 300 and 200 baht at the gate, 1,000 baht in total. Tips and anything you buy on the way are paid by you.
How much do foreigners pay to enter the Grand Palace?
The palace's official page gives 500 baht for foreigners, which also covers Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. Thai visitors enter free, and so do children under 120 cm, according to the palace's FAQ.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. The group meets at a central point near the Grand Palace, confirmed with your booking. Hotel pickup may be possible; ask us on WhatsApp and we confirm the cost before you pay.
How long does the tour take?
About 4 hours. The group meets at about 8:30 am, and the ferry brings you back to the palace side of the river at about 12:30 pm. Times depend on the queues and on the day.
Can I buy Grand Palace tickets online in advance?
The palace's FAQ says advance tickets can be bought online up to one month ahead and cannot be refunded or changed. On our tour the tickets are included, so there is nothing for you to book at the palace.