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Almost directly across the river from Wat Po, in the Thonburi district, rises the enormous five-pranged Wat Arun (daily 7am-5pm; B10), the Temple of Dawn, probably Bangkok's most memorable landmark. To get there, just take a cross-river ferry from Tha Thien. The temple has been reconstructed numerous times, but the Wat Arun that you see today is a classic prang (tower) structure of Ayutthayan style, built as a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Khmer mythology. The prangs are decorated with polychromatic flowers made from bits of broken porcelain donated by local people. Statues of mythical figures support the different levels, and on the first terrace there are statues of the Buddha at the four most important stages of his life. Climbing the two tiers of the square base that supports the central prang, you get a good view of the river and beyond. Until over twenty years ago, the king would make an annual procession down the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun in a flotilla of 51 ornate royal barges. The three intricately lacquered and gilded vessels at the heart of the ceremony are now moored in the Royal Barge Museum on the north bank of Khlong Bangkok Noi (daily 9am-5pm; B30). To get there, cross the Phra Pinklao Bridge and take the first left (Soi Wat Dusitaram), which leads, along stilted walkways, to the museum. Alternatively, take a ferry to Bangkok Noi Station, then follow the tracks to the bridge over Khlong Bangkok Noi, from where the museum is signed. Either way it's about a ten-minute walk. One of the most popular ways of seeing Wat Arun and the other Thonburi sights is to embark on a canal tour by chartering a longtail boat (B250 per person) from Tha Chang, in front of the Grand Palace. A less expensive alternative is to use the public longtails that run along back canals from central Bangkok-side piers, departing every ten to thirty minutes and charging B10-30 a round trip. The most accessible ones include the Khlong Bangkok Noi service from Tha Chang; the Khlong Mon service from Tha Thien; and the Khlong Bang Waek service from Tha Saphan Phut.
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