Wat Yannawa วัดยานนาวา - The Boat Temple - Unique Chinese Sailing Junk Styled Chedi - Bangkok 2025

Wat Yannawa วัดยานนาวา commonly known in English as "the boat temple", is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The temple has a long history from the Ayutthaya era to the present. During the rule of King Rama III, a viharn was built in the shape of a Chinese junk, giving the temple the nickname "the boat temple". This construction inside the temple houses a space where people pray; a nearby ubosot enshrines Buddha images and illustrations of the Loi Prathip Royal Lantern Festival (พระราชพิธีลอยพระประทีป). Additional exterior buildings enshrine a Buddha relic from Sri Lanka and the Goddess of Mercy.

The temple was built during the Ayutthaya Kingdom, before the founding of Bangkok. It was originally called Wat Kok Khwai (วัดคอกควาย) because the community of Dawei people in the area bought and sold buffalo; later, it was renamed as Wat Kok Krabue (วัดคอกกระบือ).

During the reigh of King Rama I, the temple gained royal status and the ubosot was built. During the reign of King Rama III, a viharn was built in the shape of a Chinese junk. The temple was renamed as Wat Yannawa, which translates as "the boat temple".

The two chedis on the deck represent masts and the altar at the back represents the wheelhouse. Because of this unique structure, locals call the temple “sampao chedi” ("the Chinese junk with chedis").

King Rama III chose the shape of a junk as a means of historical preservation; he believed the junk was becoming obsolete due to new ship types, and wanted to preserve its image.

The highlight of the temple is the unique boat shaped chedi. There is also an old Ayutthaya era hall next to the river that has been extensively restored and is now open to be viewed. There are 2 small museums with many arifcacts and important items to see as well.

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