The ONLY Hill In Bangkok Has A DARK Past: Golden Mount Wat Saket

Yes it's true, the ONLY hill in Bangkok has a dark past: the Golden Mount Temple Wat Saket. This really is the ONLY hill in all of Bangkok, Thailand and it has quite a history. I've wanted to visit this for some time, and I finally get to show it to you. Construction on Wat Saket and The Golden Mount started during the Ayutthaya period and was completed under the rule of Rama V. Join me for a climb up the 344 stairs to the top for a magnificent view of Bangkok. The whole temple is quite impressive and peaceful, yet has a very dark past, which I will share with you towards the end of the video. I was delighted that it was not overrun with tourists so I can show you all of its splendor.
This temple's dark past is that vultures would come and devour the bodies of the dead before they were cremated.
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#theonlyhill #goldenmount #theonlyhillinbangkok #lifewithserg

[@rews3873]

At 7:00, that's called "the central point of Thailand". When the army was mapping and measuring coordinates to plot lands, they used a 1 : 4,000 ratio and the point in the video was used as the central point or (0, 0) for Thailand. The map would grid out Thailand in a square of 2 Kilometers with both longitude and latitude as it's width. Later it got discontinued (and so does the "central point of Thailand") because Thailand would go on and use a more universal mapping method, Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system. It's believed that If you want to wish for a good fortune in dealing business that involves land plots, you have to come here.

[@LifewithSerg]

Ohhh. That’s very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[@franktaylor7617]

Eventually. I have to get my feet wet someplace familiar first. I have friends in the Philippines to visit.👍 After that. I'll start planning for another trip. Thailand is second on the list.

[@nilsrbenjamin]

The sounds of the birds as you walk down the steps brings me right back to Thailand... thanks for sharing.

[@LifewithSerg]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ddyeo503]

I think that bird is a Asian Koel. They call this bird the alarm clock of Bangkok. I like their noise too,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@TheThaiLife]

Wow, what a great spot. I have never knew about that place, beautiful. Really great videography, some really neat shots. I have never seen a sign "please do not take off. your shoes" before, very interesting. It's really interesting to see all the small rooms and the pagoda is awesome. Wow! I think it's cool you donate a lot, even when they charged you 100 baht for being a foreigner. Usually I don't, but now I'm starting to re-think that. Supporting these places is important and is a good feeling so I like your attitude.

[@LifewithSerg]

It’s a very interesting place. And there’s a lot more to its dark history. I tried to donate to all of these places that I visit, I think it’s important to keep them going for other people to see.

[@TheThaiLife]

@@LifewithSerg That's a good point too about the darker part of history. I feel like I saw the very light version of that in certain local villages, 2 actually, during Covid that literally had village elders escort me out and away from the villages because they were afraid and that experience made me feel in danger and really changed the way I travel to this day. When I saw the vulture display in your video it just quickly reminded me of that and it was really interesting to me. Of course, every culture reacts to dire situations in a similar way so of course I don't blame anywone for my experience.s. I always like to assign blame to where it typically belongs, the governments of the world ;)

[@yayam2136]

🥰

[@mrraiarj]

I love the way you hit those two gongs , that were very polite and looked so respectful .

[@LifewithSerg]

I hit them a bit light. The mic also cancelled most of the sound out. Lol.

[@user-sb9pc2hv8v]

@@LifewithSerg คุณควรตีฆ้องทั้งหมด 3 ครั้ง ถ้าคุณตีฆ้องเสียงดังมากๆ และมากที่สุด จะทำให้คุณโชคดี ชีวิตจะดีงามในทุกด้าน

[@noobking4696]

that gong is what thai believe it will send message too the heaven that we pray for good thing usually we hit 3 times

[@LifewithSerg]

If you want to support me, a like or a comment, or share on this video would really be appreciated. ▶ Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/lifewithsergey ▶ Want to buy me a coffee? www.buymeacoffee.com/Serg ▶ BECOME A MEMBER AND GET PERKS: kzbin.info/door/DlX6Ayaunfl_ekdnd6UCOQjoin

[@mangostickyrice555]

Another thumbs up 👍 Serg

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks again!

[@stevey2020]

Great video Serg. We will be in Bangkok next week..! Would be great to buy you a beer!

[@LifewithSerg]

Glad you enjoyed the vid! I’m leaving Bangkok again on Tuesday.

[@Paweenachannel5145]

Thank you for sharing. There is interesting place.

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks for visiting

[@sheilah8494]

I don’t mind that you’re stopping at this Golden Mountain Temple again and glad you made it to the top.

[@LifewithSerg]

This is my first time here actually. Very cool place.

[@importantlookingpirate]

Nice! I have been there twice and just recently. I took the boat (14 TBh) from Pratunum. The Temple is close to the pier where you get off. Its a Nice boat ride and I recommend it.

[@LifewithSerg]

I did the same. Took a boat from Asoke. Very convenient.

[@travelswithjasonf1463]

Thank you for this as thatis now on my list of places I want to go to when I get to Bangkok

[@LifewithSerg]

You should, it’s a cool spot to check out.

[@aggiet4545]

I was there 3 weeks ago. Beautiful, peaceful place & not too busy.

[@LifewithSerg]

Exact reasons why I really enjoyed it as well.

[@joynavaritn9262]

This is so beautiful video, thanks. 👍💕💖🙏🏻

[@LifewithSerg]

I'm glad you like it

[@ThinkGood10]

Wow, I think I'm addicted to watching your videos. I like the way you tell the story and treating everything with respect. 👍

[@LifewithSerg]

I appreciate that! Glad you enjoy.

[@DannyV106]

@Serg; was there during the hot season in April...., man it was hot, but so awesome🙏🙏 Back from Thailand for one day and already miss Bangkok.😎😅 thanks for this

[@LifewithSerg]

It’s amazing how this country makes you feel so comfortable and so at home after such a short period.

[@DannyV106]

@@LifewithSerg Yesss, it is amazing. I was fortunate to visit Thailand twice in one year🙏🙏 So many happy memories😄 greetings from the Netherlands.

[@Cindy...ann333]

Hi Serg !...It is a place with many mystical stories...👍💗💗

[@LifewithSerg]

It really is! The more I read about it, the more interesting information I found

[@Cindy...ann333]

@@LifewithSerg🥳🤩🥳

[@SmartByTravel]

Love this!

[@LifewithSerg]

Thank you!

[@matthewkjellerson9325]

great video, so tourism is picking up, glad to hear ! Matt

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks Matt! Yes, it’s definitely starting to pick up. The tour buses should start arriving soon. 😭

[@vorapoap]

It was Rama 8 Bridge.. .. this place has changed somewhat since I was there more than 10 y ago .. thanks for bringing me here again... But ... Where is your eating in this clip... It is must!!!!

[@LifewithSerg]

Ha ha. The food. Yes I must include!

[@tomgodheart4557]

So many times I'm walking up the hill to Golden Mountain Tempel in Bkk...so amazing view from the top...

[@LifewithSerg]

Yeah it’s great!

[@majorkade]

Rama 8 Bridge. There's a little park you ought to check out there sometime...on the Thonburi side. There's a statue of Rama 8.

[@LifewithSerg]

Yep. I messed that up! Lol

[@majorkade]

@@LifewithSerg It happens. It's taken me many years to figure things out. 😆

[@tallthintom]

Very cool temple Serg! Thanks for showing it to us. Is it hard to get to?

[@LifewithSerg]

The easiest way for me was to take the river boat from Asoke. 16 baht and it got me within 2 minutes walking distance of the temple.

[@forgame]

My father who used to live right next to Wat SaKet said that in the past that mountain had Buddha's bone relics right in the middle of the mountain(there a way to go in that became a bat cave and already close off), When they remodel for tourist that cave is gone along with it, so I don't know what happen to the Buddha's bone relics now.

[@LifewithSerg]

I’ve had several people say that they’ve been in there in the last few years. I’m gonna have to look into this.

[@dhirendravaidya]

Thanks for a very informative video. I have one question, can we use tripod in temple premises?

[@LifewithSerg]

I think as long as you’re respectful to the property and don’t get in anyone’s way, people will not mind. Just please only put it in areas where you were allowed to walk.

[@allenroy1638]

I went here in March 2021 and it was closed. Thanks for giving me a virtual tour

[@LifewithSerg]

Oh man, that’s sucks. Glad I could show it to you.

[@yingluckypupuu3311]

Thank you for the knowledge sharing and great footage 👍👍👍. Its a replica of destroyed Ayudhya city with Buddh relic from India.

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks for the info!

[@CarnisChampion]

Nice with some dopamine this Friday my friend :D thank you!

[@LifewithSerg]

You’re most welcome. Enjoy!

[@billygodsmack8989]

Good clip,, 👍🇹🇭

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks 👍

[@noobking4696]

Local tips! This temple will have a Temple Festival once per year and have many good food sell there!

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks for the tip!

[@tedlennox4365]

Never new such a place exsisted in Bangkok... thanks

[@LifewithSerg]

There’s definitely some interesting places. It’s such a big city.

[@user-zy9yn4mx4s]

Nice Place to visit 😊thanks for sharing

[@LifewithSerg]

It really is!

[@michaelprinz8178]

I love this temple, i was there in november. just around the corner is the famous jay fei restaurant, u have been there already?

[@LifewithSerg]

No, I have not been to the restaurant. I’ve actually been avoiding it because of all the popularity.

[@RUSLAD]

Был там три года назад. Отличное место для прогулки.

[@LifewithSerg]

Yes, it absolutely is

[@robertjean659]

Did that about 5 years ago, great Wat. Easy temp conversion get your F deg minus 30 then halve it to give you approx. C deg. 🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@LifewithSerg]

Ah yes. That’s the formula I was thinking of! Thanks Robert!

[@nakagawa286]

ขอให้มีผู้ติดตามคุณมากขึ้นเรื่อยๆขอบคุณสำหรับvlog ดีๆในไทย ฉันกดติดตามช่องคุณและIGมาหลายเดือนแล้วค่ะ😊🤍

[@LifewithSerg]

I sincerely appreciate your support! Thank you so much.

[@apischrader8911]

A cable bridge that you have seen is Rama 8 bridge,,,

[@LifewithSerg]

Ahhh thanks!

[@mzir1436]

There was a cholera epidemic here about 2 hundred years ago in King Rama 2. People died in almost the whole city.

[@LifewithSerg]

Yes I read about that. Wild

[@nikoykem]

I was born and raised near there, in Soi Banbatra which is within short walking distance from the foot of The Golden Mountain.

[@LifewithSerg]

Oh that’s neat!

[@onalonan]

7.00 the sign wrote "Naval of Bangkok" my friend. 😊😊😊

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks!

[@nagodio]

Elevator? My kid not going to do it LOL

[@LifewithSerg]

Yeah. Walkingggg

[@MortenSKM]

It's always cost money whenever i've been there. I can slip around since i'm half thai but i've never seen it free of charge for tourists

[@LifewithSerg]

Yes I think I was wrong saying that it was free.

[@yokmaorathai80]

ขอให้สิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์ปกป้องคุ้มครองคุณและครอบครัว

[@LifewithSerg]

Thank you.

[@cwee23]

I was here 5 years ago it's was only 20 baht I think

[@LifewithSerg]

It was 50 Baht just six months ago. The reason is because the local economy is picking up.

[@denseone]

The Golden Mount enshrines relics of the Buddha discovered in the territory of the Sakya clan, Buddha’s family, presented to Siam by the British. According to Buddhist tradition, Buddha’s ashes were partitioned and enshrined at various kingdoms, and one of those partitions were sent back to his father’s kingdom, which is the portioned presented to Siam. Since it believed to be a verifiable relic of Buddha, the enshrined it in the highest point of the Bangkok at the time, and so you have the pagoda on top of Golden Mount.

[@LifewithSerg]

Thank you very much for that information, I really appreciate it.

[@LeftHandCustoms]

How is this out of the way? It's in the middle of the city, 10 minutes from Khao San Road or the nearest MRT station.

[@LifewithSerg]

My point is that it’s not a huge tourist attraction. I think you took me a little bit to literally there. 😊

[@LeftHandCustoms]

@@LifewithSerg no idea where you got that idea, but Wat Saket has always been a big tourist attraction, with locals and foreigners, it might be quieter now but we all know why that is.

[@lynnlynn3060]

คุณรู้หรือไม่ว่าสมัยโบราณวัดนี้ผีดุมากข้างวัดเค้าจะมีแผ่นไม้ปิดไว้ไม่ให้คนเข้าไปเพราะมันเป็นที่เก็บศพของคนสมัยโบราณถ้าไม่สังเกตจะไม่มีทางรู้ฉันเคยดูรายการหนึ่งของคนไทยเข้าไปถ่ายทำต้องขออนุญาติกับทางวัดก่อนและมีคนนำเข้าไปบอกเลยโคตรหลอนบรรยากาศน่าขนลุกสุดๆ

[@LifewithSerg]

I’ve heard this. I will need to go back and look!

[@hu1961]

If I am not mistaking this place is not far from Khao San Road.

[@LifewithSerg]

You are correct! It is only about a 10 minute walk.

[@Alinya.S]

🙏🇹🇭❤️

[@LifewithSerg]

😊👍🙏

[@burgerr.5599]

สมัยเด็กๆเคยพาเพื่อนหลายคนมุดเข้าไปใต้ภูเขานี้มีช่องให้เข้า(แอบเข้าไป)เป็นการผจญภัยที่สนุกและอันตรายพอควรทีเดียว ปัจจุบันคงเข้าไปไม่ได้แล้ว ที่เห็นผู้หญิงเขย่ากระบอกไม้ข้างในเป็นแท่งไม้มีเลขอันไหนหล่นออกมาก็ไปเอาใบทำนายที่มีเลขมาอ่าน(fortune teller)จริงๆเป็นประเพณีจีนเรียกว่า..ติ้ว(ภาษาจีน)

[@LifewithSerg]

Oh, I would love to go sneak under it. Lol. And yes, I am familiar with what she was doing. I learned about it when I first visited Hong Kong and Thailand 10’years ago.

[@yokmaorathai80]

วัดพระธาตุภูเขาทอง

[@LifewithSerg]

Ah yes.

[@cxxx9756]

(°F-32)*5/9 = °C that's the formula they taught me in high school and still remember till this day. by the way, i can't even kneel like that when i was at your age.

[@LifewithSerg]

Yeah, I’ve seen that equation, I thought there was a simpler hack that got you really close to the correct number. I’m not as flexible as I used to be, but not too shabby.

[@alwaysbefrankm.9073]

@@LifewithSerg a simple one is subtract 30 and then divide by 2. it's not the exact number but close enough.

[@LifewithSerg]

Yeah, that’s the formula usually use. But I like throwing some humor in to my videos.

[@user-vx4yw9lf8b]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@LifewithSerg]

😊👍👍

[@cccctee5933]

🙋🤗☺️

[@LifewithSerg]

👍😊

[@peerc.3969]

That's Rama 8 bridge. 😄

[@LifewithSerg]

Ahh yes. I think having a mistake in each of my videos is normal now. 555

[@peerc.3969]

@@LifewithSerg Even me, I confused with Thai Name all the time, even some place name, I cannot write it correct in Thai. 😄

[@yingluckypupuu3311]

สะดือประเทศ​ is the land mark of the most center Bangkok. 'Belly botton'

[@LifewithSerg]

OK, thank you for letting me know that!

[@franktaylor7617]

😎👍🇺🇸

[@LifewithSerg]

Thanks.

[@sugunyan.9054]

Not far from here Loha Prasat Wat Ratchanatda The only one Metal Temple of Thailand

[@LifewithSerg]

I will definitely have to go look at that. Thank you so much for the recommendation!

[@sugunyan.9054]

@@LifewithSerg ดีใจมากที่คุณกล่าวเช่นนี้ รอชมวิธีการถ่ายทำที่แสนยอดเยี่ยมด้วยฝีมือของคุณ

[@bhannaporncharoen107]

The​ point that​ you thrown the​ coins is​ the​middle point of​ our​ country​ milestone.​ It's​not any​ holy point.

[@LifewithSerg]

Wow! Thanks for letting me know!

[@zdl1965]

It's the only fake hill in BKK. Some things have changed. Previously it was 20 bahts for farangs to enter, and one needs to take off shoes. Now its 100 bahts, and there is no need to take off shoes. I suppose that is meant to deter shoe thieves.

[@LifewithSerg]

Shoe thieves??? I’m Bangkok?? Lol

[@khomnett4449]

You can speak Thai better and better.

[@LifewithSerg]

I’m always trying to improve. 😊

[@user-et4si1zr5q]

Hello Serg

[@LifewithSerg]

Hello!