Visiting the Sanctuary of Truth

You have many options when you are travelling from central Pattaya to the Sanctuary of Truth. Probably the best option is a bolt taxi. Using the bolt app you get either taxi, car or motorcycle rides from your locations to any place in Pattaya. Try a motorbike taxi for a more adventurous way to get there. It is a shortish trip around 20 minutes or so if you are in central Pattaya. For that reason, you need to pick the right day to go as when it rains in Thailand it pours. You will not need to take a lot. It is not like the temples you will go to in Bangkok. No special clothes are needed, and you won’t spend an entire day there. If you are looking just at the building itself, you’ll most likely be done with it within one or two hours. It will be a pleasant sightseeing experience. As the proximity to the ocean creates a cool offshore breeze which takes away some of Thailand’s extreme heat.

There are not too many options for you to take as far as payment goes. A standard fare of 1000 baht is the entry fee. Of course, there are other attractions where you can spend more money. There is a chance to have your photo taken with elephants or by a professional photographer outside the structure. There is no need to participate in any of this. Your thousand baht will go towards tour guides and your entrance fee

Your guide will very likely be a Filipino woman who will of course have the gift of the gab. Their knowledge of the architecture is second to none. Stay with the group if you are interested in finding out information about the place or to ask questions about it. At some point you will really need to get away from the group to appreciate the atmosphere of the building. There is spiritual styled music playing from a PA system with monitors around the structure which add to the mystic nature of the place.

I wandered around the Sanctuary for an hour by myself. Taking photos of myself and of the various figures carved into the wood. The level of craftsmanship is quite incredible. I had never really seen anything like it before. It is not a religious building, yet it contains religious styled carvings. You can see figures from Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions from around the world. I heard others muttering about a juxtaposition of these religions, but I think it’s more of an artistic work rather than a deliberate layering of religion.

There are many examples that can be used to demonstrate the intricacies of this carved building. There are some racy Statues and figurines, but there’s some other fascinating works that take you on a celestial adventure. You can stare at them and use your imagination to figure out what is going on and what they represent. But I must warn you that even in the low season there will be many people who will take you out of your reverie. Pattaya, a place where loud mouthed tourists are everywhere, can destroy everything.

Taking photographs inside the secretary of truth can be a problem as the above photo demonstrates the bright light from outside does not contrast well with the dim lights inside. Any way you can see some of the grandeur of the building and the immensity of it. In the background you can see a scaffold and that is the reason why you must wear a hard hat. It is a building which is constantly under construction and work continues to this day.

Final thoughts

There are many different tourist spots in Thailand most are lot cheaper than the sanctuary of truth. They are also a lot bigger and have more historical and religious importance. But it is the most unexpected structure that you would expect to be in Pattaya city. Of course it is overpriced, but that is because of the deep pockets of many of the gentlemen that come from far and wide to visit.

The Sanctuary of truth is a museum like experience rather than an authentic religious one like many other cultural places in Thailand. It serves a purpose of bringing people out of the bars and giving them somewhere else to go. It is a place you’ll only visit once so take it as it is and enjoy what you see. You’re probably on holiday so take that kind of vibe into it. I think most will enjoy this place. Happy travels.