Buddhist temples are sacred places of worship and it also major tourist attractions. History, impressive architecture and carved reliefs, temples are wonders to explore. Usually peaceful and quiet.
Whether you’re a vlogger or just love visiting, and seeing new places, you will also love to travel Asia.
People like to Asia and as many people are allowed to visit the temples no matter what your religion and beliefs are, there’s plenty of opportunity for offense.
Worshipers often complain about travelers not taking off their shoes, wearing too little clothing, and sometimes for having a tattoo of Buddha which can be seen as disrespectful.
But as long as you follow the rules, there’s no need for you to feel intimidated. Visitors who are aware of the rules and respectful will always be welcome.
You might also find it helpful to learn about the specific dos and don’ts that apply to one of the temples in Southeast Asia, a country like Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and some other countries in Southeast Asia.
Related Content: Cultural Festivals in Asia
8 Basic Etiquette for Visiting Buddhist Temples
- Cover Yourself
- Never Point
- Show Respect
- Respect the Buddha Statues
- Stand up
- Walk in the Right Direction
- Remove Your Hat and Shoes
- Show Extra Respect
- Interacting With Buddhist Monks
- No Touching
Contents
Cover Yourself
Countries around Southeast Asia are commonly hot, and travelers often dress for the heat. Shoulders should be covered and long pants should be worn rather than shorts.
Some temples in tourist places may be considering things like wearing short clothes, but your modesty will be appreciated.
Some temples provide a sarong or other cover-up for a small fee if the gatekeeper thinks you’re not covered up enough.
Never Point
One of the most basic yet important out of 10 Simple Etiquettes for Visiting Buddhist Temples. Pointing at things or people around the temple is considered extremely rude. When sitting, never point your feet at a person or image of Buddha. To indicate something, use your hand with the palm facing upwards.
Show Respect
Lower your voice, turn off mobile devices, remove hats, avoid inappropriate conversation, remove your headphones, don’t smoke, and don’t chew gum.
You are likely entering an actual concentrated area, where locals go to commune with the sacred, so any hint of irreverence might cause deep offense.
Respect the Buddha Statues
Don’t sit near, never touch or climb on a Buddha statue or the raised platform where the statue sits on. Ask permission before taking photographs and never do so during worship.
When exiting, you should walk backward and get some distance between you and the Buddha before turning your back.
Just Stand Up
If you happen to be sitting in the worship area when monks or nuns enter, stand up to show respect, wait until they have finished what they needed to do before sitting down again.
WALK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Always move clockwise around pagodas, temples, and monasteries, as this action represents deep reverence for the Buddha.
Remove Your Hat and Shoes
This is also important out of 10 Simple Etiquettes for Visiting Buddhist Temples. Before entering the temple, shoes and hats should be removed. You can leave your shoes outside the temple in the designated area and hold your hat or keep it in your bag during the visit.
Show Extra Respect
When entering the shrine, step in with your left foot first, and when exiting step in your right foot. This gesture symbolically represents a whole.
Interacting With Buddhist Monks
Monks are the friendliest people you will meet during your travel to Asia. There
are a few things to be aware of when interacting with monks.
1. Keep in mind that monks don’t eat in the afternoon, so be mindful about eating or
snacking around them.
2. If a monk is sitting, show respect by sitting before starting a conversation
and avoid sitting higher than a monk.
3. You should only use your right hand when giving or receiving something from a
monk.
Women should never touch a monk and even brushing against a monk by an accident might make them uncomfortable.
No Touching
One of 10 Simple Etiquettes for Visiting Buddhist Temples that you may not know. Do not touch people you meet and shaking hands is considered bad manners. Don’t ever touch a monk.
Travel Tips
If you’re going to travel Asia, you better be prepared especially when capturing the moments. Here at Vlog Smarter, we cover more topics to help you experience the best way of traveling. From setting up your vlog, capturing the moments to uploading, and make money out of it, we got you covered.
