Wat Phan Tao Temple

Without doubt the most atmospheric wát in the old city, this teak marvel sits in the shadow of Wat Chedi Luang. Set in a compound full of fluttering orange flags, the monastery is a monument to the teak trade, with an enormous prayer hall supported by 28 gargantuan teak pillars and lined with dark teak panels, enshrining a particularly graceful gold Buddha image.

The juxtaposition of the orange monks’ robes against this dark backdrop during evening prayers is particularly sublime.

Above the façade is a striking image of a peacock over a dog, representing the astrological year of the former royal resident’s birth. The monastery is one of the focal points for celebrations during the Visakha Bucha festival in May or June, when monks light hundreds of butter lamps around the pond in the grounds.