This temple in Bangkok is home to an image of Buddha that has been carved out of a single piece of jade. The king is the only person allowed to get close to it.

Thailand holidays are a must for anyone who wants to see how much care and reverence is placed on the religious icons and buildings of a region. Visitors to Bangkok can learn meditation techniques at Wat Mahathat, home of the largest monastic order in Thailand. This is hugely popular and has Vipassana Meditation programmes in English. It’s one of the oldest temples in the city and was originally build to house a relic of Buddha.

This temple in Bangkok is famous for its 5.5 tonne solid gold Buddha. It was discovered by accident fairly recently. Hundreds of years old, its survival is apparently due to it being covered in plaster to hide it during the Burmese invasion.

Phananchoeng Temple is one of the oldest architectural sites of the region, believed to have been constructed by the Khmer in 1325, before the Ayutthaya empire existed.

Ayutthaya's most important temple is Wat Phra Si Sanphet which is only paralleled by Wat Phra Kaeo in Bangkok. Founded in the 15th century, it was a residential palace and became a monastery in 1500 where a 16-metre tall Buddha was erected and covered in 170kg of gold. When the city was sacked by the Burmese the gold was pillaged and much of the surrounding architecture razed to the ground.

Chiang Mai is ofen regarded as a favourite city for travellers, being that it is a far more tranquil alternative to the comparatively frantic Bangkok. It's in the northern mountainous region so it's popular with trekkers and is home to a multitude of temples and craft shops.

Construction of this temple began in 1807, and it is one of the most important in Thailand. It houses a 26ft tall statue of Buddha, and was once the location of a giant swing in the worship of Shiva. Inside the temple there are 156 images of Buddha.

Founded in the 17th century Wat Po is is located near the opulent Wat Phra Kaew. in 1801 it was enlarged by King Rama I, and again in 1832 by King Rama III. The temple is home to the colossal reclining Buddha measuring 15 metres high and 45 metres long!