You don’t have to be religious to enjoy Thailand’s wats (temples) and many first-time visitors to Thailand are surprised about the relaxed atmosphere in the grounds of most temples. Naturally, you should always dress and act respectfully when visiting wats, but you will also notice that temples in Thailand often act as community centres. They can also be great places to just sit down and relax and people-watch. Find a quiet spot and amongst the tourists taking photos you will see food vendors pushing their carts, novice monks buying ice-creams and children playing football, basketball or takraw.
Tourists are often pushed for time on sight-seeing trips, but it is worth taking time to explore the temple grounds. Many have picturesque gardens and if you take time to explore them you may find some profound sayings and Buddhist words of wisdom amongst the trees and shrubbery. The pictures on this page were all taken at various temples in Chiang Mai including Wat Phra Singh and Wat Umong.
Photos © Thaizer
