Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho temple, Bangkok, Thailand

At 151ft long and 49ft high it’s a showstopping sight and one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand.

The construction – it dates from 1832 – is a brick core with a plaster exterior and a gilded covering of a gold and copper alloy.

Perhaps the most remarkable features are the soles of the feet of the Buddha, which are 10ft high and 15ft long and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They are divided into 108 arranged panels showing important symbols such as elephants, tigers, flowers and dancers with a circular chakra ‘energy point’ right at the centre of each foot.

Needless to say, there’s keen competition to get the perfect social media photo here.

As you exit to the rear of the statue, there’s a row of bronze bowls where visitors traditionally drop in coins for good luck and also to help the monks maintain the temple.

Two miles southeast is Wat Traimit, where there’s more Thai treasure – the 10ft high Golden Buddha, dating back to the 13th century.

No gilding here, it’s 5.5 tons of 18-23 carat gold and the precious metal itself is estimated to be worth in excess of £200million.

Of course, to the Thais, its value is incalculable.

More info: tourismthailand.org