Wat Ban Den, Chiang Mai

Wat Ban Den is 60 kms north of Chiang Mai and not very findable without google maps. It means ‘splendid house’ in Thai. An understatement if ever there was one. There are 12 statues for each of the zodiac signs. It is as if each team of workers set out to out-do each other with paint and glitter. Each statue depicts some weird mythical beast or other, giving it the feel of an alien zoo (extrapolating there). The huge reclining Buddha is the centre-piece though, and looks like it is covered in real gold with a texture that adds to the realism.