Wat Chalong: Phuket's main temple

Start with the tall tiered stupa. A staircase inside takes you up level by level, past murals and altars, to a gallery with a view of the surrounding hills. It is a slow fifteen-minute climb, and most visitors never go past the ground floor, so the top is usually empty.

Next to the stupa is the hall of revered monks. This is where local people come: they ask for health, leave offerings and press thin squares of gold leaf onto the statues. If you want to see everyday Thai Buddhism rather than a show put on for tourists, this hall is it.

In the courtyard stands an odd brick kiln used for firecrackers. People who made a vow here and had their wish granted come back and set off a string of them as thanks. The bang is sharp — if you are sensitive to noise, step away when you see someone lighting up.

The smaller pavilions around the edge get skipped, which is a pity: they are the quietest part of the temple, and their wall paintings are more detailed than in the main hall.

The grounds are large and open with little shade, and the walk from the car park to the far buildings is long. In the middle of the day that walk is hard work, which is one more reason to come early.

The dress code applies to men and women alike. Cover-ups are not always handed out at the gate, and there is no clothes shop nearby, so arrive dressed for it. Shoes go on the racks by the steps before you enter any building.

Photos are allowed in most places, but never pose hugging or sitting on a Buddha statue — in Thailand that is treated as an offence, not a joke.

The temple is on the way to the southern piers, and the Big Buddha and Promthep Cape are within half an hour, so it fits easily into a day in the south. The aquarium on Cape Panwa pairs well with it on a rainy day.