Wat Sri Suphan, commonly called the Silver Temple, sits on Wualai Road in the silversmith district south of the old city. The main building is extraordinary: the exterior and interior are sheathed in hand-hammered silver and aluminium panels, worked with intricate figures from Buddhist mythology. On a sunny day the whole structure glints and shimmers.
The silver-working tradition of Wualai stretches back centuries and is still alive — the street is lined with workshops where you can watch craftsmen at work. The temple itself is an ongoing project, with sections still being added and improved by the neighbourhood's artisans. Visit on a Saturday evening when the Wualai Walking Street market takes over the road, and the whole area takes on a festive atmosphere.