Temples, lanterns and long-boats: 12 spectacular photos of classic Thailand

Long-tail boats off the coast of Krabi, Thailand (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

The head of a sandstone Buddha is overgrown by a banyan tree in Ayutthaya (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Wat Rong Khun, better known as the ‘White Temple’ (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Krabi’s turquoise waters and pristine beaches make it a traveller’s paradise (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Buddha statues draped in yellow in Ayutthaya (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

A monk at Wat Lok Molee temple, decorated with colourful lanterns (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Viking cave in Ao Nang, Krabi (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

The Akha are an indigenous hill tribe who live in small villages at higher elevations in the mountains of Thailand (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

A lady worships a reclining Buddha statue in Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

Wat Lok Molee decorated with lanterns during Yi Peng Festival (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

A little girl lighting candles in Chiang Mai during Yi-Peng Festival (Sanghamitra Sarkar)

“There was so much from my trip to Thailand that stood out. The lantern-releasing festival where people from all over the world come to release lanterns together under a clear night sky will remain with me for life. Bangkok was a study in contrasts, with its multi-storied shopping malls, street bazaars and food stalls. The magnificent ruins of Ayutthaya and its Buddha statues are now among my all-time favourite photographic destinations, and the warm hospitality of the Thai people and the caring attitude of my tour guide during my trip touched me deeply.”