Big Buddha Phuket

Big Buddha temple and viewpoint

Big Buddha is the common name for the statue that dominates south Phuket. It is situated on a mountain top and faces east to welcome the rising sun. It is reached by road from Chalong, you could also get there from Karon if had a machete to bushwhack through the jungle.

You can visit the Big Buddha at any time of the day. There is currently no entrance fee. Early morning is a good time to visit, when it’s not too hot and before the tour buses arrive. Sunset is also an excellent time to visit. On the road up to the Big Buddha there are several bars with viewpoints. There is also an ATV camp offering rides around the mountain area.

The Big Buddha is a great viewpoint. From the top you can see Phuket Town to the north, Chalong bay east, Kata and Karon beaches to the west. The Phi Phi islands and the Racha islands can be seen in the distance.

Formerly the Big Buddha was called Pra Buddhamingmongkol Ake-Nakkiri and now its official name is Mingmongkol Buddha.

At 45 metres tall it’s huge, purportedly the largest white marbled Buddha anywhere in the world. It was constructed to honour the 80th birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the late King of Thailand.

The Big Buddha Phuket has become a very popular Phuket attraction. But it’s not just for tourists, it is also a Buddhist temple and place of worship. Please consider this when visiting and dress appropriately, sarongs can be borrowed to cover up if required.  Foreigners can receive blessings from the monks here if they want, there is normally a queue.

Next to the Big Buddha is a 12 metre tall statue made of 22 tons of brass. This is in honour of the Queen Sirikit of Thailand.

There are also many other statues, images, sculptures and bells of worship.

The Big Buddha are surrounds is a work in progress. With regular monetary donations from tourists the building works goes on and on. A popular way to donate to the construction is to buy a tile of marble on which you can write a name or a message. This will then be built into the structure and be there for as long as the monument stands.

A garden of peace and tranquility is also being planned, with ornaments, flower features and grassy areas for relaxation.