MENZZOO MAGAZINE
MUST SEE TEMPLES IN PHUKET
History & Culture-
Wats are among the most important symbols of Thailand, partly because the majority of Thais are Buddhist but also because they are so beautiful. In Phuket alone, there are more than 25 Buddhist temples spread around the island. Here are some of the best in Phuket and the neighbouring Phang Nga Province.
1. WAT CHALONG
Wat Chalong is a historical landmark and Buddhist temple in Phuket's Chalong Bay. For centuries, locals come to pray almost every day while westerners learn about Buddhism during their holiday. It's officially called Wat Chaitararam, but most people refer to it by Wat Chalong. The temple is located on Chao Fa West Road in the northern part of Tambol Chalong.
Many locals claim that the temple often experiences many miracles. It's also known for its pivotal and healing role in the fighting between Chinese secret societies (Angyee) in 1876.
Location: 70 Village No.6 Chao Fah Tawan Tok Road, Chalong, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 8am to 5pm
2. BIG BUDDHA PHUKET
Phuket's Big Buddha is one of the island's most important and revered landmarks on the island. The huge image sits on top of the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata. At 45 metres tall, it's easily seen from far away. The lofty site offers panoramic views of the island, with sweeping vistas of Phuket Town, Kata, Karon beaches, and Chalong Bay. Easily reachable via a 6-km road leading from Phuket's main artery route, the temple is a must-visit for all first-timers on the island.
Location: Soi Yot Sane 1, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Open: Daily from 6 am to 7 pm
3. WAT KHAO RANG
Wat Khao Rang, also known as Sumnak Song Khao Rang or Wat Khao Rang Samakkhitham, is a temple on the slope of the popular Khao Rang (Rang Hill) in Phuket. This is where you can discover a large golden sitting Buddha, which was the first of its kind on the island. This charming temple is usually busy at weekends with visiting locals.
Built many years ago, the beautiful golden sitting Buddha image at Wat Khao Rang is a spiritual centre for many worshippers on the island. Not only does it look amazing, but it was also the first big Buddha image Phuket ever had until the giant Buddha in the Nakkerd Hills was built between Chalong and Kata.
The atmosphere of the temple is very peaceful and not at all touristy. It’s common to see different generations of families come to ‘make merit’ by donating fresh food as well as alms to monks, usually in the mornings before 11am. This is one of the most beautiful images to see in Thailand.
Wat Khao Rang
Location: Khao Rang Hill, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 8 am to late-afternoon
4. WAT PHRA THONG
Wat Phra Thong (or Wat Prathong) is a temple in Phuket that's famous for housing a half-buried golden Buddha statue called Luang Poh Phra Thong (Golden Buddha) in its grounds.
The temple is believed to be one of the island’s oldest temples. It received a visit in 1909 by King Rama VI who at that time was still the crown prince and who gave it its official name.
Wat Phra Thong is a relatively small temple, but with its several buildings and colourful features, it’s a pleasant place to visit. The main attraction is the half-buried golden Buddha image, which is said to be 'untouchable' – every person who has tried to dig it out received a curse in the end.
Many villagers came to help with digging it up but only managed to expose half of the statue; they simply couldn’t dig it up no matter how many times they tried. The idea to build a temple around this half-buried Buddha came when a monk on a pilgrimage spotted the holy image. Wat Phra Thong has become the spiritual centre of local communities ever since.
The temple also houses an interesting museum, where you can see historical items donated by locals.
Wat Phra Thong
Location: 172/2 Nanai Road, Thep Krasatti, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Open: Daily from 8am to 5.30pm
5. WAT SRI SUNTHON
Wat Sri Sunthon (Wat Lipon) is a Buddhist temple in Thalang, around 14.5 km north of Phuket Town. One of the first things you'll see when entering the temple grounds is the 29-metre-high Sleeping Buddha sculpture, which occupies the top of the wat’s central building. There are also 9 smaller Buddha images in different positions – all facing the entrance as if welcoming you to this holy place of worship.
Depictions of Buddha in a sleeping position are considered very important for devotees as it represents the Lord Buddha in the stage of dreaming. Legend has it after the end of his 6-year-long period of extreme self-mortification (in the hope of discovering the truth about life), Buddha had a dream that made him realise that he had indeed reached the stage of enlightenment.
Built in 1792, Wat Lipon covers around 3.52 hectares of land. It was later named Wat Sri Sunthon by King Rama I. The main ubosot (temple hall) has a very simple style, with only 1 full wall. The whole property is very quiet and peaceful, attracting those looking for a place to meditate.
Wat Sri Sunthon
Location: 20/4 Thepkrasatree Rd, Si Sunthon, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
6. WAT PHRA NANG SANG
Phra Nang Sang Temple is located just before the Thalang intersection near Baan Ta-Kien, opposite the entrance of Khao Pra Taew Wildlife Conservation Centre. Rumoured to be over 500 years old, it’s one of the oldest temples on the island. The story goes that the temple was built in honor of an innocent princess who was executed for a crime she did not commit. At her execution, it’s claimed that she bled white blood, thus showing her purity. For this reason, the temple is also called Wat Leuat Khao (Temple of the White Blood).
Wat Phra Nang Sang
Location: 330 Ton Sai Nam Tok Road, Thep Krasatti, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
7. WAT SUWAN KHUHA
Wat Suwan Khuha is also called Wat Tham or simply 'temple cave' because that’s where it’s located – inside a limestone cave. The largest part of the caves houses a 15-metre reclining Buddha image. It's also decorated with attractive Benjarong (Thai-style) tiles.
There's a chedi structure reminiscent of Bangkok’s famous Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun) along with a small grotto with a golden stupa. Care should be taken here as the temple has a sizeable and rather aggressive monkey population, prone to grabbing snacks off visitors and messing with car antennas. Apart from the naughty monkeys, this is a pleasant place to visit.
Wat Suwan Khuha
Location: 36/1 Phet Kasem Rd, Krasom, Takua Thung, Phang-Nga 82130, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0)76 450 333
8. WAT SUWAN KHIRIKET
Founded in 1895, Wat Suwan Khirikhet (also called Wat Karon) is the only temple in Karon Beach. This small but attractive landmark is easy to find and worth a visit. It's most noteworthy for hosting a night market on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
The main building is guarded by 2 large, emerald-green nagas (serpents) and the interior of the building's walls, doors and window panels depict the life of Buddha, including his struggle with evil before achieving enlightenment. A smaller building houses 2 Ramayana images guarding a beautiful black sapphire Buddha image.
Wat Suwan Khirikhet
Location: 1 Patak Rd, Karon, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
9. WAT BAAN KAMALA
Wat Baan Kamala is a classic Buddhist temple located on Kamala's beachfront, towards its southern end. Entirely rebuilt and renovated after Phuket's deadly tsunami in 2004, the temple occupies a nicely landscaped garden with an ordination hall, a bell tower, monks’ dormitory and refectory, along with 2 small constructions housing Buddha images and statues. The best time to visit Wat Baan Kamala is in the late afternoon when it's softly illuminated by golden sun rays.
Wat Baan Kamala
Location: 16/32 Rim Hat Rd, Kamala, Kathu, Phuket 83120, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
10. WAT PUTTA MONGKON
Wat Putta Mongkon (Wat Mongkhon Nimit) is a Buddhist temple in Phuket Town, close to Thalang Road. If you're walking around this historical part of Phuket, a stop at this temple is definitely worth the time as some of its architecture is very unique. The temple is made up of a central hall built in a Sino-Portuguese style, with a roof with ornate carvings. Make sure not to miss the yellow chedi, which you can find right behind Wat Putta Mongkon.
There is a large garden within the temple grounds, where you can find several trees adorned with pieces of the Buddhist scripture. Each tree has a different principle of Buddhism.
Wat Putta Mongkon
Location: Dibuk Road, Talat Yai, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
11. WAT MAI LUANG PU SUPHA
Wat Mai Luang Pu Supha (also known as Wat Sila Suparam or Wat Sin Supharam) in Chalong is a beautiful and inviting property built with attention to detail. It's famous mainly because of its founder, Luang Pu Supha, who was probably one of the most respected and longest-living monks in modern Thai history. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 118 years.
He dedicated a large part of his life (almost a century) to Buddhist monkhood, spreading the word of Dharma and building almost 40 temples and monasteries around the country – 3 of which are in Phuket.
One of the most important structures in Thai temples is the ubosot or ordination hall and it's usually more elaborately decorated than other buildings. The one at Wat Sila Suparam is in classic Thai style and was built next to a small lake. Its classic 3-levelled triangular roof is covered with beautiful yellow glazed tiles. The windows feature some unique samples of Thai traditional carving and painting.
In front of the ubosot stands a statue. It portrays the Buddha in a sitting position with a 7-headed serpent naga over his head. Legend has it that there was a time when the Buddha was in deep meditation under a tree during a storm. The naga king who lived in a pond nearby was worried about the Buddha, so he used himself as a shelter to protect him from the heavy storm as well as mosquitoes and such until the Buddha completed his 7-day meditation. This Buddha image is also a symbol of people who were born on a Saturday.
Who was Luang Pu Supha?
Born over a century ago, Luang Pu Supha spent the first 70 or 80 years of his monkhood as a pilgrim and travelled around not only in the country but to other Asian countries and as far as Europe. Everywhere he went in Thailand, he helped the locals with various projects along the way. His extraordinary works include building bridges in rural areas, establishing hospitals for sick monks and many more projects.
Chalong is home to 3 famous places of worship. They are Wat Chalong, Wat Sila Suparam and the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill. Each is located not far from another. You can easily spend half a day visiting them all.
Wat Mai Luang Pu Supha
Location: Chaofa West Rd, Chalong, Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
12. WAT SAWANG AROM
Wat Sawang Arom is a small but ornate temple that serves the Buddhist community of Rawai and nearby villages. Inside, you can see traditional Buddha images and paintings depicting his life. Dress conservatively as this is a holy place for Buddhist Thais.
Wat Sawang Arom
Location: 3/10 Wiset Road, Rawai, Muang, Phuket 83100, Thailand
Open: Daily from 9 am to 6 pm
13. WAT CHERNGTALAY
Wat Cherngtalay has been the spiritual centre of the village for over 100 years (though it was relocated to its current location in the 1970s). The temple consists of 5 large buildings – 3 of them dedicated to religious services, while the other 2 are the monks’ dormitory and their refectory.
Featuring traditional Thai temple architecture and decoration, Wat Cherngtalay also blends Buddhism and Hinduism. Inside the ordination hall, you can see a fresco depicting the life of Siddharta Gautama (Buddha). Outside the temple, you can see a large painting representing Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of success. Mantras are all written in Sanskrit. Tranquil and beautiful, Wat Cherngtalay is a fine place to visit in the Bangtao area.
Wat Cherngtalay
Location: 2 Soi Cherngtalay 6, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Open: Daily from 7am to 5.30pm
14. WAT BANG RIANG
Wat Bang Riang is a temple where Buddhist monks reside. The overall atmosphere is very peaceful but once in a while, buses with local visitors stop by to make merit and pay respect to a bell-shaped pagoda. Called Chedi Phutthathambanlue, this 109-metre-tall holy structure is said to house relics of the Buddha.
The 2 enormous, mystical 5-headed nagas (serpents) standing on each side of the staircase make quite an impressive entrance. Within the temple complex are the gigantic golden Buddha and the tallest statue of Kwam Im in South of Thailand.
Enjoy a panoramic view of the district from the top of the hill, with vistas out over the hilly countryside of rubber plantations. On a clear day, you often have small villages and the Andaman Sea, as well as the famous Phang Nga Bay.
Wat Bang Riang is located in Thap Put, a small town about a 20-minute drive south of Phang Nga Town. If you're coming from Phuket, it takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the temple.
Wat Bang Riang
Location: Bang Riang, Thap Put, Muang, Phang Nga 82000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 9am to 5pm
15. WAT THAM TA PAN
Wat Tham Ta Pan in Phang Nga Town is one of the weirdest original temples in southern Thailand. Located around 100 km northeast of Phuket, the site offers a journey through Buddhist Heaven and Hell.
Wat Tham Ta Pan is a one-of-a-kind temple that's well worth a visit, simply due to its weird originality. Hire a local guide if you want to learn about the various concepts represented at the temple, which has touches of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism.
Wat Tham Ta Pan
Location: 79 Soi Tham Ta Pan 5, Tham Nam Phut, Muang, Phang Nga 82000, Thailand
Open: Daily from 8.30am to 6pm
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