The Big Buddha or the Great Buddha of Phuket (Big Buddha Phuket) is a park of Buddhist monks with a huge statue of Maravia Buddha, which is a symbol, as well as one of the main attractions of Phuket Island.
Official name: Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakakiri (Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakakiri, Thai name: พรร น นาารรร).
The Big Buddha in Phuket is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. The largest statue, with a height of 92 meters, is the Great Buddha of Thailand in the Wat Muang Temple of Hell and Paradise in Ang Thong.
Big Buddha Phuket is located on one of the highest points of Phuket - the top of the hill Nakkerd (Nagakerd), Karon subdistrict; near Chalong, Karon and Kata.
Big Buddha is not just a statue, but a whole complex that includes: the statue of the Big Buddha, which can be seen from many points of the southern beaches of Phuket; an open area where, in addition to Thai shrines and attributes, there are several viewing platforms that open up an almost 360-degree view, including the southern part of the island, Chalong Bay and the surrounding area; as well as an indoor temple located on the lower platform the Big Buddha complex.
The Big Buddha of Phuket was created as a noble sacred object and, together with the entire surrounding ensemble, represents the theme of paradise. Big Buddha is depicted in the pose of the discovery of the world, which represents three worlds: heaven, humanity and the underworld or hell itself. A wide staircase leads to the Buddha statue, symbolizing the connection between the worlds.
In our opinion, Big Buddha is the most impressive and the main attraction of Phuket Island.
You can visit the Big Buddha complex with one of the sightseeing tours of the island, as well as independently: by taxi, rented car / bike or on foot. How to walk to Big Buddha on your own from the beaches of Kata and Karon is described at the end of this article.
Big Buddha Complex, Phuket
At the bottom of the complex there is a fairly large Parking area.
There are also tents with soft drinks and snacks, souvenir shops, places to relax and sculptures.
The statue of the Big Buddha itself is located with its back to the visitors, it is from this place that the visit to the complex begins.
Try coconut ice cream. Very tasty!
A monument to King Rama of Thailand and a magic gong. Similar gongs are popular in some temples.
Thais say that stroking with your hand can make the gong sing, but it will only sing under the hands of a pure-hearted person.
And here in front of us, in all its beauty and power, a huge snow-white statue of Buddha appears, depicting Shakyamuni Buddha in a sitting position. Shakyamuni Buddha is a spiritual teacher, founder and central figure of Buddhism.
The statue is made of reinforced concrete and decorated with white Burmese marble "Suriyakanta".
The Buddha statue has a width of 25.45 meters and a height of 45 meters.
A wide staircase leads up to the statue.
On the stairs - only barefoot. Shoes must be left at the first lower step. Not everyone does this, many go in shoes, however, honoring the holy traditions of a foreign country, as well as showing respect for local customs and residents, is the first duty of every guest.
At the bottom of the stairs there is an observation deck, which offers fascinating panoramic views.
Climbing the stairs, a panorama of amazing beauty opens up again before your eyes.
You can go "inside" the Big Buddha. There are shrines and statues in front of the entrance.
There is also a souvenir shop. You can buy a souvenir or contribute to the construction of the complex by making a donation.
Souvenirs: elephant and Buddha figurines, various magnets and talismans. You can also buy a "golden" bell with a leaf, then write a cherished wish on a piece of paper or just names (your own, loved ones and relatives) and hang it on the territory of the complex.
Inside the Big Buddha there are statues from religion.
Several more viewing locations are concentrated in the open area around the Big Buddha.
On the left side of the statue of the Big Buddha, you can see the image of the Golden Buddha made of brass, other shrines and Buddha statues.
There are also places to relax and an observation deck khao Nakkerd view point, which offers stunning views of the southern part of the island and neighboring small islands. Perhaps these are the most gorgeous views that can be seen from the territory of the Big Buddha complex.
A narrow winding staircase leads down from here.
During the descent, you can see several statues, one of which is the statue of the goddess of earth and abundance Vasuntharu, who pours water from her hair.
There is a temple at the bottom. There are all the same souvenirs, bells, Thai herbs, oils, etc., only the prices are slightly lower than on the upper platform.
There is a magazine in the temple where you can write a wish to the monks.
A monk is sitting in the depths of the temple. Anyone can approach him, sit on his knees in front of him, and he, in turn, will bless you and, sprinkling you with water, wish you good luck and tie a bright braided rope (bracelet) on his hand - the holy protective thread of Sai sin. Sai sin serves as an amulet - protection from the evil eye and evil spirits. You, while tying the strings by a monk, do not waste time in vain, but make a wish. It is believed that the wish will certainly come true!
Which arm should I tie the bracelet on? There are two versions in this question:
1. The right side of the body is considered male, the left side is female, so sai sin is tied to men on the right hand, women on the left.
2. First you need to decide whether you want to get rid of all the bad or attract all the good to yourself. In the first case, the talisman is tied on the left hand, in the second - on the right. And if you still can't decide unequivocally, then you can tie two strings - one for each hand.
There is a bowl next to the monk, and before you leave, as a sign of gratitude, put the money in this bowl. As we have noticed, mostly they throw banknotes with a face value of 20-50 baht. It is believed that you can not remove Sai sin until he leaves you.
For those who wish - meditation for 7 minutes
Before leaving, you can throw a coin into each of the 37 bowls, making some other wish.
Schematic map of the Big Buddha Complex
Opening hours of the Big Badda Complex
The complex is open daily, from 06:30 am to 18:30 pm.
Admission is public and free.
Dress code
Nevertheless, this is a revered and significant place in Thailand, which means you can not go in beach and too open clothes, as well as in T-shirts and T-shirts with offensive inscriptions and / or images.
The shoulders should be closed, it is also considered indecent to go in short shorts and skirts, ideally the knees should be covered. If suddenly you are dressed inappropriately for this place, at the entrance you will be given a sarong - a scarf with which you can cover your open shoulders or legs. Before leaving, the sarong must be returned.
How to get to Big Buddha - on foot from Kata and Karon beaches
There are several hiking routes to Big Buddha. You can walk from Chalong, as well as from the beaches of Karta and Karon.
From the beaches of Kata and Karon, it is necessary to exit to the wide roadway Patak Rd, passing above the line of beach strips. Following this road, from Kata beach towards Karon, and from Karon towards Kata, streets will go uphill along the way, landmarks - pointers "BIG BUDDHA". These lapels can also be reached by public bus "Phuket town - Karon - Kata". The way to Big Buddha from Kata Beach is about 8 kilometers, from Karon - about 6.5 kilometers.
From Karon Beach, you can turn onto Patak Soi 14 or Patak Soi 12 Street (depending on which side of Karon to follow), and from Kata Beach, turn closer to Patak Soi 10, you can also turn onto Patak Soi 12.
Further along the roads and rare signs you need to go "through the jungle".
The road is quite convenient for walking. Along the way, there are houses of local residents and tourists renting housing.
Then the Patak Soi 14 and Patak Soi 12 roads will meet, after which one road will lead uphill, which passes through the jungle along the Trail to Big Buddha (Kata-Karon Hiking Trail) route.
We go out to the paved road serpentine and turn right.
There are cafes along the road and panoramic views of the sea, Karon Beach and the surrounding area open from some points.
If you decide to visit Big Buddha and choose a walking route for yourself, we advise you to bring clean drinking water with you, wear comfortable shoes and hats, and cover the exposed areas of the body with sunscreen. It is best to go in the morning, while the sun has not yet begun to bake strongly.
Phuket Big Buddha Address: Karon, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83100, Thailand.
Coordinates of Phuket Big Buddha: 7°49'40.0"N 98°18'46.0"E (7.827778, 98.312778).
The website of the Big Buddha of Phuket: mingmongkolphuket.com.
All accommodation facilities in Phuket (hotels, villas, houses, apartments), both near beaches and more remotely from those, can be viewed and booked here
