CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (User:Subhrajyoti07)Landmark· Phuket· Thailand
Big Buddha (Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol)
7° 49.7′ N · 98° 18.8′ E
A 45 m seated Buddha in white Burmese marble on Nakkerd Hill, facing Chalong Bay; from the anchorage you see it gleaming on the ridge. The terrace views take in Kata, Karon and all of Chalong Bay, and on clear days the islands of Phang Nga Bay.
Practical
Free entry; open daily from 9am, last entry 5:30pm, gate closes 6pm (Phuket 101, 2026). The site reopened on 3 March 2026 after 18 months closed. Cover shoulders and knees (sarongs at the counter). 94 steps from the terrace to the base. The road up branches off Chaofa West Road, signposted from Chalong Circle; there is also a steep 2.5 km hiking trail from Patak Road in Karon. Go at 4:30pm-5pm for the best light.
Best for
The view over the Chalong anchorage
Nearby
- The Boathouse, Kata1.1 NM away
- Kata Beach Anchorage1.2 NM away
- Phuket King's Cup Regatta (Kata Beach, early December)1.2 NM away
- Chalong Supermarkets (Lotus's, Makro, Super Cheap)1.4 NM away
- Kata Rocks Floating Jetty1.4 NM away
- Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous and Poker Run (December)1.4 NM away
- Kata Noi Anchorage1.6 NM away
- Villa Market / Central Phuket supermarkets1.6 NM away