Phuket Sightseeing: Temples and Old Town

Big Buddha

The Big Buddha is a 45 m seated marble statue on Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and Kata and Karon. It reopened to visitors on 3 March 2026 under Wat Kittisangkaram (Wat Kata), after a landslide on the hill in August 2024 closed it. Only an authorised area is open, and the site can close in heavy rain. Reported hours are 09:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. Entry is free with donations welcome. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off indoors. These details come from visitor guides and not from a temple notice, so check same-day access. The road up starts on Chaofa West Road at Soi Yot Sane 1 in Chalong, and it is a steep paved climb. The statue is not at Wat Chalong, and it is not inside Phang Nga Bay. See the Window on Phuket report on the reopening.

Wat Chalong

Wat Chalong, also called Wat Chaitararam, is on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong, about 8 km south of Phuket Town. Entry is free, and reported hours are about 07:00 to 17:00, though one guide gives 08:00 as the opening time. It is a working temple, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and take shoes off before entering buildings. Sarongs are often loaned at the gate. The main chedi is said to hold a relic of the Buddha, and the hall honours the monk-healers Luang Por Chuang and Luang Por Cham. Women should not touch monks. Worshippers set off firecrackers in a burner in the grounds, so expect noise.

Promthep Cape

Promthep Cape at the island’s southern tip is free and is the standard sunset stop. The car park fills by about 17:30 in peak season, and a parking or toilet fee of 5 to 20 THB is reported, although accounts conflict. The viewpoint at Karon is a quieter free alternative.

Phuket Old Town

The Old Town centres on Thalang, Dibuk, Krabi and Phang Nga roads, with Sino-Portuguese shophouses and several shrines.

  • Thai Hua Museum at 28 Krabi Road charges foreign adults about 200 THB. Hours conflict between sources, so check the opening time and closed day.
  • Baan Chinpracha at 98 Krabi Road charges about 150 THB for foreigners, and only the ground floor is open.
  • Saeng Tham Shrine on Phang Nga Road is free. It was built about 1889 to 1891 and reopened in 2013 after restoration.
  • The Memory at On On Hotel at 19 Phang Nga Road opened in 1929 and was renovated. It appeared as a filming location in The Beach.
  • Phuket Baba Museum and Wat Mongkhon Nimit on Dibuk Road are also close by. Check museum prices and hours locally.

The Old Town closes down early outside Sundays, so see it in daylight. The Michelin Guide’s Old Town article lists more stops.

The Vegetarian Festival

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual Taoist event held in the ninth lunar month, so its dates move each year. In 2026 it ran from 10 to 18 October. The Jui Tui Shrine on Ranong Road is the festival’s central hub. The piercings and fire-walking are acts of devotion, so watch quietly and keep a respectful distance. The Michelin Guide’s festival article lists food stops.

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