Phuket Big Buddha

The Big Buddha is the seated figure that can be seen from much of southern Phuket, high on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata. It is the principal Buddha image of Wat Kitthi Sangkharam, and it stands 45 metres tall and just over 25 metres wide. The statue is built from reinforced concrete and faced with white Burmese marble; the foundation stone was laid in 2002 and the project was paid for largely through donations. Work on the surrounding platform, halls and gardens is still going on, so expect scaffolding and building areas around the edges.

The site was closed in August 2024 after a landslide and reopened in March 2026. Inside the compound, a staircase guarded by two Naga serpents leads up to the main terrace, and below the statue sit seven smaller Buddha images, one for each day of the week. The giant figure faces Chalong Bay. From roughly 400 metres up, the views take in Kata and Kata Noi to the west, Chalong Bay below and, on a clear day, the limestone islands of Phang Nga Bay on the horizon. The terrace behind the statue is usually quieter and better for photographs.

Entry is free and donations are welcome. This is an active religious site, so shoulders and knees must be covered; sarongs are lent free at the entrance for anyone who needs one. Speak quietly near people who are praying and remove shoes where signs ask you to. Allow around an hour, longer if you want to follow the full circuit and sit for a while.

Late afternoon is the most comfortable time to visit, when the heat drops and the light falls on the face of the statue; mornings are cooler but put the sun behind it. Most visitors come by car, taxi, motorbike or as part of a half-day island tour. The access road branches off Chaofa West Road, about 8 kilometres from Wat Chalong, and climbs the hill, so take care if you ride a scooter. Walkers can follow a trail of roughly 2.5 kilometres from Patak Road in Karon, which takes around an hour uphill.

The visit pairs naturally with Wat Chalong, about ten minutes away by road, and with the drive south to Rawai, Nai Harn and Promthep Cape. Nak-Kerd Seaview Cafe, about five minutes down the road, is a popular stop for a drink as the sun goes down.