Wat Chalong
Phuket's most important temple, with a 60-metre chedi said to contain a fragment of the Buddha's bone.
Wat Chalong is the largest and most visited temple in Phuket, 8km south of Phuket Town. It is free, takes about an hour, and the 60-metre chedi holding a Buddha relic is the main sight. It is a working temple, not a monument.
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Phuket's most important temple, with a 60-metre chedi said to contain a fragment of the Buddha's bone.
The temple is dedicated to two 19th-century monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, who are credited with ending a rebellion of Chinese tin miners in 1876 by treating the wounded and negotiating a peace. Their statues are the ones covered in gold leaf by devotees today. The Grand Pagoda was finished in 2001 and holds a fragment of the Buddha's bone.
It is a working temple rather than a monument, busy with Thai families making merit. The chedi's interior murals tell the Buddha's life in detail.
What you’ll actually see
- The Grand Pagoda's interior murals, painted floor to ceiling in Jataka scenes
- The gold-leaf-covered statues of the two founding monks
- The relic chamber at the top of the pagoda, with views over Chalong Bay
- The courtyard where firecrackers are set off — loud, constant and part of the ritual
How to visit it well
- Dress code applies; sarongs are lent at the entrance.
- Remove shoes before the chedi.
- Combine with the Big Buddha on the same loop.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Wearing beach clothes; this is the strictest dress code on the island
- Coming during Chinese New Year or Visakha Bucha, when it is impassable
- Rushing the pagoda's upper floors — the murals are the best thing here
Is it worth it?
Worth an hour, and easy to combine with the Big Buddha 10 minutes up the hill. It is not as beautiful as Chiang Mai's temples but it is the real thing and the pagoda interior is genuinely impressive.
Common questions
Yes, entry is free. Donations and the purchase of gold leaf for the statues fund the temple.
Shoulders and knees covered, no beachwear. Sarongs are available at the entrance.
About an hour. Add 15 minutes if you climb to the top of the pagoda.
Yes, about 10 minutes by car up Nakkerd Hill. The two are the standard half-day pairing in southern Phuket.
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Last updated: October 2026 · Prices and hours checked by Nattapong Srisuwan