# Secret Buddha Garden, Koh Samui > The Secret Buddha Garden is a private park of stone sculptures in the jungle on Pom Mountain, one of Samui's highest points. The farmer Khun Nim began it in 1976, at the age of 77. Entry is ≈ 80 baht. The road up is very steep — take a 4x4 or a tour; the turn-off is opposite Wat Khunaram. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/secret-buddha-garden - City: [Koh Samui](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui), Thailand - YesGo score: 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: ≈ 80 baht; under-10s free - Hours: Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00 - Where: Pom Mountain (Khun Nim Peak), centre of the island - Road: Steep, last stretch unpaved — 4x4 or tour - Turn-off: From ring road 4169 opposite Wat Khunaram - From Chaweng: ≈ 22 km, 35–45 minutes - Coordinates: 9.48276, 99.99463 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1976** — the year Khun Nim started the garden (source: en.wikipedia) - **77** — the founder's age when he began (source: en.wikipedia) - **Farmer** — Khun Nim Thongsuk grew durians (source: en.wikipedia) - **Not a temple** — the garden is a private project, not a wat (source: en.wikipedia) - **Pom Mountain** — one of Samui's highest peaks (source: en.wikipedia) - **Angels** — the main group of statues — angels and musicians (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ 80 baht** — adult entry (source: travel guides) - **4x4** — recommended for the steep road up (source: travel guides) ## What is the Secret Buddha Garden? The **Secret Buddha Garden** — also called the Magic Garden, Heaven's Garden and **Tarnim Magic Garden** — is a private sculpture park on top of **Pom Mountain** (Khun Nim Peak), one of Samui's highest points. It isn't a temple but one man's work. It was begun in **1976** by the retired durian farmer **Khun Nim Thongsuk**, then aged **77**, who kept at it for many years. Among trees, boulders and streams stand statues of the Buddha, **angels and musicians**, deities, birds and snakes, as well as figures of the founder's parents and of Khun Nim holding his father's hand. > **The road up is steep** The road to the garden climbs very steeply from the ring road, and the last stretch is unpaved and rough. Novice scooter riders shouldn't attempt it: take a 4x4, a taxi with an experienced driver or a jeep tour. After rain the road is slippery. Keep your distance and use a low gear on the climb and descent. ## How the garden works There's a ticket office at the entrance, then paths lead up and down the slope past groups of statues, streams and small **waterfalls**. The stone figures are covered in moss and look older than they are among the jungle. It's cooler here than on the coast. Entry is about **80 baht**; according to guides, children under 10 go free. Sources give different hours — most often roughly 9:00 to 18:00. ## What to see - **Angels and musicians** — the main group of statues. - **Buddha statues** among rocks and trees. - **Figures of the founder's parents**. - **Stone birds and snakes**. - **Streams and small waterfalls** in the garden. - **Jungle views** from the mountaintop. ## How to get to the Secret Buddha Garden 1. **From ring road 4169** — turn inland opposite Wat Khunaram, then climb steeply up the mountain. 2. **From Chaweng** — ≈ 22 km, 35–45 minutes, slow for the last few kilometres. 3. **From the Na Muang waterfalls** — ≈ 3.5 km by road, but uphill. 4. **Jeep tour** — often includes the garden, waterfalls and viewpoints. 5. **By scooter** — experienced riders only, in dry weather. ## On your own or on a jeep tour | | Independently | Jeep tour | | --- | --- | --- | | The road | Needs a 4x4 and experience | The driver knows the climb | | Extras | Your choice | Waterfalls and viewpoints | | Time in the garden | As long as you like | About an hour | | Entry | Pay at the gate | Often included — check | ## How long do you need? Allow **an hour** in the garden, or about **2.5–3 hours** with the drive from Chaweng. It's easy to combine with the **Na Muang waterfalls** and **Wat Khunaram** — the turn-off is right opposite the temple. Come in the morning or early afternoon in dry weather: the climb is safer, and the light through the leaves is soft. ## Is the Secret Buddha Garden worth visiting? Yes, if you want something unusual: one man's stone garden in the jungle on a mountaintop is among Samui's most atmospheric places. The YesGo take: the garden is small, and the road is the real challenge. Don't risk it on a scooter without experience; a jeep tour solves that and adds waterfalls and views. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] A 4x4, taxi or jeep tour - [ ] Dry weather for the climb - [ ] Cash for entry - [ ] Comfortable shoes for the paths - [ ] Insect repellent ## Koh Samui sights: compare and choose Natural sights and viewpoints on Koh Samui rated by YesGo. - [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/koh-samui-big-buddha) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free - [Wat Plai Laem](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-plai-laem) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · free - [Hin Ta and Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/hin-ta-hin-yai) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Secret Buddha Garden](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/secret-buddha-garden) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 80 baht - [Ang Thong National Marine Park](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/ang-thong-marine-park) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · park fee ≈ 300 baht; tour extra ## Central and southern Samui in a day The Na Muang waterfalls in the morning, then the Secret Buddha Garden on the mountain, and Wat Khunaram and the Red Temple in the afternoon. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Na Muang Waterfalls](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/na-muang-waterfalls) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Na Muang 1 free; Na Muang 2 ≈ 30–50 baht 2. [Secret Buddha Garden](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/secret-buddha-garden) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 80 baht 3. [Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-khunaram) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · free 4. [Red Temple (Wat Sila Ngu)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-sila-ngu) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free ## Good to know Samui's Secret Buddha Garden is not the Buddha Park (Xieng Khuan) in Vientiane, nor a children's 'magic garden'. It's a private garden, not a temple. ## Tips - No scooter without experience. - Go in dry weather. - It's cooler in the garden than by the sea. - The turn-off is opposite Wat Khunaram. - Nearby: [the Na Muang waterfalls](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/na-muang-waterfalls). ## Questions ### How much is entry to the Secret Buddha Garden? About 80 baht; under-10s free (according to guides). ### Who created the garden? The farmer Khun Nim Thongsuk, who began in 1976 at the age of 77. ### Can you get there by scooter? Experienced riders only, in dry weather; a 4x4 or tour is better. ### Where is the turn-off? From ring road 4169, opposite Wat Khunaram. ### Is it a temple? No, it's a private sculpture park. ### What are the opening hours? Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00 (sources vary). ### How long do you need? About an hour in the garden, 2.5–3 hours with the drive. ### Is it good for children? Yes, the paths are short; the key is getting up safely. ## How we checked There's no official website. The founder, start year, his age, the statues and the road are from Wikipedia. Most sources give 80 baht for entry (one blog says 100) — we give 80 and mark it unconfirmed. Hours: 'morning to sunset' or 9:00–18:00 — we give roughly 9:00–18:00. Distances are from OSRM: 21.8 km from Chaweng, 26.8 km from the airport, 3.4 km from the Na Muang waterfalls; we pad the climb time. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Secret Buddha Garden — founder, year, statues, mountain, road - Travel guides (Nasha Planeta, Pickyourtrail, Villa Finder, We Love Koh Samui and others) — entry, hours, 4x4 (unofficial) - Wikidata Q15980294 — coordinates; OSRM — road distances - YesGo general facts for Thailand — payment, transport --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.