# Wat Plai Laem, Koh Samui > Wat Plai Laem is a modern lakeside temple 1 km from the Big Buddha. Its main statue isn't the Buddha but a white 18-armed Guanyin, the bodhisattva of mercy; nearby are a hall on a lotus base in the water and a big laughing Buddha. Entry is free; cover shoulders and knees. It's 7 minutes from the airport — combine it with the Big Buddha. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-plai-laem - City: [Koh Samui](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui), Thailand - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - Opening hours: Daily, during the day; best in the morning - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; donations welcome - Main statue: 18-armed Guanyin — the bodhisattva of mercy - Also: White laughing Buddha (Budai), hall on the lake - Dress: Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at the halls - From the Big Buddha: ≈ 1 km, 3 minutes by car - From the airport: ≈ 3.6 km, about 7 minutes - Coordinates: 9.57164, 100.06664 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **18 arms** — on the main statue — Guanyin in the form of Cundi (source: en.wikipedia) - **Not the Buddha** — the main statue is Avalokiteshvara, bodhisattva of compassion (source: en.wikipedia) - **Budai** — a white 'laughing Buddha', a symbol of plenty (source: en.wikipedia) - **Two traditions** — Chinese and Thai, blended in the architecture (source: en.wikipedia) - **Lake** — the ordination hall stands on a platform in the water (source: en.wikipedia) - **Jarit Phumdonming** — the Thai artist who helped design the temple (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ 1 km** — to the Big Buddha (source: OSRM) - **0 baht** — to get in (source: travel guides) ## What is Wat Plai Laem? **Wat Plai Laem** is a modern Buddhist temple on Samui's northeast tip, about **1 km from the Big Buddha**. Its design blends **Chinese and Thai** traditions, and the noted Thai artist **Jarit Phumdonming** helped create it. The main statue isn't the Buddha but a white **18-armed Guanyin**: Avalokiteshvara, bodhisattva of compassion, in the form known as Cundi. She stands in the open air on a platform in the middle of the **temple lake**. Nearby are a huge white **Budai**, the 'laughing Buddha', and small shrines to Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva and Sakka. > **Dress and behaviour** Wat Plai Laem is a working temple. Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off before entering the halls. Speak quietly, don't climb on statues or railings for photos, and don't point your feet at images of the Buddha or deities. ## How the temple works The grounds are small: walkways and jetties around the lake take you past every statue in half an hour. The main **ordination hall**, with tiered orange roofs, stands on a pink lotus-shaped base right in the water. From the jetties locals and visitors **feed the fish** — the lake is full of them; food is usually sold on site. Entry is **free**. Mornings are quiet with softer light; by day tour groups arrive, pairing the temple with the Big Buddha. ## What to see - **The 18-armed Guanyin** — the temple's main statue. - **The lotus hall** in the middle of the lake. - **The white laughing Buddha** (Budai). - **Shrines** to Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva and Sakka. - **Fish feeding** from the jetties. - **Reflections** of the statues on a still morning. ## Who is Guanyin? **Guanyin** is the Chinese name of the bodhisattva **Avalokiteshvara**. In Buddhist teaching a bodhisattva postpones their own liberation to help all living beings. The statue's many arms show that Guanyin's mercy reaches many at once. People pray to her for help, protection and peace, and flowers and incense are often left at her statue. If you leave an offering, place it quietly, without disturbing worshippers. ## How to get to Wat Plai Laem 1. **From Samui airport** — ≈ 3.6 km, about 7 minutes by taxi or Grab. 2. **From Chaweng** — ≈ 9 km north, 15–20 minutes. 3. **From Bophut** — ≈ 5 km east, about 10 minutes. 4. **From the Big Buddha** — ≈ 1 km along route 4171, 3 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot. 5. By scooter you can cover both temples and Bang Rak beach in a morning. ## Wat Plai Laem or the Big Buddha | | Wat Plai Laem | Big Buddha | | --- | --- | --- | | Highlight | 18-armed Guanyin and the lake | 12 m golden Buddha | | Style | Chinese and Thai | Thai | | Crowds | Fewer | More | | Entry | Free | Free | ## How long do you need? Allow **30–40 minutes** for Wat Plai Laem. With the Big Buddha it's about an hour and a half, and half a day with Bang Rak beach and lunch. If you land during the day, both temples make an easy first stop: the airport is minutes away. Catch sunset at the Big Buddha and visit Wat Plai Laem before it, while it's light. ## Is Wat Plai Laem worth visiting? Yes: it's Samui's most unusual temple — a white many-armed goddess above a lake and a blend of Chinese and Thai styles. Entry is free and the Big Buddha is right next door. The YesGo take: the temple is small and new, without a long history. But it looks striking, especially in the morning when the statues are reflected in the water. Always pair it with the Big Buddha. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clothes covering shoulders and knees - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily - [ ] Small change for fish food and a donation - [ ] The Big Buddha next on the route - [ ] A morning visit for lake reflections ## Temples of Koh Samui: compare and choose Temples and shrines on Koh Samui rated by YesGo. - [Wat Plai Laem](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-plai-laem) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · free - [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/koh-samui-big-buddha) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free - [Red Temple (Wat Sila Ngu)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-sila-ngu) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk)](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-khunaram) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · free ## Northern Samui in a day Wat Plai Laem in the morning, then the Big Buddha, and Fisherman's Village in Bophut in the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Wat Plai Laem](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/wat-plai-laem) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · free 2. [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/koh-samui-big-buddha) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free 3. [Fisherman's Village, Bophut](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/bophut-fishermans-village) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · free ## Good to know Samui's Wat Plai Laem is not Wat Laem Suwannaram or other temples with 'Laem' in their names elsewhere in Thailand. ## Tips - In the morning the statues are reflected in the lake. - Fish food is usually sold on site. - Don't point your feet at the statues. - The Big Buddha is about 15 minutes on foot. - Nearby: [the Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/koh-samui/koh-samui-big-buddha), 1 km. ## Questions ### How much does Wat Plai Laem cost? Entry is free. ### Who does the main statue depict? The 18-armed Guanyin, bodhisattva of mercy — not the Buddha. ### What should I wear? Cover shoulders and knees; shoes come off before the halls. ### How far is it to the Big Buddha? About 1 km, 3 minutes by car. ### Can you feed the fish? Yes, from the jetties; food is usually sold on site. ### How do I get there from the airport? About 7 minutes by taxi, ≈ 3.6 km. ### How long do you need? 30–40 minutes, about an hour and a half with the Big Buddha. ### When is the best time to go? In the morning — quieter, with lovely reflections. ## How we checked There's no official website. The statues, their meaning, the architecture and Jarit Phumdonming's role are from Wikipedia. Guides say entry is free. Sources disagree on hours, so we say 'during the day' without times. Construction dates vary between sources, so we leave the year out and call the temple modern. Distances are from OSRM: 3.6 km from the airport, 8.9 km from Chaweng, 5.4 km from Bophut, 1.1 km to the Big Buddha. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Wat Plai Laem — statues, architecture, artist, lake - Travel guides (The Koh Samui Guide and others) — entry, dress, fish feeding (unofficial) - Wikidata Q15980279 — 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.