# Khao Chi Chan — the golden Buddha cliff, Pattaya > Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain) is a limestone cliff 24 km south of central Pattaya bearing a 109 × 70 m outline of a seated Buddha, laser-cut in 1996 and inlaid with gold. It's the largest line-engraved Buddha image in the world. Entry is free and it's open roughly 6:00–18:00 (unofficial). Thirty minutes is enough. Get there by taxi or on a tour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/khao-chi-chan - City: [Pattaya](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya), Thailand - YesGo score: 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; donations welcome - Hours: Daily, roughly 6:00–18:00; may change on holidays - Size: A 109 × 70 m Buddha outline inlaid with gold - Time needed: 20–30 minutes - Where: Sattahip, ≈ 24 km south of central Pattaya, ≈ 18 km from Jomtien - Nearby: Wat Yan — 7 km, Nong Nooch garden — 7 km - Coordinates: 12.76360, 100.95560 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **109 × 70 m** — the size of the Buddha outline on the cliff (source: English Wikipedia) - **1996** — the outline was laser-cut for the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol's reign (source: English Wikipedia) - **Laser** — the cliff was levelled, the lines cut into the limestone and inlaid with gold (source: English Wikipedia) - **Largest** — line-engraved Buddha image in the world (source: English Wikipedia) - **1990s** — forest was planted around the cliff — teak, rosewood and fruit trees (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 1,000** — monkeys lived around the mountain, per the forestry department in 2015 (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 24 km** — from central Pattaya, about 25–35 minutes by car (source: OSRM route) - **7 km** — to Nong Nooch garden and to Wat Yan (source: OSRM route) ## What is Khao Chi Chan? **Khao Chi Chan** (Buddha Mountain) is a limestone cliff south of Pattaya bearing a huge **seated Buddha**. In **1996**, for the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol's reign, the slope was levelled and engineers used a **laser** to cut a **109 × 70 m** outline into the rock, then inlaid it with **gold**. It's the world's largest line-engraved image of the Buddha. In front of the cliff is a landscaped **park with a pond**, lawns and a prayer area, surrounded by forest planted in the 1990s: teak, rosewood and fruit trees. Monkeys live nearby. The mountain is part of the 'southern' route from Pattaya, along with **Wat Yan**, the Chinese temple Viharn Sien, **Nong Nooch** garden and the Silverlake vineyard. ## Hours, entry and rules **Entry is free**, and you can leave a donation. According to guides it's open **daily from about 6:00 to 18:00**; other sources say 8:00–17:00, and holidays change the hours. There's no official website, so don't arrive right at closing time. It's a place of worship: dress modestly, don't climb the cliff and keep quiet by the prayer area. Don't feed the monkeys or leave food and bags unattended. > **When to take photos** The golden outline shows best on a clear day; in haze or under cloud it looks dull. Midday light is harsh, so shoot in the morning or towards evening. The best shot is from the pond, with the cliff reflected in the water. ## What to see - **The golden Buddha outline** on the cliff — 109 m tall. - **The pond in front** — the Buddha reflected in the water. - **The park and prayer area** at the foot of the cliff. - **The forest around the mountain** — 1990s plantings. - **The monkeys** — watch from a distance. ## How to get to Khao Chi Chan 1. **From central Pattaya** it's about 24 km south — 25–35 minutes by Bolt, Grab or taxi. 2. **From Jomtien Beach** it's about 18 km, around 20 minutes. 3. **On a tour** — the 'southern' route with Wat Yan, Nong Nooch and the Silverlake vineyard. 4. **From Wat Yan** it's about 7 km, 10–15 minutes. 5. There's no public transport worth relying on — ask your driver to wait. ## How long do you need? **20–30 minutes** is enough for the cliff. It works best as part of a half-day in the south: **Nong Nooch** garden in the morning, **Wat Yan** around midday, then Khao Chi Chan **towards evening**, when the heat eases. If you go by taxi, agree a price for the whole route including waiting — finding a ride back out here is hard. ## Is Khao Chi Chan worth it? Yes, as a stop on the way to Nong Nooch or Wat Yan: a golden Buddha on a cliff is unusual, very photogenic and free. The YesGo take: beyond the cliff and the park there's little to see, so it's not worth a special trip from the centre for 20 minutes. Don't confuse it with Wat Traimit's Golden Buddha in Bangkok — that one is a gold statue, this one is a drawing on a cliff. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Going on a clear day — the gold shows better - [ ] A taxi that waits, or a tour - [ ] Modest clothing - [ ] Not feeding the monkeys - [ ] Same day: Nong Nooch and Wat Yan ## Pattaya temples: compare and choose Temples and shrines in Pattaya rated by YesGo. - [Sanctuary of Truth](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/sanctuary-of-truth) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · day 500 baht, night 700; children 110–140 cm 250/350 - [Pattaya Viewpoint](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/pattaya-viewpoint) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · free - [Khao Chi Chan Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/khao-chi-chan) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free - [Wat Yansangwararam](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/wat-yansangwararam) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free ## Southern Pattaya in half a day Nong Nooch garden in the morning, Wat Yan around midday, then the golden Buddha at Khao Chi Chan. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Nong Nooch Tropical Garden](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/nong-nooch) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · from ≈ 500 baht, packages with shows cost more 2. [Wat Yansangwararam](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/wat-yansangwararam) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free 3. [Khao Chi Chan Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/khao-chi-chan) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · free ## Good to know The golden Buddha cliff of Khao Chi Chan is near Pattaya. Wat Traimit's Golden Buddha is a solid-gold statue in Bangkok. The Big Buddha on Khao Phra Tamnak hill is a different site in Pattaya itself. ## Tips - The best light is in the morning or towards evening. - For a reflection shot, stand by the pond. - Agree waiting time with your taxi driver. - Keep bags closed — monkeys are around. - 7 km away: [Wat Yan](https://yesgo.io/thailand/pattaya/wat-yansangwararam). ## Questions ### Is there an entrance fee at Khao Chi Chan? No, entry is free. ### What are Khao Chi Chan's opening hours? Daily, roughly 6:00 to 18:00 (according to guides). ### Is it real gold? The outline was laser-cut and inlaid with gold. ### How big is the Buddha? The outline is 109 × 70 m. ### How do I get to Khao Chi Chan? It's about 24 km from central Pattaya — by taxi or on a tour. ### How long do you need? 20–30 minutes. ### When is the best time to visit? On a clear day, in the morning or towards evening. ### What's nearby? Wat Yan and Nong Nooch garden, 7 km each. ## How we checked There's no official website. The 109 × 70 m size, 1996 date, laser method, gold and record are from English Wikipedia; guides sometimes say '130 m', which we don't use. Hours: most often 6:00–18:00, with 8:00–17:00 and 8:00–18:00 also listed, so marked unconfirmed. In line with YesGo policy we don't go into the quarry's history. Distances are OSRM routes from central Pattaya (23.6 km), Jomtien (17.6 km), Wat Yan and Nong Nooch (7.2 km each). ## Sources - English Wikipedia — Buddha Mountain (Thailand): size, year and method, gold, record, forest planting, monkeys, nearby sites - 2026 travel guides — opening hours and free entry (unofficial) - Wikidata Q31358377, OSM — coordinates; OSRM route — distances from Pattaya, Jomtien, Wat Yan and Nong Nooch --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.