My route
Sign in
WorldThailandPhuketBig BuddhaMy routeRoute

The Big Buddha, Phuket

The white marble Big Buddha statue on Nakkerd Hill, Phuket, seated against a blue sky, with visitors climbing the steps below
Photo: Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free; runs on donations
Hours
Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00, last entry around 17:30
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Status
Reopened on 3 March 2026; parts of the hill remain closed
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Dress code
Shoulders and knees covered; sarongs are usually lent at the entrance
Where
Top of Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and Kata
Distances
≈ 8 km from Wat Chalong, ≈ 14 km from Karon, ≈ 15 km from Old Town
Coordinates
7.82768, 98.31290YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

45 mtall and 25.45 m wide
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
White marblefrom Myanmar clads the concrete statue
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
2004construction began; about 80% was complete by 2017
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
Thirdtallest statue in Thailand
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
2008the Supreme Patriarch named it 'the Buddhist treasure of Phuket'
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
30 million bahtthe statue's cost, raised mostly from donations
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
3 March 2026the site reopened to visitors under the management of Wat Kata
2 sourcesThe Phuket Newsguides
Naga Hillthe official name means 'the cherished auspicious Buddha atop Naga Hill'
SourceEnglish Wikipedia

Opening hours, entry and rules

Entry is free and everything runs on donations. After a long closure the site reopened on 3 March 2026, managed by Wat Kata under Forestry Department conditions. According to local press and guides it's open daily from about 9:00 to 18:00, with last entry around 17:30; other sources give different hours, so check before you go.

Shoulders and knees must be covered; sarongs are usually lent at the entrance, but bringing your own cover-up is safer. Parts of the hill outside the authorised area are closed — stay on the marked paths.

What is the Big Buddha?

The Big Buddha (officially Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri — 'the cherished auspicious Buddha atop Naga Hill') is a seated Buddha statue on top of Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and Kata. It's 45 m tall and 25.45 m wide — the third-tallest statue in Thailand. Its concrete core is clad in white Burmese marble, and it faces Chalong Bay.

Construction began in 2004 and has been funded mainly by donations — about 30 million baht. It's the principal Buddha of Wat Kitthi Sankaram (Wat Kata). In 2008 Thailand's Supreme Patriarch named it 'the Buddhist treasure of Phuket'.

What to see

  • The 45 m Buddha — up close you can see the marble tiles.
  • The viewing terrace — Chalong Bay, Kata and Karon below.
  • Smaller shrines and statues at the Big Buddha's base.
  • Sunset over the west coast — before last entry.

How to get to the Big Buddha

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

Loading the map…

destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From Wat Chalong it's about 8 km, 15 minutes by taxi: south to the Chalong roundabout, then uphill.
  2. From Karon Beach it's about 14 km, 20 minutes.
  3. From Phuket Old Town it's about 15 km, 20–30 minutes.
  4. From Patong it's about 24 km, around 30 minutes.
  5. The last ~6 km are a winding climb; there's free parking at the top.

How long do you need, and when to go?

Allow about an hour for the statue and the viewpoint. The best times are opening time, when it's cool and clear, or late afternoon before last entry around 17:30, when the light is soft and the west coast stretches out over the sea.

The Big Buddha combines neatly with Wat Chalong (15 minutes down the hill) and Promthep Cape for sunset — the classic southern Phuket day.

Is the Big Buddha worth it?

Yes: it's one of Phuket's top sights, free, with the best view of the island's southern bays.

The YesGo take: you can only get there by car, and it's hot at the top with little shade. Hours may still change after the reopening, so check the day before. Even if you've seen Samui's Big Buddha, the view here is worth the trip.

Before you go: checklist

Ready: 0 of 5

Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Southern Phuket in a day

Wat Chalong in the morning, the Big Buddha on the hill in the afternoon, and Promthep Cape for sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Wat Chalong1 h · free
  2. 58 min walk from the previous stopBig Buddhayou are here1 h · free (donations)
  3. 134 min walk from the previous stopPromthep Cape1 h · free

3 places · about 6 h 12 min with walks · 192 min on foot in total

Go · my route

How to do it right

  • The best view of Chalong Bay is from the edge of the terrace behind the statue.
  • Arrive at opening — fewer people and cooler air.
  • Ask your driver to wait — getting back down is hard.
  • Bring your own sarong.
  • Down the hill: Wat Chalong, 15 minutes by car.

Questions

Is the Big Buddha in Phuket open?

Yes, it reopened on 3 March 2026; check the hours before you go.

What are the Big Buddha's opening hours?

Roughly 9:00–18:00, with last entry around 17:30 (according to local press).

Is there an entrance fee?

No, it's free and runs on donations.

How tall is the Big Buddha?

45 m tall and 25.45 m wide.

How do I get to the Big Buddha?

Only by taxi, Grab or scooter: about 8 km from Wat Chalong, the last 6 km uphill.

What is the dress code?

Shoulders and knees covered; sarongs are usually lent at the entrance.

How long do you need?

About an hour.

What's nearby?

Wat Chalong and Promthep Cape.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English and Russian Wikipedia — Phuket Big Buddha: height, width, material, start of construction, cost, name, status
  • The Phuket News (March 2026) — reopening on 3 March 2026, management by Wat Kata, 9:00–18:00 hours
  • 2026 travel guides (Window on Phuket and others) — last entry, free entry and parking, sarongs (unofficial)
  • Wikidata Q1548655 — coordinates; OSRM route — distances
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 08.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThere's no official website. Dimensions, material, start of construction, cost and name are from English Wikipedia. The 3 March 2026 reopening and 9:00–18:00 hours are from The Phuket News; last entry at 17:30 is from a guide; other sources give 6:00–19:30 or 8:00–19:30, so hours are marked unconfirmed. In line with YesGo policy we don't go into the reason for the long closure — only that the site has reopened and parts of the hill remain closed. Distances are OSRM routes from Wat Chalong (8 km), Karon (14.1 km), Old Town (15.1 km) and Patong (24 km).

Top YesGo picks: Phuket

Phuket Old Town

Phuket, Thailand

2 h · free

Wat Chalong

Phuket, Thailand

1 h · free

Bangla Road

Phuket, Thailand

1 h 30 min · free (street)

Promthep Cape

Phuket, Thailand

1 h · free

Phi Phi Islands

Phuket, Thailand

4 h · park fee ≈ 400 baht, children ≈ 200

Karon Beach

Phuket, Thailand

3 h · free

Bang Tao Beach

Phuket, Thailand

3 h · free

Kamala Beach

Phuket, Thailand

3 h · free

All places: Phuket →