# The Big Buddha, Phuket > The Big Buddha is a 45 m white marble statue on top of Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata, looking out over Chalong Bay and the west coast. Entry is free, by donation. After a long closure the site reopened on 3 March 2026, roughly 9:00–18:00. Cover shoulders and knees. You can only get there by car or scooter. Web page: https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/phuket-big-buddha - City: [Phuket](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket), Thailand - YesGo score: 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; runs on donations - Hours: Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00, last entry around 17:30 - Status: Reopened on 3 March 2026; parts of the hill remain closed - 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, 98.31290 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **45 m** — tall and 25.45 m wide (source: English Wikipedia) - **White marble** — from Myanmar clads the concrete statue (source: English Wikipedia) - **2004** — construction began; about 80% was complete by 2017 (source: English Wikipedia) - **Third** — tallest statue in Thailand (source: English Wikipedia) - **2008** — the Supreme Patriarch named it 'the Buddhist treasure of Phuket' (source: English Wikipedia) - **30 million baht** — the statue's cost, raised mostly from donations (source: English Wikipedia) - **3 March 2026** — the site reopened to visitors under the management of Wat Kata (source: The Phuket News; guides) - **Naga Hill** — the official name means 'the cherished auspicious Buddha atop Naga Hill' (source: English 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'. > **You'll need your own transport** There's no public transport up the hill: the road climbs about 6 km, steep and winding. Take a taxi or Grab and ask the driver to wait — it's hard to find a ride back down. On a scooter, take care on the descent, especially after rain. ## 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 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 - [ ] Hours checked — open, and arriving before 17:30 - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] A taxi that waits, or Grab both ways - [ ] Water and a hat - [ ] A little cash for a donation ## Phuket temples: compare and choose Temples and shrines in Phuket rated by YesGo. - [Wat Chalong](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/wat-chalong) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free - [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/phuket-big-buddha) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free (donations) ## 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 Chalong](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/wat-chalong) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free 2. [Big Buddha](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/phuket-big-buddha) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free (donations) 3. [Promthep Cape](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/promthep-cape) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free ## Good to know Phuket's Big Buddha is on Nakkerd Hill. Samui's Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) and the Buddha on Khao Phra Tamnak hill in Pattaya are different places. ## Tips - 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](https://yesgo.io/thailand/phuket/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. ## How we checked There'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). ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.