Phuket’s Most Important Temple
Wat Chalong, officially called Wat Chai Thararam, is the largest, most revered and most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket, about 9 km south of Phuket Town. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Chalong Temple is one of the Must-See places in Phuket, and we recommend combining it with a visit to the nearby Big Buddha of Phuket, as they are relatively close.
Wat Chalong Video
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Most Thai people make merit in the central temple by offering lotus flowers and adding a small piece of gold paper to the monks’ statues inside.
Once in a while, you will hear loud explosions of firecrackers coming from a brick oven-like construction. That’s another way to make merit, supposedly to show gratitude when one of your wishes comes true. One person stands by to light the firecrackers for you; the big ones are pretty scary, but make for fun photos.
A dozen small shops sell souvenirs and tourist goods on the temple side. Strangely, the shops selling religious items are outside the temple grounds, next to the gate.
There are occasional funfairs displaying lots of food, plenty of favourite Thai games, and big-stage performances. It’s always fun, noisy, and entertaining and will undoubtedly give you exciting opportunities to take fun photos and insight into Thai life.
Inside the Chedi
The tallest building on the temple grounds is a 60-meter-tall stupa (chedi) sheltering a bone fragment of Lord Buddha. Beautiful paintings retracing the most significant aspects of the Buddha’s life decorate the walls and ceilings of the temple. Each floor is also full of large, donated golden statues.
The chedi (stupa) of Chalong Temple is built on three floors, so feel free to climb to the top terrace to get a beautiful bird ‘s-eye view of the entire temple grounds. A few more steps will lead you to a glass display where you can contemplate the fragment of bone.
Is there a dress code at Wat Chalong?
There is no strict dress code for visiting Chalong Temple. Theoretically, you should wear long pants and no sleeveless shirts on the temple’s grounds, but this requirement seems to belong to a past era. There is no need to tell you to remove your shoes before entering any of the buildings; you hopefully already know that. A sea of shoes randomly abandoned in front of the temple will remind you anyway.
- There is no entry fee.
- Dress respectfully.
- Take off your shoes and remove caps or hats when entering a building.
Making merit with firecrackers!
Firecrackers are often used in Thai temples to make merit, express gratitude, or celebrate special occasions such as festivals and ceremonies. In Thai culture, making merit is a significant aspect of Buddhism and involves performing good deeds or acts of generosity to accumulate positive karma.
Wat Chalong Fair
Wat Chalong Fair is Phuket’s largest annual temple festival, held for about 10 days during the Chinese New Year. The event blends Buddhist traditions with lively celebrations, including stage shows, firecrackers, bustling markets, and amusement rides. Devotees pay respect inside the temple, while outside, visitors enjoy food stalls, flower shops, fried insect snacks, and carnival games. The fair attracts families and locals with its festive evening atmosphere, music, and Thai cultural performances, making it a unique community gathering each year.
Don’t Miss near Wat Chalong
You can see the nearby Phuket Big Buddha from there, but you can see it almost anywhere in the southern part of Phuket island.
Big Buddha Phuket
The Big Buddha in Phuket is one of the island’s most famous landmarks. Sitting 45 metres tall atop Nakkerd Hill, it offers wide views over Chalong, Kata, and Rawai. The statue is made of white Burmese marble and shines in the sun. From the base, we can see much of southern Phuket. The distance from Big Buddha Phuket to Wat Chalong is about 8 km by road, which takes around 15 minutes by car.
Wat Chalong 360 Panorama
Photos of Wat Chalong
How to Get to Wat Chalong?
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Wat Chalong Info
Location: between Phuket town and ChalongAddress: 70/6 Chao Fah Tawan Tok Road, Chalong, Phuket 83130
Open: 7 am – 5 pm (but you can walk around the temple grounds anytime)
Phone: 076 381 226
Dress Code: No short skirts or short pants, no sleeveless T-shirts
Price: Free
Built: 1837
Official name: Wat Chai Thararam
How to Get to Wat Chalong?
Wat Chalong is easy to find on Chaofa Road, between Phuket Town and Chalong, south of Phuket Island. Just follow the many signs on the way to Chalong Circle. From Phuket town, take Chaofah Road to Chalong and Rawai. There are two Chaofah Roads: the one you need passes in front of the Central Phuket Shopping Mall and all the shopping malls. It’s about 10 km south of Central Mall, on the left and well indicated.Distance from Patong to the temple: 16 km
From Phuket International Airport: 37 km
From Phuket Town: 9 km
From Bangtao: 29 km
From the Big Buddha: 8 km
Wat Chalong Map
Get the directions on your phone: https://goo.gl/maps/u9SBmUBRDh4d5a5p9.This story was first published on June 6, 2016
FAQs About Wat Chalong
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