One of the Oldest Chinese Shrines in Phuket
San Chao Sam Ong Hu is one of the oldest Chinese shrines in Phuket, founded in 1901 by the local Hokkien community in Cherngtalay, about 15 minutes from Bang Tao Beach.
The name “Sam Ong Hu” means “Three Sacred Objects” in Hokkien. A Chinese barber named Pea Ju Pai Tak travelled back to China and brought three carved wooden deity statues for the community. Each has a different coloured face: Heng Hu (black), Chu Hu (red), and Lui Hu (green). These original carvings are still inside, over 120 years old now.
The shrine started as a simple wooden structure with a thatch roof. What you see today is concrete, but they kept the traditional Chinese temple style. Those twin golden dragons on the roof and the dragon-wrapped pillars make it easy to spot from the road.
Vegetarian Festival
This shrine participates in Phuket’s famous Vegetarian Festival every October. They do street processions, fire-walking ceremonies, and bridge-crossing rituals. It gets busy.
Visiting
The shrine is on Soi Cherngtalay 6, just off Srisunthon Road. Open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. Free to enter. Dress modestly, cover your shoulders and knees.
Locals still come here regularly, especially on birthdays and Chinese New Year. You’ll often see people lighting incense and making offerings. It’s a working shrine, not a tourist attraction, so be respectful if people are praying. The shrine is small. You can see everything in 10 minutes. But it gives you a glimpse into Phuket’s Chinese heritage that most tourists miss while heading to the beach.
San Chao Sam Ong Hu Info
Location: Cherngtalay – Bang Tao Beach
Address: 233 1 Srisoonthorn Rd, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110
