Phuketโs Most Important Temple
Wat Chalong, officially called Wat Chaiyathararam, is the largest and most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket. Situated about 9 kilometres south of Phuket Town, it is the islandโs spiritual centre and most significant religious site. Built around 1837, the temple started as a simple monastery and has grown into an extensive complex that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The temple became prominent in 1846 when it gained royal recognition for its key role in the community. Of the many Buddhist temples on the island, Wat Chalong stands out because of its history, architecture, and spiritual importance to both locals and tourists.
The Grand Chedi (Phra Mahathat Chedi)
Wat Chalongโs centrepiece is a 60-metre golden chedi called Phra Mahathat Chedi. Workers built it between 1991 and 2001. This three-level pagoda holds one of Buddhismโs most valued objects โ a piece of Buddhaโs bone. Sri Lanka gave this relic to King Rama IX in 1999 for his 72nd birthday.
The chedi is decorated with careful Thai carving and gold that catches the sunlight. Each of the three levels has its own purpose and offers different spiritual experiences.
The first two floors contain many Buddha statues in different poses. These represent the seven positions linked to each day of the week. Visitors have placed gold leaf on many of these statues over the years. The effect creates a calm space for meditation and prayer.
Murals cover the walls and ceilings throughout the chedi. They show Buddhaโs life from his birth through enlightenment and his teachings. Skilled Thai artists painted these scenes with bright colours and fine detail. They work as both religious teaching and art that appeals to visitors.
The Sacred Relic Chamber
The top floor houses the templeโs greatest treasure: Buddhaโs bone fragment inside a glass display. Buddhists say this relic holds spiritual strength that attracts pilgrims who travel far to meditate near it and ask for blessings.
People can climb to this top level. They get to see the relicโs spiritual meaning and look out at the full temple grounds and countryside beyond. The climb functions as meditation itself as visitors move upward through increasingly holy parts of the chedi.
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 monksโ statues inside.
Once in a while, you will hear loud explosions of firecrackers coming from a brick oven-like construction. Thatโs 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. Itโs 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 Buddhaโs 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 โs-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.
As you explore the temple complex, you will discover several other buildings, most notably the main prayer hall (viharn), which contains the life-like and quite surprising statues of the three most venerated monks: Luang Pho Chaem, Luang Pho Chuang, and Luang Pho Gluem.ย These wax figures, incredibly detailed and realistic in appearance, are continuously adorned with layers of gold leaf applied by respectful visitors as gestures of reverence and gratitude.
The main hall has a traditional Thai temple architecture with elevated wooden construction, a traditional monk residence. The building serves as the main area for all the daily religious activities, where local Thai people come to make merit by offering lotus flowers, lighting incense, and placing small pieces of gold paper on the monk statues.
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 templeโs 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!
One of Wat Chalongโs most distinctive features is the practice of merit-making through firecracker ceremonies. Throughout the day, visitors can hear explosive sounds emanating from a brick oven-like structure where devotees light firecrackers as expressions of gratitude when their prayers are answered or wishes fulfilled. Temple staff assist with the lighting process, particularly for the larger, more powerful firecrackers that create impressive displays but require careful handling.
Wat Chalong Fair
Wat Chalong Fair is one of Phuket largest annual temple festivals, held for about 10 days during the Chinese New Year. The event blends traditions with lively celebrations, including stage shows, firecrackers, colourful markets, and small amusement rides. Visitors pay respect inside the temple, then walk outside to enjoy food stalls, flower shops, carnival games and even some fried insect snacks. The fair attracts families and locals with its fun evening atmosphere, music, and Thai cultural performances.
Wat Chalong 360 Panorama
Photos of Wat Chalong
Wat Chalong Info
Location: between Phuket town and ChalongAddress: 70/6 Chao Fah Tawan Tok Road, Chalong, Phuket 83130
Open: 7 am โ 5 pm (but you can walk around the temple grounds anytime)
Phone:ย 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. Itโs 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
Donโt 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 islandโs 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.
FAQs About Wat Chalong
More Temples in Phuket
