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Wat Chalong Fair

A fun temple festival and fair

Wat Chalong Fair is a festival with rollicking stage shows, firecrackers, chaotic markets and spinning carnival rides. It is not something you’d expect to find at a Buddhist temple, but for about 10 days each year, Phuket’s largest temple hosts just such an event. This year, the Wat Chalong Fair 2025 is set from 28 January to 3 February 2025.

Wat Chalong Fair in Phuket

Every year during the Chinese New Year holiday, big crowds flock to Wat Chalong for its week-long fun fair. Wat Chalong is not a Chinese temple, but its history has been intertwined with the Phuket Chinese community for much of its 200-year history.

Wat ChalongTemple Fair

In the 1800s, Phuket was a hotbed of tin mining activity, and thousands of workers migrated from China to the island to find work. Over time, the Chinese population grew and gained wealth and influence. By 1876, the tin miners decided they’d had enough of the poor working conditions at the mines and staged a revolt.

Buddhists flock to the Wat Chalong temple hall to make merit and pay respect to the Buddha

Wat Chalong’s abbot, Luang Por Cham, stepped in to offer advice to local people who were battling against the Chinese, helping to end the rebellion. His efforts were honoured by King Rama V, and he’s been a revered figure in Phuket’s history ever since.

Wat ChalongTemple Fair

These days, descendants of the Chinese migrants and the locals live in peaceful harmony in Phuket, and Wat Chalong is a place where all the island’s communities can come together and celebrate.

Wat Chalong Fair Sights and Sounds

Wat ChalongTemple Fair

 

At the temple halls, scenes of reverence and reflection unfold as devotees come to pay respect to the Buddha by lighting candles, offering incense and lotus flowers, and pasting gold leaves on the large Buddha statues.

wat chalong fair flowers

Outside, things are a little more lively and loud. Food stalls and flower shops are among the hottest attractions at the fair, especially the variety of orchids on offer. So much else, including helium balloons, gadgets, T-shirts, toys, herbal medicines and handicrafts, are sold in earnest.

wat chalong fair vendor

New visitors to Thailand often pause in awe at the fair’s fried insect stalls, and those brave enough might even scarf down a cricket or two and take a photo of the effort to impress their friends back home. A crunchy Thai treat! We’ve also spotted some surprising things for sale, including what looked like samurai swords, pet bunnies and huge piles of underwear… at rock-bottom prices.

 

wat chalong fair 1

Kids have plenty to see and do at the fair, with the bouncy castles and amusement rides a big draw. Some of the rides look a bit rickety, but it doesn’t seem to stop anyone from eagerly climbing on for a spin. Parents might want to seek out the massage stands for a relaxing break from the clamour.

wat chalong from above

 

The festival opens in the early afternoon, but it really gets rolling in the evening after dark. Stage shows with Thai country bands, shadow puppet performances and Thai dancing start in the evening and carries on late into the night. Some residents in the area complain about the late-night noise, but they just have to put up with it!

About Wat Chalong

Wat Chalong

Wat Chalong Temple in Phuket
Wat Chalong, officially called Wat Chai Thararam, is the largest, most revered and most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Chalong Temple is one of the Must-See places in Phuket ... Read More

More Photos of the Annual Wat Chalong Fair

 

Wat Chalong Fair Info

Location: Wat Chalong
When
: Annually during the Lunar New Year holiday.
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.

See all Phuket Maps!

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Lana Willocks

Lana Willocks

I am a Canadian writer and editor who first visited Thailand on a university exchange, then moved to Phuket in 1999. As a contributing writer to Phuket 101, I'm excited to share my local knowledge and insights to help you make the most of your trip to this beautiful island. Even after living here all these years, I'm still finding new things to discover. Let's explore Phuket together!View Author posts