Phuket Viewpoints, Temples and Heritage Sights

Hilltops and headlands

Big Buddha. The 45 m marble figure sits on Nakkerd Hill, between Chalong and the Kata and Karon side of the island, and it is not part of Wat Chalong. Visitors were let back in on 3 March 2026, managed by Wat Kittisangkaram (Wat Kata), after the hill was closed following the landslide of 23 August 2024. A limited authorised area is open. Guides report hours of 09:00 to 18:00 with the last entry at 17:30, free entry with donations, covered shoulders and knees, and shoes off indoors. No temple or government notice backs those figures, and heavy rain can close the site, so check access on the day. Reach it from Chaofa West Road via Soi Yot Sane 1 in Chalong, up a steep paved road. A local report describes the conditions of reopening.

Promthep Cape. The southern tip is free to enter and draws sunset crowds. In peak season the car park is full by about 17:30. Visitors report a fee of 5 to 20 THB for parking or toilets, but accounts disagree. The Karon viewpoint is free and quieter if you prefer fewer people.

Temples and shrines

Wat Chalong (Wat Chaitararam) stands on Chao Fa West Road, around 8 km south of Phuket Town. Admission is free. Guides give opening hours from about 07:00 or 08:00 to 17:00. Visitors cover their shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering any building, and sarongs are often loaned at the gate. The chedi is said to hold a relic of the Buddha. The hall honours the monk-healers Luang Por Chuang and Luang Por Cham. Women should not touch monks. Firecrackers are lit in a burner by worshippers, so the noise is part of the visit.

Saeng Tham Shrine, also on Phang Nga Road, charges no entry fee. It was built about 1889 to 1891 and restored and reopened in 2013. Jui Tui Shrine on Ranong Road is the hub of the Vegetarian Festival.

Heritage houses and museums

Old Town lies around Thalang, Dibuk, Krabi and Phang Nga roads.

  1. Thai Hua Museum, 28 Krabi Road: about 200 THB for foreign adults. Hours differ by source, so check the opening times and closed day.
  2. Baan Chinpracha, 98 Krabi Road: about 150 THB for foreigners, ground floor only. Phone 076-211 281 for hours.
  3. The Memory at On On Hotel, 19 Phang Nga Road: the hotel opened in 1929 and has been renovated. The Beach was filmed there.
  4. Peranakan Phuket Museum, Thepkasattri Road in Thalang, outside the Old Town: about 300 THB for foreigners, per a July 2026 guide.

Old Town goes quiet early except on Sundays, so plan a daytime visit.

The Vegetarian Festival

Held each year in the ninth lunar month, the festival moves around the calendar. The 2026 edition ran from 10 to 18 October. It is Taoist devotion, and the rites of piercing and fire-walking are acts of faith, so observe quietly and with respect. The Michelin Guide festival article lists places to eat.

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