Famous Wat Chalong
Without a doubt Phuket’s most popular attraction, Wat Chalong provides beautiful insight to Thailand’s Buddhist culture as well as showcasing some stunning architecture and artwork. Wat Chalong should be at the top of your ‘must see’ list when visiting Phuket and staying at Kata Ocean View Residences.
Inside the spectacular Wat Chalong
Located in the popular expat neighbourhood of Chalong, Wat Chalong (Chalong Temple) is the largest of Phuket’s Buddhist temples and surely the most visited. It is rumoured that the temple actually houses a fragment of Buddha’s bones.
The artwork inside the temple is stunning. The walls and ceiling are decorated with elaborate, detailed paintings depicting the life of Buddha. Inside the main entrance hall, there are quite a few donated golden statues. Although visited by tourists daily, incense wafts through the air and monks wander about which gives Wat Chalong a very special, religious feel.
The chedi of Wat Chalong is spectacular and houses three floors. Do take the time to climb all the flights of stairs as you will be rewarded with a gorgeous bird’s eye view of the entire temple grounds. Quite popular with visiting tourists around sunset, it is our recommendation that to really enjoy the entire Wat Chalong experience it is best to go early in the morning. The temple grounds are much quieter then, and offer a serene sense of calm.
Making merit
Thai people can often be found making merit by offering lotus flowers and adding a gold piece of paper resembling a leaf to the revered monk statues inside the central temple. Remember to respect local customs, and take off your shoes before entering any Thai temple.
Famous Wat Chalong truly does give insight into local Thai life and Buddhist traditions. Coinciding annually with Chinese New Year, Wat Chalong hosts a large fair that features variety and talent shows, loads to browse and buy, Thai games and exceptional stage performances. The Chinese New Year fair at Wat Chalong is always fun and features an energetic atmosphere. It is a wonderful place to capture some great photographs.
Respecting the temple culture
As with all religious venues in Thailand, it is important to be respectful and follow rules. While staying at Kata Ocean View Residences if you plan to visit Wat Chalong, do be mindful and wear proper attire. If you are a woman, please cover your shoulders and knees. If you are a man, please do wear a shirt with sleeves. Furthermore, although this should be common sense, please take note that it is entirely inappropriate to wear beach attire while visiting a temple.
Getting there
During your stay at Kata Ocean View Residences, if you are interested in visiting Wat Chalong or exploring more of Chalong, do speak with our cheerful guest relations staff. They are able to arrange transportation, and offer advice on some of the popular hotspots as well as local events and festivities in the neighbourhood and around Phuket in general.
Depending on traffic, The Chalong Temple is a twenty to twenty-five minute drive from Kata Ocean View Residences.
