80points · on 10 of 15 lists: Hotels.com Go Guides, Phuket101, Thailand Routes, Roavara, Bangkok Heaven, Phuket Blog, Phuket Expat Guide, Home Is Where Your Bag Is, ExcursionMania and Villa Finder (villa-phuket.com magazine)
Wat Chalong is the largest and most visited Buddhist temple in Phuket and the island's main spiritual center, where local families come to make merit with lotus flowers and gold leaf. Its standing goes back to the abbot Luang Pho Chaem, one of the most venerated masters in southern Thailand, who sheltered refugees during the tin miners' rebellion of 1876, and his wax figure sits in the main hall under layers of fresh gold. The 60 meter golden chedi is painted inside with the Buddha's life and holds a fragment of the Buddha's bone on its top floor, and firecrackers go off outside whenever a prayer has been answered.
“There are several temples clustered close together”
a Google reviewer
“Give it a good 2 hours to explore this spiritual gem in Phuket.”
a Google reviewer
74points · on 10 of 15 lists: Hotels.com Go Guides, Phuket101, Thailand Routes, Roavara, Bangkok Heaven, Phuket Blog, Phuket Expat Guide, Home Is Where Your Bag Is, ExcursionMania and Villa Finder (villa-phuket.com magazine)
The Big Buddha sits 45 meters tall on Nakkerd Hill, about 400 meters up, faced in white Burmese jade marble, some 135 tonnes of it brought from Myanmar. The statue can be seen from most beaches in the south of the island, and its terraces look over Kata, Kata Noi and Chalong Bay to the islands of Phang Nga Bay on clear days. Building began in 2002 and is funded by visitors who sponsor its marble tiles, so entry is free, and a small community of monks lives on the site.
“The atmosphere is calm and respectful, even with plenty of visitors around.”
a Google reviewer
“I recommend visiting early in the morning to enjoy the serenity and avoid the crowds.”
a Google reviewer
54points · on 9 of 15 lists: Hotels.com Go Guides, Phuket101, Thailand Routes, Roavara, Bangkok Heaven, Phuket Blog, Phuket Expat Guide, Home Is Where Your Bag Is and Пхукет Инсайдер (Phuket Insider)
Wat Phra Thong is built around a golden Buddha image that lies half buried, with only its upper part above the ground. Legend says a boy who tied his buffalo to its exposed tip died, and when Burmese soldiers later tried to dig it out, swarms of ants rose from the earth and hundreds of them fell ill and died. In 1750 a monk from Sukhothai persuaded the villagers to build a temple around the image, and a museum on the grounds displays objects from the tin mining era.
“No tickets need. It's free to visit.”
a Google reviewer
“A large, historical and religious Buddhist center, surrounded by large, massive trees and jungle.”
a Google reviewer
Google ratings from Google on 3 October 2026. Quotes are from the published lists and reviews named beside each one.
Honorable mentions
Fourth, with 38 points from 6 lists.
“The temple grounds have a lot of old artifacts that make the visit feel special, and I appreciated how much history was on display.”
a Google reviewer
Sixth, with 25 points from 4 lists.
“A must-visit for anyone interested in Phuket’s Chinese heritage.”
a Google reviewer
The lists we counted
- Hotels.com Go Guides · March 2026
- Phuket101 · September 2026
- Thailand Routes · February 2026
- Roavara · March 2026
- Bangkok Heaven · November 2024
- Phuket Blog · May 2026
- Phuket Expat Guide · May 2026
- Home Is Where Your Bag Is · March 2026
- ExcursionMania
- Trip.com (Thai)
- Visit Thailand Today
- Пхукет Инсайдер (Phuket Insider) · September 2026
- Villa Finder (villa-phuket.com magazine) · August 2023
- TrueID Travel · December 2021
- Wongnai
How the points work
We read every independent published best-of list we can find for the question. Each list gives 10 points for first place, 9 for second, down to 1 for tenth, and 5 points to each place on a list with no order. Points are added up. A business must be in the top 10 of at least two lists to be ranked. Rankings are never sold. Full method.
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