Wat Chalong: Hours, Dress Code and How to Visit
Wat Chalong is free to enter and open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cover your shoulders, chest and knees, and leave your shoes outside. Plan 1 to 2 hours. Early morning, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m., is the quietest time.
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Wat Chalong is free to enter and open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cover your shoulders, chest and knees and leave your shoes outside. A visit takes 1 to 2 hours, and 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. is the quietest time.
Wat Chalong opening hours and entry
Wat Chalong (วัดฉลอง) is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Entry costs nothing, and donations and offerings are welcome.
Cover your shoulders, chest and knees before you walk in. Skip sleeveless tops, short skirts and midriff-baring clothes.
What to see at Wat Chalong
A 60 metre chedi stands on the grounds, sheltering a splinter of bone from the Buddha. The Great Stupa also enshrines Buddha relics brought from Sri Lanka.
Climbing the chedi
The chedi has three floors, and you can climb to the top-floor terrace for a view over the grounds. A few more steps lead to a glass display holding the bone fragment. Walls and ceilings carry paintings of the Buddha’s life, and many donated golden statues stand inside.
A short history
The temple dates from the early 19th century. In 1876 two monks, Luang Pho Cham and Luang Pho Chuang, led Chalong residents against the Chinese rebellion. Wat Chalong is the temple long tied to the town of Phuket.
Who it suits (and who should skip it)
- Good for early risers: monks perform morning rituals between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m.
- Good for a free visit: entry costs nothing.
- Good for anyone who wants a view: the chedi’s top-floor terrace looks over the grounds.
- Good for wheelchair users: the grounds are largely wheelchair accessible.
- Skip the upper floors if climbing is hard: the chedi has three floors.
- Skip if you want silence: locals light firecrackers in a dedicated brick oven to show gratitude when their prayers are answered.
How to get to Wat Chalong
The temple is at 70 Moo 6 Chaofa Road (West), Chalong, Phuket 83000. It stands in Chalong Subdistrict, Mueang Phuket District. Chalong’s municipal office is about 9 km from the provincial seat.
From Phuket Airport, the limousine counter charges a fixed 750 baht to Chalong Temple for a car seating up to 3. Bolt books local taxis in Phuket. Grab covers private hire, taxi, van and motorcycle rides across Thailand. Parking for cars, motorbikes and minibuses is free.
70 Moo 6, Chao Fah Tawan Tok Rd, Chalong, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
When to go and how long
Go early. Between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. the crowds and the heat are lighter. A typical visit lasts 1 to 2 hours.
The Wat Chalong Fair runs for about 10 days near the Chinese New Year. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 22 February. Food stalls, flower shops and carnival games sit outside the temple. A market also extends into the grounds.
Nearby and how to combine it
These stops sit close to the temple.
| Stop | Distance from Wat Chalong |
|---|---|
| Wat Luang Pu Supha | 1.22 km |
| Soi Ta-iad (Muay Thai Street) | 1.25 km |
| Suk Samran market | 1.5 km |
| Guan Yu shrine (Na Bon) | 1.9 km |
One morning plan: arrive at 7:00 a.m. when the gate opens, spend 1 to 2 hours inside, then move on to Wat Luang Pu Supha, 1.22 km away.
Before you go
- Bring small cash: entry is free, and donations are welcome.
- Women: wear trousers or skirts down to the knees, with shoulders covered.
- Shoes never go inside a temple.
- Speak quietly and do not touch the statues or relics.
- Toilets exist but are limited.
- The temple telephone is 076 381-226, and calls are answered in Thai only.
Photo credits
- One of the prayer halls on the temple grounds, with its tiered red and gold roof: Wikimedia Commons, Wat Chalong 2018 (Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Christophe95))
- The stupa that holds the Buddha relic, seen from the ground: Wikimedia Commons, Wat Chalong Grand Pagoda (Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Christophe95))
- The grounds seen from above, with the main halls and the hills behind: Wikimedia Commons, Wat Chalong - Phuket (Valeria Bolotova, CC BY 2.0) (opens in a new tab) (CC BY 2.0 (Valeria Bolotova))
Step by step
- Dress for a templeCover your shoulders, chest and knees; women wear trousers or skirts down to the knees.
- Arrive during opening hoursThe temple is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and early morning is quietest.
- Park or get dropped offParking for cars, motorbikes and minibuses is free.
- Leave your shoes outsideShoes are never allowed inside a temple building.
- Climb the chediThe chedi has three floors, and a top-floor terrace looks over the grounds.
Not confirmed: Hours come from the temple's visitor website, not from an official notice; reach the gate well before 5:00 p.m. No source names a public bus stop at the temple, so plan on Grab, Bolt or your own transport.
Common questions
What is the temple's official name?
Wat Chalong is officially Wat Chaiyathararam (วัดไชยธาราราม). The name was royally bestowed on the temple.
Can I get a blessing from a monk?
Monks are often in the main hall for blessings, but this is not guaranteed.
What are the loud bangs I hear?
The bangs are firecrackers lit in a dedicated brick oven.
Is Wat Chalong wheelchair accessible?
The grounds are largely wheelchair accessible.
Can I take photos and video?
Photography is allowed. Video is allowed too.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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Comments (2)
CheckYourself777
Kata to Wat Chalong/Big Buddha Phuket via Bolt or tour? What's the best wat to visit them? I will be staying at Kata beach. Many tours I looked at got a short time to spend at the sightseeing objects. I think 30min is not enough, as I like to explore, look around, and take my time. Are there any tours that give you more than 30mins, or better use the Bolt app and do it that way? Any recommendations for tour agencies in Kata would also be appreciated; I would like to take a few day trips to Similan Islands and a Phi Phi.
twocentsthoughts
Oh, I travelled solo too! A private tour to Wat Chalong, Big Buddha and several viewpoints (e.g. promthep cape, windmill, etc) made up to about 2500Baht. But I went the bolt way and ended up paying 1400Baht just for Wat Chalong and Promthep Cape😭 (I regretted not paying for the private tour) A breakdown of my bolt prices -- during both rides, the drivers offered to drive me back because they said that it's hard to get a cab back. * 600Baht from Hotel in Patong to Wat Chalong and to Karon Beach * 800Baht from Karon Beach to Promthep Cape and Windmill Viewpoint, and back to hotel in Patong. My original plan was to walk from Promthep Cape to Windmill Viewpoint (about 20mins) but the driver was slightly shocked and offered to drive me instead -- because its a hilly area and some parts of the road can be quite narrow. I'm not so sure about hiking to Big Buddha though honestly I don't see many people walking around, apart from the beachside? Like I've tried walking from Central to Naka Market and from Chillva Market to Lotus (a nearby supermarket) and don't see anyone else doing the same (I felt like a fish out of water😂) PhiPhi tour was 2900Baht for me, with an additional for 1500Baht for photography (optional). There are definitely cheaper options under 2000Baht for PhiPhi tour -- you can book them easily from Klook, or from the counters in Phuket -- though I've never tried doing so.