A 45-metre white marble Buddha above Chalong Bay
Photo: Syed Ahmad · Unsplash License · source
Why go
The statue is concrete covered in Burmese white marble, 45 metres high and about 25 metres wide, seated in the Maravijaya pose. Its official name is Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri, often shortened to the Ming Mongkol Buddha. It was paid for mainly by donations, and in 2008 the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand declared it a Buddhist Treasure of Phuket.
From the hilltop terrace you look over Chalong Bay and across towards Kata, and on a clear day the whole south of Phuket is laid out below. Allow 45 minutes to an hour. Note that access has changed several times since a landslide in August 2024, so check before you go: the site reopened on 3 March 2026 under Wat Kata.
Gallery
Photo: Syed Ahmad · Unsplash License · source
Photo: Dominic Trier · Unsplash License · source
Photo: Jonny Clow · Unsplash License · source
Photo: Augustinus Martinus Noppé · Pexels License · source
Photo: Aleksandr Galichkin · Unsplash License · source
Photo: Aleksandr Galichkin · Unsplash License · source
Highlights
The seated figure is the point of the visit. Concrete clad in Burmese white marble, it rises 45 metres and is about 25 metres wide, which makes it one of the tallest statues in Thailand. Walk slowly round the base and look up; in late-afternoon light the marble turns warm and the detail of the robe shows.
The terrace faces Chalong Bay, with the coast of southern Phuket below and the sea beyond. It is exposed, so mornings are cooler, while late afternoon gives softer light for photographs. On a hazy day the view flattens, so a clear morning after rain can be the best of all.
Since the 2026 reopening the site has been run directly by Wat Kata, with five monks from the temple stationed there. Flowers, incense and candles are provided for visitors, and ceremonies follow Wat Kata's practice. Stand back if worshippers are praying, and ask before photographing monks.
The approach is part of the experience: a paved road that climbs through forest from Chaofa West Road in Chalong via Soi Yot Sane 1, steep and narrow in places. Drive slowly, give way to coaches and watch for the heat in the afternoon. Parking is near the upper entrance.
Practical information
Nakkerd Hill (access via Soi Yot Sane 1, Chaofa West Road), Chalong, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83130
See on mapDaily 9am to 6pm, last entry around 5:30pm, since the site reopened on 3 March 2026 after the landslide of August 2024. Access can close at short notice in heavy rain.
Free entry; donations to the temple are welcome.
Checked in November 2026. Hours and fees can change: check on the day before you go.
Getting there
About 25 to 30 minutes by car or taxi.
About 35 to 40 minutes by car or taxi.
About 50 minutes by car or taxi.
Most visitors arrive by car, taxi or motorbike on the paved but steep road up Nakkerd Hill from Chaofa West Road. Parking is near the upper entrance.
Insider tips
The site closed after a landslide on 23 August 2024, reopened briefly over New Year, closed again on 4 January 2026 and has been open daily since 3 March 2026. Check the same morning, especially in heavy rain.
The terraces are exposed, so the middle of the day is hot. Mornings are cooler, and the light is softer later in the afternoon. Last entry is around 5:30pm, half an hour before the 6pm closing.
This is an active place of worship under Wat Kata. Dress respectfully, take your shoes off before indoor worship areas, keep quiet near monks and worshippers, and follow signs and staff instructions.
Only part of the hill is approved for public use, about 15 rai. Other parts remain under investigation by the Forestry Department. Respect barriers and signs rather than wandering into the forest.
Nearby
From the Phuket City Guide, each with its own Holiplanet page. Straight-line distances.
Hotel · 2.5 km
Family-run guest house in a tropical garden south of Wat Chalong
View hotel →Hotel · 2.6 km
Former seaside home of the architect Mom Tri on the headland above Kata Noi Beach: 42 suites
View hotel →Hotel · 2.7 km
Beachfront resort along an 850-metre stretch of Kata Noi Bay
View hotel →Hotel · 4.7 km
Thirty safari-style private pool villas on a forested hillside above Chalong
View hotel →All hotels on the Phuket map → All things to do on the map →
Questions
Daily from 9am to 6pm since the site reopened on 3 March 2026, with last entry around 5:30pm. Access has changed several times since the landslide of August 2024, so confirm on the day, especially in heavy rain.
Entry has been free, with donations welcome. At reopening the temple said entry would be free for the first month while it assessed costs, and that donations cover operating costs only. Ask Wat Kata if you want to confirm the current policy.
It is 45 metres high and about 25 metres wide, built of concrete covered in Burmese white marble. It sits in the Maravijaya pose on Nakkerd Hill, overlooking Chalong Bay.
Allow 45 minutes to an hour at the top, plus the drive up the hill. It is worth timing your visit for the morning or late afternoon, when it is cooler and the light is softer.
A landslide on 23 August 2024 closed the site. The Forestry Department later authorised a 15-rai area subject to 25 conditions, and Wat Kata reopened it on 3 March 2026. Other parts of the hill remain under investigation.
