Big Buddha Phuket and the white marble crest of Nakkerd Hill
Published on 08/28/2026 at 18:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Big Buddha Phuket is a white marble Buddha statue and temple terrace high on Nakkerd Hill in the south of Phuket, where a seated concrete figure shares the ridge with forest and smaller shrines. Officially known as Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri, the statue was begun in 2004 and has become a fixed landmark in the island’s Buddhist landscape and in the views from nearby bays.Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri
A hilltop Buddha in concrete and Burmese marble
The centrepiece of the site is the seated Buddha figure, built with a reinforced concrete core and clad in thin tiles of pale Burmese white marble.Burmese white marble The statue reaches about 45 m (148 ft) in height and a little over 25 m (82 ft) in width at its broadest point, so that the seated figure overtops the surrounding terrace and low buildings on the ridge.45 m tall and over 25 m wide
The Buddha is depicted in a calm seated posture facing inland over Phuket, its robe rendered in regular folds that the marble cladding picks out in light and shadow. Around the base, the concrete structure broadens into a multi-level platform where visitors move between open areas and covered spaces, with steps, low walls and railings defining the edge of the terrace against the drop of the hillside.
Nakkerd Hill and the views across southern Phuket
Big Buddha Phuket stands on the crest of Nakkerd Hill, one of the higher points in southern Phuket between the bays of the Andaman Sea and the lower ground around Chalong.Nakkerd Hill in southern Phuket The hill rises to around 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level, and the statue and terrace occupy its upper section, with the slopes below still covered in forest and scrub.around 400 m above sea level
From the terrace, the land falls away towards the coastline and the inland villages, and parts of the southern shore of Phuket are visible between other hills. The temple site is approached by a road that climbs from the lowlands near Chalong up through the trees, and by footpaths that join it higher on the slope, so that arriving visitors step out onto a paved hilltop plateau with the statue and smaller structures around them.
A functioning temple terrace above Chalong and Karon
The Big Buddha Phuket site forms part of a working Buddhist temple complex, with the statue integrated into the religious life of Nakkerd Hill and the surrounding communities. The official name Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri is used in inscriptions and on signs at the site, tying the image to the mountain and marking it as a formal religious object as well as a landmark.official temple name
Below and around the main statue, halls and smaller shrines line the terrace, and areas are set aside for offerings and for the ringing of small bells. The official address places Big Buddha Phuket in Karon Subdistrict in Mueang Phuket District, close to the junctions around Chalong and within reach of the coastal areas of Karon and Kata on the island’s south-west side.Karon, Mueang Phuket District Construction of the statue began in 2004, gradually turning the bare ridge into a recognisable temple terrace.construction began in 2004
Visiting Big Buddha Phuket: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Big Buddha Phuket lies on Nakkerd Hill in the southern part of Phuket, between the coastal areas of Karon and Kata and the lowland around Chalong, reached by a steep uphill road from near Chao Fa Road East and Soi Yodsane.
- The upper terrace sits at around 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level, and the approach includes a winding vehicular climb and flights of steps between levels on the hilltop.
- The surrounding terrain is hilly and forested, with paved areas on the ridge and rougher ground beside the access road, so footwear suitable for slopes and steps is useful.
- The official language is Thai and the currency is the baht.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Big Buddha Phuket on social platforms
These links open searches for Big Buddha Phuket on each platform.Frequently asked questions about Big Buddha Phuket
Where is Big Buddha Phuket located on the island?
Big Buddha Phuket stands on Nakkerd Hill in Karon Subdistrict, in the southern part of Phuket between Karon and Kata on the coast and Chalong inland.
What should visitors expect when they reach the site?
Visitors arrive on a hilltop terrace with the large marble-clad Buddha statue above them, smaller shrines and halls nearby and views over the surrounding hills and bays.
What makes Big Buddha Phuket distinctive among Phuket’s temples?
The combination of a 45 m (148 ft) white marble Buddha, its formal name Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Eknakiri and its exposed position about 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level gives Nakkerd Hill an unusually prominent religious landmark.
