As the tour name suggests this is an ideal opportunity to familiarize yourself with your holiday island and take in the islands natural beauty as we drive along the beach roads through Patong, Karon, Kata and Rawai. For fabulous photo opportunities we will stop at the Karon viewpoint and cultural sights such as the sacred buddhist temple of Phuket Wat Chalong Phuket town offers an interesting mix of architecture including Sino - Portuguese. This town has been the backdrop for many western movies as it is said to be very similar to Indochina.
Big Buddha’s sheer size makes it an impressive sight up close, and the 360-degree views from the hill are among the best in Phuket, taking in Phuket Town, Chalong Bay, Rawai, Kata, Karon and out across the sea.
Construction is ongoing, with endless additions around the statue’s base being built as well as a concrete staircase, large car park and meditation hall. The statue is frequently wrapped in scaffolding.
Upon arrival there’s the usual array of vendor stands selling snacks and souvenir items, then visitors are ushered through the meditation hall — a large open building with a tin roof. At the hall’s entrance are a number of amulet sellers, as well as tables displaying several ways to donate to the Big Buddha project. This may be off-putting for some but the project is funded entirely by donations. For Thai Buddhists, this is a form of merit-making.
One option is to pay for a marble tile, with a suggested donation of 100 baht for the smallest tile. Those who donate are handed a black marker to sign their name and write a message on the tile. No one is pressured to donate, however, so it’s possible to visit the Big Buddha for free.
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Were this world an endless plain, and by sailing eastward we could for ever reach new distances