Seated on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata, the Big Buddha is a serene 45-metre figure clad in white Burmese marble that catches the sun and is visible from much of southern Phuket. The winding road to the top delivers one of the island's finest panoramas, a full sweep over Chalong Bay, Kata, and the interior hills, and the breeze up here is a relief from the coast. The site is still being completed and is funded by donations, so entry is free, and there is a smaller working temple and the sound of wind bells across the terrace. As at any Thai temple, modest dress is required, and sarongs are lent at the entrance if you arrive in beach clothes. It pairs naturally with nearby Wat Chalong, the island's most important Buddhist temple, a few minutes downhill, making an easy half-day that mixes heritage with a knockout viewpoint.
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