Attractions in Phuket

The Big Buddha is a 45-metre-tall Maravija Buddha statue perched atop Nakkerd Hill at 400 metres elevation, visible from much of southern Phuket. Clad in white Burmese marble, it is one of the island's most recognisable landmarks and an active construction site that has been under development since 2004.

Sarasin Bridge is the original road bridge connecting Phuket Island to mainland Phang Nga Province across a narrow strait. Completed in 1967, it was replaced by a newer bridge for vehicle traffic and now serves as a pedestrian walkway and scenic viewpoint.

Phuket FantaSea is a cultural theme park and dinner-show complex in Kamala, billing itself as the ultimate Thai cultural show. The centrepiece is the Palace of the Elephants theatre, seating 3,000, which hosts a Las Vegas-style spectacular blending acrobatics, pyrotechnics, and live elephants.

Wat Chalong (Wat Chaiyathararam) is Phuket's most revered Buddhist temple, located in the Chalong subdistrict about 8 km south of Phuket Town. The complex comprises several ornate buildings dominated by a three-storey Grand Pagoda housing a splinter of bone believed to be a relic of the Buddha.

Wat Phra Thong (Temple of the Golden Buddha Image) in Thalang district is famous for a Buddha statue half-buried in the ground. Despite repeated attempts over centuries, the image has never been successfully excavated — fuelling a legend that anyone who tries will suffer misfortune.

The Heroine's Monument is a bronze statue at the Tha Rua junction in Thalang, honouring Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Sri Sunthon — two sisters who organised the defence of Phuket against Burmese invaders in 1785.

Jui Tui Shrine is Phuket's most important Chinese Taoist temple, located on Ranong Road in Old Town. It is the focal point of the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival, one of Thailand's most spectacular (and extreme) religious celebrations.