Big Buddha Phuket Timings: Opening Hours, Free Entry and What to Wear

Big Buddha Phuket timings: the Big Buddha on Nakkerd Hill is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm. Those are the hours Wat Kata (Wat Kittisangharam), which now runs the site, announced when it reopened on 3 March 2026 after an 18-month closure that followed the deadly August 2024 landslide. Entry is free, and donations are optional. Dress as you would for any temple: cover your shoulders and knees. Visitor guides updated in October 2026 say free sarongs are lent at the entrance and that the last entry is around 5:30 pm. Sunset in Phuket is always after 6 pm, so you cannot watch it from the terrace. Older pages that still list 6 am or 8 am opening times or evening hours are out of date.

Last checked: 22 October 2026. The opening hours, the reopening date and the entry rule come from the temple’s own announcements, as reported by The Phuket News, Daily News and MGR Online (March 2026). Closure history and later news are from Thai government and Phuket news reports, which are named where they are used. The temple has no official website for the reopened site, and nothing on this page comes from a personal visit. Prices are in Thai baht (THB).

Big Buddha Phuket at a glance (October 2026)

Is the Big Buddha in Phuket open now?

Yes, as of 22 October 2026, according to the latest reports we could find. No closure has been reported since the site reopened on 3 March 2026. On 23 August 2026, The Phuket News reported that the site “has returned to operation”, and visitor guides updated on 1 and 13 October 2026 describe it as open. The background matters, though, because the site’s permit can be suspended:

• 23 August 2024: after heavy rain, a landslide came off Nakkerd Hill into homes in Soi Patak 2, Karon (Kata area). It killed 13 people (Radio Thailand/PRD, 30 August 2024; The Phuket News). A Department of Mineral Resources investigation later listed a new car park and a toilet block at the Big Buddha viewpoint among the contributing factors, although Karon police dropped a criminal investigation in June 2025 after geotechnical experts concluded that the landslide was a natural event (The Phuket News, 1 February and 23 August 2026). The Phuket Forestry Centre closed the site and seized about 5 rai of land.
• 31 December 2025 – 3 January 2026: the site opened briefly over New Year so people could make merit. It closed again on 4 January, and the abbot of Wat Kata said renovation and paperwork were still needed (The Phuket News, 6 January 2026).
• 3 March 2026 (Makha Bucha Day): the site reopened under Wat Kata, not under the foundation that used to run it. The Royal Forest Department allowed the use of about 15 rai of land from 18 December 2025, subject to 25 conditions. These include no new permanent buildings without permission and regular inspections. If the conditions are broken, the permit can be suspended or revoked (The Phuket News, 3 March 2026).
• 4 August 2026: officials inspected more than 40 shops and businesses along the access road, which runs through the Nakkerd National Forest Reserve, as part of a campaign against forest-land encroachment. Almost all of them were closed during the inspection (The Phuket News, 5 August 2026). The road itself was not reported closed, but some roadside cafés and shops may be shut.
• Legal cases: the residents’ civil case over the landslide was still going on in August 2026. The Phuket News also reported that the Lawyers Council is taking legal action against Wat Kata over the reopening and its conditions (23 August 2026).

In the rainy season (roughly May to October), check before you go. On 8 October 2026, Phuket’s disaster office warned of heavy rain, flash floods and landslides and said natural attractions would be closed if conditions became dangerous. The Big Buddha was not named in that warning. If it has rained hard for several days, ask your hotel or driver, or look at Phuket news on the day.

Opening hours and the best time to go

Since the reopening, the hours are 9 am to 6 pm every day. Many websites, booking pages and map listings still show the hours from before 2024, such as 6 am to 6:30 pm, 6 am to 7:30 pm or 8 am to 7 pm. Even the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Japanese website still lists 08:00–19:00 together with the old foundation’s contact details. These hours are from before the closure, so do not rely on them.

• Morning (9–10 am): the coolest and quietest time, according to recent guides. The sun is behind the statue in the morning.
• Late afternoon (about 4–5:30 pm): better light on the statue’s face and on the view over Kata and Chalong Bay. Arrive before 5:30 pm.
• Sunset: sunset in Phuket is between about 6:05 pm (November) and 6:50 pm (June–July), calculated for the statue’s coordinates. That is after the 6 pm closing time all year, so you cannot watch the sunset from the Big Buddha terrace any more. Recent guides suggest the cafés and viewpoints on the road below instead.
• Time needed: about an hour at the top, plus the drive up and down (Phuket 101).

Big Buddha Phuket entry fee

There is no entry fee. When the site reopened, the Wat Kata committee said entry would be free for the first month while it reviewed running costs and visitor numbers. It also said that flowers, incense and candles would be provided, that donations would pay only for running costs and upkeep, and that the site would not be commercialised. We found no announcement of a fee since then. Guides updated in October 2026 still say entry and parking are free.

• Donations are optional. Donation boxes are placed around the site. Recent guides warn that anyone who says entry requires payment, for example by “selling tickets” at the car park, is not authorised. Give only what you want to give.
• Parking at the top is free (Phuket 101, 13 October 2026).
• Some older pages say you can buy inscribed marble tiles to fund construction. That was the old foundation’s system. We found no report of how donations of this kind are handled under Wat Kata.

Big Buddha Phuket dress code

The Big Buddha is a place of worship, and the dress code is enforced at the entrance, according to visitor guides from 2026:

• Cover your shoulders and knees. Do not wear sleeveless tops, off-shoulder tops, short shorts or short skirts.
• Sarongs are lent free at the entrance if your clothes are too short (Phuket 101; Phuket Escape; Thailand Frontier).
• Take your shoes off where signs ask you to, for example in the shrine areas. Sandals or slip-on shoes make this easier.
• Speak quietly, ask before you photograph monks, and do not sit with your feet pointing at a Buddha image.

We found no written dress code from the temple itself online. The rules above are the ones visitor guides describe, and they are the same as the dress code at other Thai temples.

Where is the Big Buddha and how do you get there?

The statue stands on top of Nakkerd Hill in the south of Phuket, on the ridge between Chalong and Kata, in Karon subdistrict. The road up (Soi Yot Sane 1) turns off Chao Fa West Road and is signposted from Chalong Circle (Phuket 101). It is paved, steep and winding.

• Car or scooter: most visitors drive up. Phuket 101 gives about 15 minutes from Chalong Circle and about 20 minutes from Kata and Karon. The descent has steep, tight bends, so take it slowly on a scooter, especially when the road is wet.
• Grab or Bolt: both apps go to the top. Few taxis wait at the summit, so book your ride back from the car park when you are ready to leave, or ask your driver to wait.
• Taxi or tuk-tuk: agree the fare before you get in. We have not printed a fare, because the guides we checked give different ranges and there is no official fare for this trip.
• Tours: many half-day island tours combine the Big Buddha with Wat Chalong, which is a short drive down the hill, and a viewpoint.

What you can see at the top

• The statue: a seated Buddha (in the Maravijaya posture) facing Chalong Bay. It is 45 m tall and made of concrete faced with white Burmese marble (Wikipedia). Its official name is Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkhon Ek Nakkhiri.
• The views: Kata and Karon beaches on one side and Chalong Bay on the other.
• Worship: five monks from Wat Kata are stationed at the site, and ceremonies follow Wat Kata’s practice (Wat Kata announcement, March 2026).
• Only the approved area of about 15 rai (about 2.4 hectares) is in use. Stay inside the marked boundaries and follow staff instructions.

Not the Koh Samui Big Buddha: Koh Samui has a different Big Buddha temple (Wat Phra Yai), near Fisherman’s Village. This page is only about the Big Buddha in Phuket.

More Phuket and Thailand guides

• Naka Weekend Market, Phuket: hours and what to expect
• Phuket Old Town Sunday Walking Street (Lard Yai)
• Phuket Happiness Trips Turtle Village
• Best places to visit in Thailand

FAQ

What are the Big Buddha Phuket timings?

9 am to 6 pm, every day. Wat Kata announced these hours when the site reopened on 3 March 2026. Recent guides say the last entry is around 5:30 pm. Older listings that open at 6 am or 8 am or close at 7:30 pm are out of date.

Is there an entry fee for the Big Buddha in Phuket?

No. Entry is free, and donations are optional. The temple said it would review costs after the first month, but we found no report of a fee since then. Guides updated in October 2026 still say entry and parking are free.

What should I wear to the Big Buddha?

Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Sleeveless tops, short shorts and short skirts are not allowed, but free sarongs are lent at the entrance. Take your shoes off where signs ask you to.

Is the Big Buddha in Phuket open now?

Yes. It has been open since 3 March 2026, after being closed from August 2024 because of the landslide, and no new closure had been reported as of 22 October 2026. It operates under a forestry permit that can be suspended, so after heavy rain, check local news or ask your hotel before you go.

Can you watch the sunset from the Big Buddha?

Not any more. The site closes at 6 pm, and sunset in Phuket is between about 6:05 pm and 6:50 pm, depending on the time of year. Late afternoon is the last good light you can see from the top.

Is the Phuket Big Buddha the same as the Big Buddha on Koh Samui?

No. They are two different statues on two different islands. The Phuket statue is on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata.

Sources (checked 22 October 2026)

• The Phuket News – Big Buddha reopens (3 March 2026): hours 9 am–6 pm, Wat Kittisangharam, 13 deaths
• The Phuket News – Big Buddha’s 25 conditions (March 2026): 15 rai, permit from 18 December 2025, first month free, donations
• MGR Online – Wat Kata reopens Big Buddha from 3 March (2 March 2026, Thai): 09.00–18.00, free for 1 month, Karon subdistrict
• Daily News – Big Buddha officially reopens on Makha Bucha Day (3 March 2026, Thai)
• The Phuket News – Site remains closed after New Year opening (6 January 2026)
• The Phuket News – Big Buddha to reopen to visitors (1 February 2026)
• Radio Thailand (Government Public Relations Department) – Phuket forestry officials seize 5 rai at the Big Buddha (30 August 2024, Thai)
• The Phuket News – Big Buddha roadside shops shut as forest land probe expands (5 August 2026)
• The Phuket News – The Slide: two years on (23 August 2026)
• The Phuket News – Phuket braces for heavy rain, flooding and landslides (8 October 2026)
• Tourism Authority of Thailand, Japan office – Big Buddha page (statue size; pre-closure hours 08:00–19:00)
• Phuket 101 – Phuket Big Buddha (last updated 13 October 2026): last entry, parking, dress code, road
• Visit-Thailand – Phuket’s Big Buddha (1 October 2026)
• Thailand Frontier – Big Buddha (2026): last entry 5:30 pm, sarongs
• Phuket Escape – Big Buddha Phuket guide: dress code, donation warnings
• Wikipedia – Phuket Big Buddha (statue size, material, coordinates)