Wat Chalong, Phuket
The largest and most revered temple on Phuket, and the island's principal Buddhist site.
Wat Chalong, Phuket
Wat Chalong - properly Wat Chaithararam - is the most important of Phuket's temples and the one islanders themselves come to. It is associated with Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, monks remembered for tending the wounded during the Chinese tin miners' rebellion of 1876.
The centrepiece is the Grand Pagoda, a 60-metre chedi said to house a splinter of the Buddha's bone brought from Sri Lanka. Its three floors are covered in murals of the Buddha's life, and the top terrace looks out over the temple grounds and the hills behind.
Firecrackers are set off in a brick kiln in the grounds by people whose wishes have been granted - it is loud, and it is the sound most visitors remember. Entry is free; dress modestly and remove shoes inside the buildings.
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