The magnificent Big Buddha statue (credit: thailandholidayhomes.co.uk)
Officially known as “Phra Buddha Sukhothai Walai Chonlathan”, the Big Buddha statue sits on the summit of Pratamnak Hill. Also known as Big Buddha Hill, Pratamnak Hill houses the “Wat Phra Yai” temple.
The Big Buddha statue is breathtakingly huge – as tall as a 3-storey building, and is gold in colour. There are 7 smaller Buddha statues surrounding the Big Buddha, which signify the 7 days of a week. The staircase to the summit is decorated with beautifully carved golden dragons both on the left and the right.
Wat Phra Yai is also a prayer place for the locals. You can light the incense sticks and pray for your wishes, or pay respect to Buddha. You may also come across Buddha statues with hollow bellies – locals believe that if you hold a coin in your palm, make a wish and toss it into the belly, your wish will come true. Visitors also make it a point to write well-wishes for themselves or loved ones on white marble tile, in exchange for a donation of any amount.
From Pratamnak Hill, you can either drive up the hill or take a slow walk up to see the Big Buddha statue. Walking will take approximately an hour and is a good opportunity to sweat. Once you reach the summit, you will also be rewarded with the magnificent bird’s eye view of the whole of Pattaya City – definitely a great place for photo shoot and sunset viewing.
| How to get there: | ||
Pratamnak Hill and the Big Buddha are located 2 km from South Pattaya, reachable by songthaew and mini bus. One-way trip costs approximately THB200.
| Opening hour and entrance fee: | ||
The Big Buddha statue is open to public from 7 am to 10 pm daily. Entrance is free of charge.
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