The magnificent Wat Chalong (photo by: siamandaman.com)
Established since year 1837 or earlier, Wat Chalong is the largest and most important temple in Phuket. Today, Wat Chalong attracts hundreds or thousands of visitors every year due to its long standing history and interesting legends.
History and legends of Wat Chalong are deeply associated with Luang Pho Chaem, a former Abbot of the temple. In the 19th century, Phuket experienced a mining boom and employed many Chinese laborers. Later on, the Chinese Coolie Rebellion (Angyee Rebellion) broke out in year 1876 with few Angyee started killing people when they were refused opium. Terrified, the locals couldn’t decide to stay or to run and finally went to see Luang Pho Chaem. The Abbot refused to leave his homeland, and hence the locals decided to stay and fight back. Finally, the rebellion was restrained with the help of Bangkok soldiers. It was said that Luang Pho Chaem also helped the locals with a religious talisman for good luck and helped with healing during the fight.
Luang Pho Chaem’s walking stick is believed to have healing power. It is said that many people had been cured of illness after touching the walking stick, including a wife of King Rama V who was cured of serious stomach ache. The walking stick is kept by the current Abbot but is not open for visit. Meanwhile, two former Abbots of Wat Chalong were famous for healing the locals with their in-depth knowledge in herbal medicine.
History and legends aside, Wat Chalong is a beautiful temple showcasing classic temple architecture in Thailand. The temple consists of ubosot / ordination hall, wihan / shrine hall, chedi / stupa, mondop, sala / pavilion, and crematorium. The roofs are multi-tiered with spired edges, a decorative style inspired by Dragon and Garuda.
The 3-storey chedi of Wat Chalong houses a sacred relic – a fragment of bone of the Buddha, brought to Thailand in year 1999 from Sri Lanka. Visitors can also see tales in paintings on the walls and Buddha images in the chedi.
| How to get there: | ||
Wat Chalong is located approximately 10 km from Phuket town, reachable by hired tuk-tuk / taxi.
| Opening hour and entrance fee: | ||
Wat Chalong is open daily from 7 am to 5 pm. Admission is free of charge, but donation is appreciated for temple upkeep and maintenance.
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