Big Buddha Phuket and the white marble Buddha above Nakkerd Hill
Published on 09/09/2026 at 13:06 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Big Buddha Phuket is a white marble Buddha statue and temple terrace on Nakkerd Hill in southern Phuket, a modern religious landmark that shares its ridge with views towards the Andaman Sea. Completed in the early twenty-first century and known formally as Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakiri, it combines a seated concrete figure clad in marble with an exposed hilltop platform reached by a winding road.
The seated Buddha of Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakiri
The central figure at Big Buddha Phuket is a seated image of Gautama Buddha in the Maravija posture, rising around 45 m (148 ft) above its base and spanning more than 25 m (82 ft) across the lap.Phuket Big Buddha Built with a reinforced-concrete core and clad in thin white marble tiles, the statue has a smooth exterior that reads as a single pale surface when seen against the sky.a reinforced-concrete core that carries a cladding of thin white marble tiles The official name, Phra Phutta Ming Mongkol Akenakiri, ties this particular image to Nakkerd Hill and appears in temple signage and guide material.
At close range the marble surface resolves into many small tiles, arranged over the Buddha’s robes, hands and facial features so that the religious iconography reads through the geometric cladding. The ushnisha and head crown the figure, while the broad shoulders and folded legs give the statue its seated volume above the platform. The construction work began in 2004, placing Big Buddha Phuket firmly in the early twenty-first century as a recent addition to Thailand’s long tradition of large Buddha images.Foundation year 2004
Nakkerd Hill and the temple terrace above southern Phuket
Big Buddha Phuket stands on the crest of Nakkerd Hill, one of the higher points in southern Phuket between the bays along the Andaman Sea and the lowland around Chalong.Big Buddha Phuket stands on the crest of Nakkerd Hill The hill reaches an elevation of around 400 m (1,312 ft) above sea level, so that the statue and its terrace stand noticeably above the surrounding districts.nearly 400 metres above sea level Below the platform, forest and scrub cover much of the slope, with the access road threading through the vegetation as it climbs from the coastal plain.
The temple complex of Wat Kitthi Sankaram, also known as Wat Kata, occupies the hilltop around the statue, with smaller structures and religious spaces set off from the main terrace.centrepiece of the temple complex Wat Kitthi Sankaram From the platform, the ridge line offers views towards Kata and Karon on the western side of the island and towards Chalong to the east, with stretches of coastline and inland roads visible on clear days.Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata The statue is orientated so that the seated Buddha looks out over the southern part of Phuket, turning the hilltop into both a place of worship and a wide viewpoint.
A modern landmark within Thailand’s landscape of Buddha images
Within Thailand, Big Buddha Phuket belongs to the tradition of large-scale Buddha statues that mark important sites, and its height makes it one of the taller Buddha images in the country.third-tallest Buddha statue in Thailand The use of white Burmese marble over concrete distinguishes it from older stone or metal statues, giving the figure a pale, reflective surface that contrasts with the green hillside below.a 45-metre white marble statue on Nakkerd Hill As a twenty-first century project, it shows how contemporary construction techniques and materials have been applied to traditional iconography.
The statue’s location on Nakkerd Hill means that it functions as a landmark for the southern part of the island as well as a temple image. It can be seen from districts such as Kata, Karon and parts of Phuket Town, where the pale outline of the Buddha appears above the ridge.can be seen from as far away as Phuket Town and Karon Beach Visitors reach the base by a paved road that climbs from the Chao Fa West Road area near Chalong, with the final section bringing travellers onto the broad terrace beneath the statue.access by paved road from the Chao Fa Road West area
Visiting Big Buddha Phuket: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Big Buddha Phuket stands on Nakkerd Hill between Chalong and Kata in the southern part of Phuket, reached by a paved uphill road from the Chao Fa West Road area.
- The approach to the terrace involves gradients and steps, with sections of concrete paths and stairways on the hilltop and an elevation of around 400 m (1,312 ft).
- The hilltop complex lies in Phuket, in Thailand, where the official language is Thai and the currency is the baht.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Big Buddha Phuket on social platforms
These links open searches for Big Buddha Phuket on each platform.Frequently asked questions about Big Buddha Phuket
Where is Big Buddha Phuket located?
Big Buddha Phuket stands on Nakkerd Hill in Karon Subdistrict in the southern part of Phuket, between Chalong on the east side and Kata on the west.
What should visitors expect when they reach the site?
Visitors find a large seated Buddha statue clad in white marble on a broad temple terrace, with smaller religious structures and wide views over the surrounding coastline and lowlands.
What makes Big Buddha Phuket distinctive among Buddha statues in Thailand?
Its combination of a 45 m (148 ft) high Maravija Buddha image, white Burmese marble cladding and a hilltop position at around 400 m (1,312 ft) gives it a distinctive presence within Thailand’s landscape of Buddha statues.
