Wat Phra Yai, known in English as the Big Buddha Temple, is a Buddhist temple on Ko Phan (also spelled Koh Fan or Koh Faan), a small island offshore from the northeastern area of Koh Samui. It is now connected to that island by a short causeway. The temple is about 3 kilometres north of Samui Airport. It is home to a giant, 12 meter tall (39 feet) gold painted Buddha statue. Since being built in 1972, it has become one of Koh Samui's main tourist attractions and a major landmark.
The Buddha statue depicts Buddha in a state of calm, purity and resolve. Buddha just had overcome temptation and fear sent at him by Mara, Lord of Illusion. Known as the Mara posture, the left hand rests palm open and up in the statue's lap, the right hand facing down over the right knee, almost to the ground.
The temple is small but well worth a half hour of your time to see. It’s a nice break from the beaches to see a bit of Thai culture.
Big Buddha of Koh Samui - Wat Phra Yai- Thailand 2022
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Tawarawadee Sri Night Market, officially known as Tawarawadee Sri Nakhon Pathom Walking Street or Thanon Khon Deun Tawarawadee Sri Nakhon Pathom, takes place along the riverside community in front of Wat Phra Ngam and beside Khlong Chedi Bucha in the area north of the Phra Pathom Chedi in Mueang Nakhon Pathom District.
This weekend walking street transforms a section of the road and canal-side path into a lively open-air market filled with rows of stalls selling street food, fresh items, clothing, accessories, second-hand goods, handicrafts, souvenirs, and small household items, while the setting features traditional wooden houses and canal views that add a nostalgic, community-oriented feel close to the historic heart of the province.
The market draws both locals and visitors seeking an evening outing with affordable goods and casual dining in a relaxed provincial atmosphere that stays genuine rather than heavily tourist-oriented.
The market originated as a smaller canal-side flea market or talat ...
Choeng Tha-Na Bot Temple, officially known as Phutthasathan Choeng Tha-Na Bot พุทธสถานเชิงท่า-หน้าโบสถ์, is a preserved archaeological and religious site in Tha Sai subdistrict (near Pak Kret), Nonthaburi Province. It combines the surviving structures of two ancient temples: Wat Choeng Tha and Wat Na Bot.
The site now lies within the grounds of the Royal Irrigation Department (กรมชลประทาน) along the Chao Phraya River, making it a quiet, lesser-visited historic spot with Ayutthaya-period roots.
The exact founding dates of both temples are not clearly documented, but architectural evidence and historical records indicate they date back to the late Ayutthaya period (mid-to-late 18th century or earlier) and continued into the early Rattanakosin era. Wat Choeng Tha (meaning roughly “Temple at the Pier” or “Landing Place”) and Wat Na Bot (“Temple in Front of the Ordination Hall”) originally functioned as active community ...
Wat Tanit Rai, also known as Wat Tanoodrai or Wat Tanot Rai, is a modest rural Buddhist temple tucked away in Bang Khonthi District of Samut Songkhram Province, roughly an hour southwest of Bangkok.
Surrounded by palm orchards and quiet farmland near attractions like the Amphawa Floating Market, it offers a peaceful escape that blends centuries-old heritage with more recent temple artistry.
The temple stands out for its two distinct sections that highlight different eras of Thai religious architecture. The historic ordination hall, or ubosot, dates back more than 200 years to the late Ayutthaya or early Rattanakosin period, with some accounts linking its formal establishment to 1792 during the reign of King Rama I.
Its name likely derives from the rows of sugar palm trees, known locally as ton tanot, that once covered the site before the temple was built. This ancient white structure has largely avoided major internal restorations, preserving its original simple interior, dark wooden ceiling, low ...
