Culture & Traditions

High above Chalong and Kata, the Big Buddha sits on Nakkerd Hill and can be seen from many parts of southern Phuket. The 45-meter-tall statue is clad in white marble from Myanmar and has become one of the island’s most recognizable landmarks. From the terraces, views stretch across Chalong Bay, the surrounding hills and parts of Phuket’s west coast. More than a scenic viewpoint, it is an important Buddhist site where people come to pray and take part in religious ceremonies.

Street food, small shops, clothes, music and evenings that often last longer than planned make Phuket’s night markets easy to work into almost any trip. Some are large enough to fill an entire evening, while others make more sense as a relaxed stop after the beach or before dinner.

During the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Phuket Town changes noticeably for several days. Chinese shrines become centers of religious ceremonies, major processions move through the streets and vegetarian food stalls appear around many of the main festival areas. Firecrackers and ritual body piercings are also part of a tradition that goes far beyond what the name “Vegetarian Festival” might initially suggest.