Big Buddha Pattaya (Wat Phra Yai)

The Big Buddha of Pattaya is an 18-metre gilded seated Buddha, built in 1977, on top of Pratumnak Hill between Pattaya and Jomtien. It belongs to Wat Phra Yai, a working temple. Entry is free, and you reach the statue terrace up a staircase lined with long multicoloured naga serpents.

What you’ll see

The approach is half the visit. From the car park, a staircase climbs between two naga balustrades, their scaled bodies running the length of the steps to the terrace above. At the top the Buddha sits in the earth-touching posture, right hand resting over the knee.

Around the main image, a ring of smaller Buddhas shows different postures, standing, seated and reclining. Each stands for a day of the week, and Thai visitors leave an offering at the one for the day they were born. You’ll see people kneeling with incense and lotus buds in front of the main statue, and a steady trickle of tour groups through the day.

Insider Tip: Come in the last hour or two before sunset. The heat has eased, the low sun lights the gold, and the tour buses have mostly gone.

Watch out: The staircase and the open terrace have little shade, and the paving gets hot underfoot by midday. Bring water and avoid the middle of the day in the hot season (March to May).

Big Buddha Hill vs the Pattaya viewpoint

People often confuse the two. The temple sits on the southern part of Pratumnak Hill. You get glimpses of the city and Jomtien through the trees, but the classic panorama over Pattaya Bay belongs to the Phra Tamnak Mountain Viewpoint, about 1.2km north at the other end of the hill. A Grab or motorbike taxi between them takes a few minutes, so most people do both in one trip.

Getting there and nearby

The temple is a short ride from the south end of Pattaya. Walking Street is about 2km away and Bali Hai Pier, where the boats leave for Koh Larn, is closer still. The baht-bus songthaews don’t climb to the temple, so take a Grab or motorbike taxi to the car park. South of the hill, Jomtien Beach starts its long stretch toward Na Jomtien, and Pattaya Park and its tower sit at the north end of Jomtien. View on Google Maps.