Khao Chi Chan (Buddha Mountain)

A 109-by-70-metre Buddha image is laser-etched and gold-inlaid into the limestone cliff face at Khao Chi Chan, visible from well outside the site itself. It was commissioned to mark King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Golden Jubilee — 50 years on the throne — in 1996, with the carving completed and gold inlay finished by 1997. Entry and parking are both free.

The image dominates the site: there’s a viewing area at the base of the cliff where you look almost straight up at the gold outline against bare rock, and not much else to see beyond that. A small landscaped area with a pond sits in front of the cliff, and shrine points around the grounds let visitors leave offerings or light incense. It’s a look-and-go site rather than somewhere with hours of ground to cover — most visits run 20 to 30 minutes unless you’re stopping to photograph the carving in different light.

What makes the image unusual isn’t its size alone but how it was made. Rather than carving into the rock by hand, engineers used laser technology to trace the outline onto the cliff face before craftsmen inlaid the lines with gold — a technique with no real precedent in traditional Thai temple art, applied here for an explicitly modern commemorative purpose. That combination, an ancient religious subject rendered with contemporary tools, is what draws photographers and pilgrims alike, and it’s part of why the site reads more like a monument than a temple in the conventional sense, despite still functioning as one.

Insider Tip: Silverlake Vineyard sits directly at the foot of the hill, so it’s worth pairing the two — the winery has its own gardens and a viewpoint over rows of vines that photograph well against the same limestone backdrop.

Watch out: shade is limited around the main viewing area, and midday sun flattens the gold inlay so the carving loses definition in photos. Early morning or the couple of hours before closing give the most contrast between the gold and the rock.

Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, as this remains an active site of worship despite the modern carving technique. It sits south of central Pattaya in Na Chom Thian, an easy detour by car or motorbike if you’re already heading toward Nong Nooch Tropical Garden or Anek Kuson Sala, both a short drive further along the same stretch of coast.