Wat Khao Rang

Wat Khao Rang, Phuket Town

Most of the visitors over the years have been to Rang Hill viewpoint and had a snack or a full meal at the Tung Ka Cafe and yes …it is very nice and it’s a must. But when you ask them about the sitting Buddha of Phuket they look at you like your inner GPS is out of sync… and yet … they passed the statue on their way to the view point. Instead of following the road you take the first possible right and then you see this beautiful statue: The sitting Buddha overlooking Wat Khao Rang. It really seems to be off the beaten path and has more of a real an intimate feeling about it. Mostly locals go there to do merit and pray on weekends.

The site consists of two main buildings. There is the rather complex building on top of which the sitting Buddha statue rests.
Going up the winding staircases you can walk through a big hall with the monks cells on the right. Then you see the new Wat Khao Rang temple which contains some beautiful artwork.
It can also be reached by another rather steep staircase with naga snakes guarding the staircase on both sides to the top.
On the foothills of the staircase the famous Lord Guan Yu watches over the place. Guan Yu was a Chinese general, important in the civil wars in the 2nd century and a central figure in the Chinese narrative, Three Kingdoms, and his hometown Yunchenghas also named its airport after him.

With the monks permission, you are allowed to hit the two huge gongs and feel the very deep vibration which comes from them. Wat Khao Rang is located on the small Soi Wachira, just past the easy to find Vachira Hospital on Yaowarat road in Phuket Town (turn right at the traffic lights just past the hospital).