Wat Phra Thong

Why go

For a legend rather than a monument: a golden Buddha emerging from the ground, on the main road to the airport.

Not for you as a destination in itself: it is a short stop, best fitted into a journey you are making anyway.

What you will find

Inside the hall, the head, shoulders and chest of a golden Buddha rise from the floor; the rest is said to be underground. Entry is free, according to one guide.

The story

The legend, told in several versions, is that a boy tied his buffalo to what looked like a stump; boy and buffalo died, the stump turned out to be the top of a Buddha, and everyone who tried to dig it up was driven off by swarms of insects. The temple dates from the late Ayutthaya period, in the 18th century, according to one source.

Getting there

By road, in Thalang, in the centre-north of the island, on Thep Krasattri Road, the main road between Phuket Town and the airport.

Before you go

As in any Thai temple, cover your shoulders and knees and take your shoes off before entering the hall. Do not touch the Buddha image or point your feet at it.