Wat Phra Yai

Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand

Wat Phra Yai Temple known in English as the Big Buddha Temple Statue in Pattaya is a cultural highlight to any visit to Pattaya and can be enjoyed by people who are knowledgeable about Buddhism but equally by people who have limited knowledge of the religion and the way of life. 

On the very top of Pratumnak Hill, between Pattaya and Jomtien Beach, you can’t fail to notice an enormous 18 metre tall Buddha popping up through the trees. This Big Buddha – the largest in the region – is the highlight of Wat Phra Yai, a temple built in the 1940s when Pattaya was nothing more than a fishing village. Despite the crowds, the wreaths of flowers and burning incense create a reflective mood in which to explore the many smaller Buddha statues, partial views of Jomtien Beach, and the pavilion hall which has a beautifully painted mosaic on the walls.

The staircase leading up to the temple is quite striking as there are golden dragons running along the entire handrails, and at the foot of the stairs, seven-headed mythical snakes called Nagas emerge from the dragon’s mouths.

Before you arrive at the top of the hill, you will notice traders selling many small birds that are kept together in cages. The idea is for people to set them free and gain good karma. This all sounds wonderful, but actually we would not encourage it because, in reality, the more money given to this practice, the more birds will be caught and enslaved.