ТаиландWhy Wat Huay Mongkol Is Worth Seeing with Your Own Eyes
Wat Huay Mongkol Temple is one of the holiest places near Hua Hin and one of its most significant attractions. Buddhists from all over Thailand and beyond come here every day.
Unlike most other sacred places in Thailand, the central figure of the temple isn't a traditional Buddha, but a black statue of the monk Luang Pu Thuat, who lived more than 400 years ago. He's one of the most revered Buddhist monks not only in Thailand but also in neighboring countries. He was born in 1582 and lived exactly one hundred years. They say Luang Pu performed miracles, especially healings, and these stories have been passed down by word of mouth for centuries. One legend tells that the monk saved the whole city of Ayutthaya, then the capital of Siam, from an epidemic.
Thais believe that amulets with the image of Luang Pu Thuat protect against disasters, and especially against car accidents. You can buy them near the temple — just don't be surprised by the price, because for locals it's not just a souvenir.
The main attraction here is the black statue of Luang Pu Thuat. It's the largest sculpture of a monk: its height without the pedestal is 11.5 meters. By the way, it was made quite recently — the work was completed only in 2004. As darkness falls, around 18–19 hours, the lighting is turned on, so you can admire the statue in the evening too.
It's not just the main statue that's interesting here. A whole religious complex has formed around it, with no hint of "recruitment." Tourists of any faith can be here completely freely and go anywhere. Outside the complex, its own infrastructure has even grown: cafes, small shops, a large parking lot for tourist transport, and a hotel.
It's safe to say that Wat Huay Mongkol Temple is one of the most famous and visited attractions in the vicinity of Hua Hin, and it's definitely worth visiting. A visit is included in most sightseeing tours of Hua Hin.
And one more thing... Don't forget to walk under the belly of the elephant statue nine times while making a wish, for good luck — that's what locals do. And people also toss coins into the elephant's mouth, also for wishes to come true and for good luck.
In our opinion, the temple isn't worth a separate taxi trip, but if you're renting transport and just driving around the area, it's definitely worth stopping by.
Photo Gallery: Wat Huay Mongkol Temple
🕐 Opening Hours
From 06:00 to 21:00.
💵 Entrance Fee / Ticket Price
Free.
🚶 How to Get There
The temple is located 18 kilometers west of Hua Hin along Highway 3218 (Wat Huay Mongkol Temple). You can get there by songthaew hired as a taxi or by a regular car taxi, but the price is unrealistically inflated — 1,000 baht round trip (2475 rub., see Thailand currency and exchange rate). It's much cheaper to visit using rented transport or by buying a group tour. The cheapest way to get to the temple is by songthaew, as locals do: white songthaews to the temple depart from Hua Hin railway station and cost from 100 baht. But they run rarely and unpredictably, so you shouldn't really count on them, and most likely you'll have to go by taxi or rented transport. All about transport in Hua Hin and how to use it.