Chalong Temple (Wat Chalong or Wat Chai Tararam) in Phuket

Description and is it worth a visit

Chalong Temple (full name Chaitararam) is not just a temple, but a whole temple complex, and the most important in Phuket for the island's Buddhists, and the place of their pilgrimage. In one of the buildings of the temple there is a real shrine – a part of the Buddha's bone. It is on display to everyone in a glass ball inside a large glass sarcophagus. It is definitely worth a visit as one of the most interesting and colorful sights of Phuket.

The temple gained fame thanks to Luang Pho Something – initially a monk, and then the abbot of the monastery (from 1876 until his death in 1908). Luang Pho Than is known as a talented healer and chiropractor. Every year a fair is held in the temple, but the time of its holding varies from year to year. During the week, the territory of the monastery resembles a market, where crowds of local residents walk all day and especially in the evenings.

But even in normal times, Chalong temple has a lot to see, and there are always a lot of people here. Statues of famous monks are installed on the territory of the temple, and in one of the courtyards there is even a pond in which goldfish swim. In Thailand, it is believed that they are the embodiment of angels, therefore they bring prosperity and good luck in all endeavors.

You can visit the temple not only to take some beautiful photos, but also to find out the fate. To do this, you can shake the tin box in one of the halls of the temple until the wand with the number falls out. Then you need to open the locker, which shows the corresponding figure, and pull out one of the pieces of paper. What is written on it will be your prediction for the near future, if of course you can read it.

Do not forget that although the temple is a landmark, it is a sacred place for the locals. As when visiting other temples in Thailand, you should follow certain rules, and first of all in clothes. You should not visit the temple in shorts or a miniskirt, your shoulders should be covered, and you should take off your shoes when entering the buildings.