30 km from Pattaya there is a large temple complex Wat Yang or Wat Yansangwararam, as well as the mountain of the golden Buddha. These two attractions are very popular in Pattaya and are definitely worth a visit. The distance between Wat Yan and Golden Buddha Mountain is only a couple of kilometers, so it is convenient to visit them together. What is interesting about these two attractions, I will tell in this article.
The territory of the Wat Yan temple is quite large and is 145 hectares. It contains about a dozen religious buildings, made in a variety of styles of architecture. Here you will find traditional Thai style, as well as Chinese, Indian and Singaporean. The main temple of this complex is Wat Yan.
Be sure to climb the mountain to the footprint of the Buddha. It is reached by a staircase consisting of 300 steps. This shrine is significant in this temple complex and deeply revered by the locals. There is also a beautiful view from the mountain.
There is a meditation center in the Wat Yan temple complex, which anyone can visit. The center hosts meditation classes and workshops based on the teachings of the Buddha. Also in the center you can find out when the next classes are held.
Monks live in separate houses. They study Buddhism and take care of the cleanliness of the temple complex.
The territory of the Wat Yan temple is well-groomed and beautiful. Many flowers, trimmed bushes, two beautiful lakes, fountains, comfortable gazebos and benches. Near the lake there are stalls where you can buy fish food and feed on the inhabitants of the lake. Birds, turtles and fish are also sold here, which after the purchase should be released into the wild. Thais believe that a person is thus cleansed of sins.
On the territory of the temple complex Wat Yan is almost always quiet and calm, there are very few people. Here it is pleasant to walk along the temples and picturesque nature, sit on the shore of the lake and enjoy all this beauty.
Golden Buddha Mountain
Not far from the temple of Wat Yan is the mountain of the golden Buddha. On this mountain, the image of the Buddha sitting in the lotus position is lined with golden plates. The height of the image is about 160 m. There is a pond at the foot of the mountain.
The area near the golden Buddha mountain is well-groomed and well-equipped. There are gazebos where you can sit in silence, enjoying the magnificent views.
It will not be possible to stay overnight near the Wat Yan temple and the mountain of the golden Buddha, since these sights are surrounded by the jungle and there are no hotels or any residential buildings near them.
Working hours
Wat Yan is open to the public every day from 8 am to 4 pm. Free admission. However, do not forget about the proper appearance. When visiting religious places, it is necessary to wear clothes that cover the shoulders, stomach, chest and knees.
The best time to visit these two attractions is in the morning before 10:00 am, as during these hours there are practically no tourists and there is no unbearable heat.
How to get there?
The easiest way to get to Wat Yan and the Golden Buddha Mountain is with a guided tour, which can be purchased at any travel agency.
If you decide to go on your own, then you will not be able to use public tuk-tuks, they do not go here. The only transport available is a taxi.
Those who decide to drive their own car or bike should drive south from Pattaya along the Sukhumvit Highway. First you will pass, and after a 15-minute drive from it, a sign will appear to Wat Yansangwararam. At the sign you turn left and go straight to the fork. Next, there are two options:
- Drive straight to Wat Yan.
- Turn right and drive to the golden Buddha mountain.
It is difficult to get lost on this road, because there are signs everywhere.
Map
On this map, I marked the location of the Wat Yan temple complex and the golden Buddha mountain.
Mount Golden Buddha Khao Chi Chan (Khao Chi Chan) is one of the main attractions of the city of Pattaya in Thailand, which is the largest Buddha image in the world, lined with gold plates on the mountain. Down at the foot of the mountain is a temple. The image is about 130 meters high and over 70 meters wide.
After the image was taken, the already popular resort town of Pattaya has become even more visited by tourists. In addition, this place has become a place of worship for the Thais themselves. Decorating the mountain with gold, the Thais by this action expressed their loyal attitude towards the King of Thailand and their religious intentions before the Buddha.
Story
The image of the Buddha was created on the northern slope of the hill in 1996 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the reign of the Thai King Rama IX, revered by the Thais. The initiator of this proposal was the son of the King (Rama XX is the current King of Thailand).
The image was created by a special computer program, and it was applied using a laser for two days, then this contour was manually filled with gold for several months. The whole work cost 3 million dollars, part of which was invested by local residents as a token of love for their King. Below the image are two inscriptions: the upper one is the year of creation, the lower one is the name of the Buddha, which is translated into Russian as “His Majesty the Buddha is beautiful and chaste, like Maha Vachira”.
Today Khao Chi Chan is a popular place of pilgrimage for religious Thais who light candles here and worship the largest Buddha image.
The territory of the park
At the foot of the mountain there is a small but very beautiful park. There is a large pond, well-groomed flower beds, small paths, clean lawns and even gazebos where park guests can relax and meditate. Throughout the park there is a peaceful and calm atmosphere. The entire area around the mountain is under the protection of the royal family and guarded by the military.
For 100 baht in the park, you can buy a frame with your photo against the backdrop of the Golden Buddha Mountain, which will become a real pleasant souvenir brought from Thailand for a long memory.
Excursions
The highest attendance of the Golden Buddha Mountain, as strange as it may sound, is among tourists. Since Pattaya is a resort city, tourist buses with excursion programs constantly go here.
Most often, tours include visiting several nearby interesting sights at once. As a rule, these are trips to the temples of Wat Yan and Viharnra Sien, sightseeing tours to the village of Karen long-necked women, as well as excursions to Silver Lake vineyards. Also, about 100 meters from the Golden Buddha mountain, you can ride elephants, the price for one ride is 300 baht.
It is worth paying special attention to an important fact - do not confuse the Golden Buddha and the Big Buddha. Big Buddha is a gilded statue of a seated Buddha in the center of Pattaya on a hill. Golden Buddha - Mount Golden Buddha (Khao Chi Chan). It is not uncommon for two different main attractions of the city to be confused, which can lead to unpleasant embarrassment.
How to get to Golden Buddha Mountain from Pattaya
GPS coordinates: 12°45’52.5″N.S. 100°57’20.8″E
Unfortunately, public transport does not run in the direction of the Golden Buddha Mountain. But there are some other options on how to get to one of the main attractions of Thailand:
- Take a taxi, which will cost about 400 baht one way. In this case, it would be better to immediately agree on the return trip, since it is almost impossible to find a taxi on the territory of Khao Chi Chan.
- Rent a car. To get to Golden Buddha Mountain from Pattaya, take S Pattaya Rd, then exit Sukhumvit Rd heading south. Continue past Underwater World and the floating market, and after Phraya Dun Resort, turn left onto Route 1003/Ban Yen Rd and continue south. After the “Upside Down House” attraction, turn right and drive along the road until a unique mountain appears, which can be seen not only from the park, but also far beyond its borders. Just in case, when renting a car, you can take a GPS-navigator with you.
- Take a tour. What will be the most appropriate and convenient, because during the entire tour they will tell a lot of new and interesting things not only about Mount Khao Chi Chan, but also about other famous places visited by the tour bus. You don’t have to look for the nearest sights alone, because the sightseeing tour includes a transfer from Pattaya and back, which will be much cheaper.
Panorama of Golden Buddha Mountain (Khao Chi Chan) and its environs:
Video: Mount Golden Buddha (Khao Chi Chan)
To get to the hill, you need to drive the entire temple complex to the end and go deep into the forest (there is an asphalt road). Even if you are not interested in this religious shrine, then go up anyway - magnificent panoramic views open from the hill.
The Viharnra Sien Chinese Temple is also a museum that was given as a gift to King Rama IX.
Here you can see many paintings that tell stories from the scriptures. On the second floor there are more than 200 sculptures of Chinese Gods (and more). Under the open sky, on the balcony, you will see statues of Shaolin monks demonstrating the Chinese martial art of wushu.
How to get to Wat Yan on your own
Neither public, nor even walking to Wat Yang from Pattaya can not be reached. One of the options - . The second and more optimal one is on your own transport (or). From Pattaya you have to go south. In 10 minutes on the left side there will be (“Floating Market”), and in another 15 minutes there will be a sign to Wat Yansangwararam.
This turn is located 15 km from Pattaya, as evidenced by the shield that I saw on the way back - Pattaya 15 km. So, turning left, you need to drive another five minutes to the fork. If you go straight from it, then the road will lead to the Wat Yang temple complex, if to the right, then to the Chinese temple-museum Viharnra Sien and after 10 minutes - to. There are signs everywhere so you can't get lost. Yes, there is only one way.
Also from Wat Yan not far from. Not reaching 300-400 meters to Nong Nooch, there is an elephant village where you can ride these giants.
To see the largest Buddha image, you should go to the Golden Mountain (Khao Chi Chan), which is located south of Pattaya. This complex is located 15 kilometers from the city and is a local celebrity. The dimensions of the Buddha are huge - the height is 160 meters, and the width at the level of the knees of the Buddha is 70 meters. There is a legend that in the chest, in the middle of the figure, part of the relics of the Buddha is kept.
The image was created in 1996 in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the ascension to the throne of Bhumibol. For the implementation of such a grandiose project, laser technologies were used.
The sketch itself was carved into the rock in just two days, and it took several months to fill it with gold leaf. The whole figure of the Buddha is lined with gold plates right on the rock and he is depicted sitting in a lotus position.
The name of the image is translated as follows - "His Majesty the Buddha is beautiful and chaste, like Maha Vachira (Great Wisdom)". Around this rock there are a large number of flowering plants and small pavilions for meditation.
Right next to the Khao Chin Chan rock, there are places for offerings and prayers, picturesque gardens and several lakes, completely covered with a blooming lotus. The royal family often comes to this rock to pray.
Golden Buddha Mountain in Pattaya
The history of the creation of this complex goes back to the days of the Vietnam War. During this war, Thailand supported the United States and provided territory for the construction of military bases. To build the base, a stone was required, which was obtained by blowing up the Khao Chi Chan mountain. This stone was also used in the construction of the road from Sattahil to Chachoengsao.
After the end of the war, blasting work did not stop, as many construction organizations required stone. Only in 1976, King Rama the ninth imposed a ban on the development of stone in this place.
In 1996, the children of King Rama the ninth began raising funds and building the largest rock image of the Buddha. The king's son, Prince Maha Vajiralonkorn, became the head of the company.
Absolutely every citizen of the country could participate in this project. It became the most grandiose in the history of the country. The cost of all work and materials amounted to about three million dollars.
The entire territory of the Golden Buddha Mountain is under the auspices of the royal family, so here you can see the military guarding the entire territory and the image itself from thieves.
The atmosphere of the Golden Mountain Khao Chi Chan is filled with peace and sets every person for contemplation and meditation.
How to get to Golden Buddha Mountain in Pattaya
You can get there by the same road as in Nong Nooch Park, just a little before reaching it. Nearby is the temple complex Wat Yansangwararam.
A large rock image of Buddha and one of Pattaya's most famous landmarks.
What I will say at the very beginning: If you order a taxi, then it is important not to confuse, because. for Thais, the "Golden Buddha" is the one that, and The mountain of the golden Buddha is called Khao Chi Chan.
There are almost always a lot of tourists here, and from all over the world: Thailand, China, Russia. And the mountain of the golden Buddha is included in many tourist routes and complex excursions.
For me, the most interesting thing was to find out that the mountain is directly related to the US-Vietnam war.
More precisely, in this war, Thailand supported the United States (more precisely, it simply did not resist it), it was then that Pattaya began to turn from a fishing village into a popular tourist destination.
And this very mountain was blown up to get a stone for the construction of American military bases. Well, at some point, the wise Thai king intervened and forbade it all.
In 1996, it was decided to make a rock image of the Buddha on the mountain as a symbol of peace. Interestingly, 1/3 of all gold was collected by local residents! Religious symbols are very revered in Thailand.
It is also interesting that the Buddha was cut out with a laser for 2 days, which is why it looks so even and neat. 
There is a good park around the image itself, where you can walk for about 15 minutes (it consists of 2 paths leading to the Buddha), the park is well-groomed, interesting, but very small.
Few people know, but literally 100 meters from the golden Buddha mountain you can ride elephants. It is difficult to spot this place, so it is better to ask the locals. Prices are the same as everywhere else - 300 baht for skiing ($ 10), to feed an elephant, you just need to buy a bunch of bananas for 50 baht ($ 1.2).
Also nearby is a tribe of women with long necks, but how to get to them is better to ask on the spot, these are actually nooks and crannies along the paths - a normal person would not even think that there is some kind of attraction there. But you are not going to a cafe, but to a wild tribe.
Golden Buddha Mountain on the map and how to get there
Unfortunately, public transport does not go there, so you can take a taxi, or you can take an organized tour. It will include several places nearby at once and I think this is the best solution. It is not very interesting here for a long time and on your own and it is better if you are taken around all the surroundings.
Golden Buddha Mountain reviews
To be honest, I expected more. In the photos everything looks much more interesting than in life. In fact, it is hot there, very dusty from a large number of tourist buses, noisy from the Chinese. And in the background of all this, nothing is felt. Children are not interested there, adults also have nothing to do for more than 15 minutes, so it’s worth going only in passing or as part of an excursion, when they show you Wat Yan, the Chinese temple, Silver Lake, they can also take you to the military beach for a few hours.
You can stop by on the way to, but you are unlikely to have time to fully walk around all the previous ones and also along Nong Nuchu.
Oh, by the way - once I went there after sunset, in the hope that it was beautifully illuminated at night. No, it's completely dark there at night.
And another tip, if you eat on your own - I once drove along small roads from Pattaya to Golden Buddha Rock - there is really local flavor there, but it takes a lot of time, because. bad roads. But more on that in a separate article.
