The Big Buddha Koh Samui, Thailand
Towering Over the Island is the 12-metre High Statue of Lord Buddha
Statues of the Lord Buddha are everywhere in Thailand but one giant Buddha is inescapable even from the air - that on the holiday island of Koh Samui.
As you approach Koh Samui from the air, the 12-metre tall, golden statue of the Lord Buddha sitting on a high platform at the top of a wide staircase decorated with dragons, dominates the scene. Built in 1972, the enormous sitting Buddha sits within the Phra Yai Temple complex on a small island just of the northern shore of the island.
Venerated by the locals and Thai visitors, the Big Buddha is also popular with foreign tourists, many of whom join the locals in lighting incense and praying at the shrine. At night the image is floodlit and to many people it then takes on the appearance of a guardian of the island.
Thai visitors to the island usually make the Big Buddha their first stop. They will pray here, make offerings of fruit and flowers, rice and water, and burn five incense sticks. This is to ensure a happy and fruitful visit.
At the foot of the Buddha statue is a meditation centre and within the temple grounds is a market place where amulets and Buddhist and Brahmin religious souvenirs are sold alongside Tee-shirts, hats, and other secular items. Small Thai restaurants cater for every taste in the same area.
To some the bazaar like atmosphere is a bit tacky, but in Thailand, spiritual concerns and everyday life tend to overlap more than they do in the Western world. The same applies to the Buddhist religion to which 98% of the inhabitants belong but which exists side by side with a belief in animism.
Beyond the temple lies Big Buddha beach, named after the statue, a (sometimes) quiet and peaceful beach with calm waters. The Big Buddha beach is located just 15 minutes from Chaweng beach where nearly all the nightlife and entertainment is situated on Koh Samui. For those who insist on partying all night long (a fairly popular pursuit on Koh Samui), the Big Buddha beach is the perfect place on which to get some rest. Chaweng Beach never sleeps, nor does the noise ever stop.
Big Buddha beach is pretty quiet except on Sundays when The Secret Garden on Koh Samui draws visiting bands and musicians to play impromptu sessions. These sessions usually attract a crowd of 200 – 300 people and the party spirit is well in evidence. Apart from Sundays though, the area is pretty peaceful.
Getting to and from Chaweng Beach to Big Buddha Beach is easy, even at night, as Song Tows run all over the island at night and especially between Big Buddha and Chaweng. After midnight the price is approx. $2.50 and after 2 a.m. it is $6.
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