Wat Phra Thong

Wat Phra Thong in Thalang district is one of Phuket's most venerated and mysterious temples, home to the half-buried golden Buddha image from which the temple takes its name — Phra Thong meaning Golden Buddha. According to local legend, a boy tied his buffalo to what he thought was a post protruding from the ground, then fell ill and died. His father, a monk, received a vision that the post was the top of a Buddha image. Several attempts to excavate the figure have reportedly resulted in misfortune, and today only the upper half of the image is visible above the ground. The image has attracted a devoted following over centuries and the temple is said to have been spared by Burmese invaders during the 1785 siege of Thalang. The temple grounds are surrounded by forest and the surrounding community of Thalang retains a quiet, rural character distinct from Phuket's coastal resort areas.