Banyan Tree hotels in Chalong

Chalong, located on Phuket's south coast, is best known as the biggest bay and pier on this popular Thai island paradise. Chalong's other claims to fame are its namesake temple and the white marble Big Buddha statue which towers over this picturesque crescent shaped bay on the Nakkerd Hills. Chalong also provides plenty of opportunities for active pursuits like horse riding, shooting, Muay Thai boxing, and scuba diving expeditions to the islands of Ko Racha and Ko Hae. It is easy to get to Chalong from Phuket Town as songthaews (local buses) run throughout the day. In the evening, a taxi is the only option unless you have access to a car.

One Chalong attraction which is impossible to miss is Big Buddha, a majestic white marble Buddha statue standing 45 m tall between Kata and Chalong. Aaround 1,000 people come to this sacred site each day.

Another sacred Chalong landmark is Wat Chalong, considered the most significant of Phuket's 29 Buddhist temples. Wat Chalong was dedicated to Luang Pho Chuang and Luang Pho Chaem, two monks who used their herbal medicine skills to heal tin miners who were injured during a 1876 rebellion. A Lord Buddha bone splinter is displayed at the breezy Wat Chalong Grand Pagoda. Another Chalong temple, Wat Mai Luang Pu Supha, is named after Thailand's oldest surviving monk.

Chalong is also filled with peaceful places to enjoy nature like the Phuket Botanic Garden and its neighbouring Phuket Bird Park. The botanic garden includes a rainforest garden, a winter garden, orchid pavilion and rice field display. The Phuket Bird Park features live bird shows three times each day.

Seafood and Thai dishes dominate most Chalong restaurant menus, but Italian, Indian, and Mexican restaurants can also be found within walking distance of Chalong Pier. Some Chalong Pier beach bars close at 22:00 during the June to October low season, but stay open as late as 02:00 during the high season. The Chalong Bay Rum distillery, located north of the pier, gives cocktail workshops and guided tours in multiple languages.

The small Home Pro Village Chalong shopping centre has a bigger variety items for sale than anywhere else in Chalong, whose other shopping options are scuba diving shops, souvenir shop, and an impressive Thai silk shop near Wat Chalong.