Buddha Mountain (Phuket Big Buddha)
In the Nakkerd Hills overlooking much of southern Phuket, a 45m high Buddha has been under construction for several years. We first went up here before the building started. The main Buddha statue is complete, and the whole area was supposed to be complete sometime in 2012 ... This is one of my favourite places in Phuket and I am sure Buddha Mountain will be blogged yet again! You can hike up from Karon Beach (see links below). It's not just the Buddha, it's the views! It's a lot busier than it used to be. We first went up there before they even started building! Now it's on the route of just about every tour!
• Big Buddha - Latest Photos
• Hiking up to the Big Buddha (Feb 2010)
• Big Buddha May 2009
(above) View from the Big Buddha over the hills of Phuket
Karon Viewpoint and Phromthep Cape
Probably the two most visited viewpoints in Phuket. Karon viewpoint has a view across Kata Noi, Kata and Karon beaches and the picture is found on just about all Phuket websites, this one included! It's basically "the" Phuket viewpoint. Phromthep cape is the rocky headland in the south west of Phuket, great for views, great for sunsets, and don't miss the lighthouse... and recently I hiked for the first time right to the end of the cape!
• Karon and Kata Viewpoint
• Sunset at Cape Phromthep
• Hike to the end of Promthep Cape
(above) The Phuket Viewpoint over Kata and Karon Beaches
Naiharn / Wind Turbine Viewpoint
Just North of Phromthep Cape, in between Yanui and Naiharn beaches is a big white wind turbine, and there's a viewpoint here too where people sometimes go paragliding off the steep cliff.
• Naiharn / Yanui Viewpoint
More Great Phuket Views
Radar Hill (with the round radar dome on top) overlooking Patong Beach has some fantastic views on the way up, and nobody ever seems to come up here. Khao Khad is a viewpoint in Cape Panwa, one of our favourite areas of Phuket - there is a view tower and a superb view across Chalong Bay. Rang Hill and Monkey Hill are both in Phuket Town - good views and monkeys too!
(above) View from Rang Hill (Phuket Town)
• A walk up Monkey Hill (2011)
• Khao Khad Viewpoint
• Radar Hill
• Rang Hill
• Tunk Ka Cafe on Rang Hill
(above) View from Khao Khad Viewpoint
Some back roads in the hills can lead to great views. I have done a (hard!) hike up to the highest point in Phuket which sits between Kathu waterfall and Kamala Beach. Any back road is worth a follow in Phuket to get an unexpected view!
• Hiking to the Roof of Phuket
• Back road over the mountain above Patong
You can also get nice views from some of the temples in Phuket, such as Koh Sirey Temple which is built on a hill, Wat Sapam on the east coast, or from Chalong Temple. And all along the west coast especially between the beaches on the rocky headlands there are great sea views.
And get your camera out when flying in to Phuket, oh and make sure you have a window seat to get views of Phuket, Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay... See Phuket Views from the Air, and Seaplane Flight to Phi Phi. The seaplane flight was particularly amazing! Check out the view below over Maya Bay!
Get up a hill! It's good to get some fresh air and see Phuket from another angle. In fact.. did you know? Phuket got it's name from the Malay word "Bhukit" which means, yes you guessed it, hill.
Hills and Views in Phuket - Google Maps
View Phuket Hills and Viewpoints in a larger map
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