Big Buddha Pattaya and the Pratumnak Hill viewpoint

Pratumnak Hill is the green headland between South Pattaya and Jomtien. It has two summits, separated by Phra Tamnak Road. The southern one carries Wat Phra Yai and its Big Buddha, with the Chinese-style gardens of Wang Sam Sien just below. The northern one, Khao Phra Tamnak, carries the city viewpoint above Bali Hai Pier. All three are free, and one short outing covers them.

What is the Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai?

The statue is a seated Buddha 18 metres tall, built in 1977 and finished in gold, facing the bay from the top of the hill. Its formal name is Phra Phuttha Sukhothai Walai Chonlathan, and local people call it Luang Pho Yai. It is the largest Buddha image in the Pattaya area and can be seen from much of Jomtien and South Pattaya.

Around the main image stand seven smaller golden Buddhas in different postures, one for each day of the week. Thai visitors look for the image of the day they were born, light incense and leave a small offering there. You will also find bells to ring and a pavilion where monks give blessings. Wat Phra Yai is an active place of worship, so the terrace is quiet even when it is busy.

Is the Big Buddha free, and when is it open?

Entry is free and there is no ticket desk. The grounds are open every day from 07:00 to 22:00, and the statue is lit after dark. The offering stalls, the blessing pavilion and most of the activity run from early morning to about 18:00, so come in daylight to see the temple at work.

Is the climb to the Big Buddha hard?

No. The road brings you almost to the top, and from the car park a single wide staircase rises to the terrace, flanked by two golden nagas, the serpent guardians of Thai temples. The gradient is gentle and most visitors reach the top in a few minutes.

• There is no lift or ramp, so the terrace is not accessible by wheelchair or pushchair.
• Toilets and drink stalls are at the bottom, by the car park. Go before you climb.
• The terrace is paved and exposed. Between 11:00 and 15:00 the ground is hot and there is little shade.
• Shoes come off only at the shrine platforms and pavilions, not on the staircase.

What is the dress code?

Wat Phra Yai is a temple, and the same rules apply as anywhere in Thailand:

• Cover your shoulders and knees. Beachwear, vests and short shorts are not acceptable, for men or women.
• Take off shoes and hats before stepping into a pavilion or onto a shrine platform.
• Do not climb on statues or pose with your back against a Buddha image.
• Keep your voice down near people who are praying, and do not point your feet at the images when you sit.
• Women do not touch monks or hand objects directly to them.

Wraps are available at the foot of the stairs, but carrying a light scarf or sarong in your bag is simpler. Wang Sam Sien and the viewpoint have no dress rules beyond ordinary street clothes.

What is Wang Sam Sien, the Chinese-style garden next door?

Wang Sam Sien sits on the same road, about 300 metres before the Big Buddha car park as you come up the hill. It is a Chinese-style garden of shrines and statues, and it is far quieter than the temple above it. A white statue of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy, stands near the entrance.

Inside you walk past a statue of Confucius, figures from Chinese history and from the Three Kingdoms stories, a large bell modelled on one in Beijing, ponds and pavilions. One wall carries 24 painted panels telling the classic Chinese stories of gratitude, with captions in several languages. Entry is free and 20 to 30 minutes is enough. It makes a natural first stop before the staircase.

When is the best time for the view from Khao Phra Tamnak?

The viewpoint is on the northern summit, on Chaloem Phrakiat Road, and it gives the classic picture of Pattaya: the full curve of the bay, the towers of the centre, Bali Hai Pier directly below and Koh Larn about 7 km offshore. A monument on the upper terrace honours the Prince of Chumphon, regarded as the father of the Royal Thai Navy, and Thai visitors leave flowers and incense there.

• Sunset is the favourite time. The sun goes down over the sea at about 17:45 in November and close to 18:50 in late June. Arrive 30 to 40 minutes before to find a place at the railing.
• Early morning, from 07:30 to 09:00, gives the clearest air and the sun behind you, which lights the city for photographs.
• At dusk the bay becomes a line of lights. The upper terrace closes in the evening, so come for sunset and the first hour of darkness.
• November to February brings the clearest skies. From May to October, go on a dry afternoon after rain has washed the haze away.

Drink stalls, benches and coin telescopes are on site. From the Big Buddha itself, the western edge of the terrace looks over Jomtien and the southern bay, a different and quieter view.

How do you get there and combine the three?

The two summits are about 1.5 km apart by road, a 20 to 30 minute walk with a climb at each end and no pavement in places. Most visitors use a car or motorbike taxi between them.

1. Start at Wang Sam Sien at about 16:00 and spend 20 minutes in the gardens.
2. Walk five minutes up the road to the Big Buddha staircase and give the terrace 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Take a car or motorbike taxi to the Khao Phra Tamnak viewpoint, five minutes away, and arrive half an hour before sunset.
4. Walk down to Bali Hai Pier in about 15 minutes for dinner on the seafront.

Few cars wait on the hill, so book your onward ride in the app before you leave the terrace. Routes and fares for songthaews and apps are in getting around Pattaya. Bali Hai Pier, below the viewpoint, is where ferries leave for the island: see the Koh Larn guide.

If you like the calm of the hill, the Pratumnak Hill area guide covers staying here. For more religious sites, continue with temples in and around Pattaya or the carved wooden Sanctuary of Truth in Naklua.