Apart from the beaches, Koh Samui’s distinctive icon is the golden Big Buddha Temple - or Wat Phra Yai - visible above the red-tiled rooftops on the island’s north coast.
The 12 meter (40 foot) Buddha statue is visible from several kilometers away, and even from an airplane if you’re arriving or departing by air.
The temple, shops and restaurants cluster at the base of the statue, and ceremonial stairs lead up to the top for terrific island views.
The Big Buddha Temple is near the airport, on Koh Samui’s north-east coast.
The temple sits on a hill at the end of a causeway at the eastern end of Hat Bang Rak (Big Buddha Beach).
