Top 10 Temples on Koh Samui
Koh Samui has far more to offer than beaches and nightlife: Buddhist temples are scattered across the whole island, from simple village wats to the monumental Big Buddha. Some impress with golden statues and ornate façades, others with an unusual story – Samui even has two mummified monks. Here are our ten favourite temples on the island, plus the key etiquette rules for your visit.
Dress code and etiquette at Thai temples
A "wat" is an active place of worship, not a museum, so similar rules apply everywhere: cover your shoulders and knees (larger temples usually have wraps to borrow), remove your shoes before entering buildings, and avoid pointing your feet towards Buddha statues while seated. Most temples on Samui charge no entrance fee, but a small donation of around 20–100 baht towards the upkeep of the site is appreciated.
Our top 10 temples at a glance
| Rank | Temple | Location | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai) | Bang Rak, northeast | 12m golden Buddha statue, the island's landmark |
| 2 | Wat Khunaram | Ban Thurian, south | Mummified monk Luang Por Daeng |
| 3 | Wat Plai Laem | Near Big Buddha, northeast | 18-armed Guanyin statue, temple lake |
| 4 | Wat Kiri Wongkaram | Taling Ngam, southwest | White temple, mummified monk Luang Por Ruam |
| 5 | Wat Teepangkorn | Khao Pom, highest point | 360-degree panorama over the whole island |
| 6 | Wat Sila Ngu | Ring road near Hua Thanon | Red ordination hall, the "Stone Snake Pagoda" |
| 7 | Wat Na Phra Lan | Maenam | Statue of King Rama V, peaceful atmosphere |
| 8 | Wat Samutharam | West coast, near Hin Lat waterfall | Golden statues, hardly any tourists |
| 9 | Wat Nam Tok Hin Lat | Jungle near Nathon | Forest temple right by the waterfall |
| 10 | Wat Pradoem | Near Lamai | Likely the island's oldest temple (approx. 250 years) |
The 10 temples in detail
From number 10 down to our number 1.
10. Wat Pradoem
Wat Pradoem, believed to be around 250 years old, is thought to be the oldest temple on Koh Samui. Besides the temple building itself, there's a wooden hall with ancient scriptures and elaborate carvings. It sits just a few kilometres from Wat Khunaram, making the two easy to combine: coming from Lamai, turn left onto road 4173 shortly after passing Wat Khunaram, and Pradoem is on the left after around 2km.
9. Wat Nam Tok Hin Lat
This forest temple sits in evergreen jungle right on the path to Hin Lat Waterfall, a few kilometres south of Nathon. It's busiest at weekends, when locals come for "tam boon" (making merit) and picnic by the waterfall afterwards. The temple is open year-round; the waterfall itself is best visited in the rainy season, when there's more water flowing – more on that in our article on Koh Samui's waterfalls.
8. Wat Samutharam
Not far from the Hin Lat and Lad Wanon waterfalls in the west of the island, this rarely visited temple has two main buildings and a small cemetery. Its golden statues and richly decorated façade stand out. Mostly locals come here to pray in the early morning. Tong Yang Beach, with lovely sunset views, is right nearby.
7. Wat Na Phra Lan
This pagoda sits close to Maenam Beach, near the Lomprayah pier. One highlight is the statue of King Rama V, alongside numerous other Buddhist statues and buildings. It's a peaceful place away from the crowds, where you can watch monks going about their daily routine.
6. Wat Sila Ngu (Stone Snake Pagoda)
Right on ring road 4169 between Lamai and Hua Thanon, one kilometre south of the Hin-Ta and Hin-Yai rock formations, this temple draws the eye with its large red ordination hall. Also known as Wat Racha Thammaram or Phrataht Hin Ngoo (Stone Snake Pagoda), it features elaborate reliefs on both its inner and outer walls. A golden pagoda faces the sea, said by locals to hold a Buddha relic.
5. Wat Teepangkorn
On Khao Pom, the island's highest point at 635 metres, stands the large golden Buddha statue Phra Buddha Teepangkorn. On a clear day, the view from the terrace reaches all the way to Koh Phangan – one of the best panoramas on the island, though far less visited than other viewpoints because of the steep, unpaved access road. The site also has a three-storey museum. There's no entrance fee, but a donation is welcome since the site is still being expanded. The drive up is only suitable for experienced riders – more safety tips in our Top 10 scooter rules on Koh Samui.
4. Wat Kiri Wongkaram
This gleaming white temple near Taling Ngam, with its snake motif at the base, houses the mummified body of the monk Luang Por Ruam, who was born in the village in 1879 and died on 9 January 1966 at the age of 87. After 66 years as a monk and regular meditation practice, his body is said to have mummified naturally, and it remains on display in a glass case to this day. The spacious grounds also include a Buddhist cemetery and several traditional buildings. The temple sits near the Elephant Gate, not far from a beach with views of the Five Islands, and sees far fewer visitors than the better-known temples in the northeast.
3. Wat Plai Laem
In the island's northeast, just a few minutes' drive from Big Buddha, stands one of Samui's most photographed temples. Its centrepiece isn't a Buddha, but the 18-armed statue of Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of compassion, on a pedestal in the middle of a temple lake full of fish and turtles. The modern design blends Chinese and Thai elements, with smaller shrines dedicated to Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva and Sakka. Since the two temples sit so close together, they're easy to visit in a single morning.
2. Wat Khunaram
Samui actually has two mummified monks, and the better-known one is at Wat Khunaram near Ban Thurian in the south of the island. There, the body of Luang Por Daeng, born in 1894 and died in 1973, sits upright in a glass case, surrounded by candles, incense and fruit offerings. Legend has it that he predicted his own death and asked for his body to be displayed as a reminder of life's impermanence. Because his eyes have sunk in over the decades, the mummy now wears a pair of sunglasses. The temple is open daily, there's no entrance fee, and a small donation towards its upkeep is customary.
1. Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)
Our number 1 is the island's landmark: the 12-metre golden Buddha statue of Wat Phra Yai, on a small island connected by causeway in Samui's northeast, near the airport. The temple is open daily from around 6am to 6pm, entry is free, though a donation of a euro or two is customary and goes towards the upkeep of the site. Stalls selling souvenirs, amulets and street food line the steps up to the statue. It's at its best early in the morning, before the big tour groups arrive, or in the late afternoon at sunset. Wat Plai Laem sits right next door, so the two temples combine easily into a single morning out.
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More temples worth knowing
Our top 10 above stays as it is, but two more temples come up often enough in questions we get that they deserve a mention here.
Wat Bo Phuttharam
Right at one of the busiest junctions in Koh Samui, just before Bophut's Fisherman's Village, stands Wat Bo Phuttharam. Construction began back in 1934, but the temple's real landmark is newer: a boat-shaped shrine housing a large black statue of the revered monk Luang Pu Thuad, completed in 2016. You can walk inside the lower deck, which doubles as a small museum, and climb up to the boat's deck for a view over the temple grounds. The temple is open daily with no entrance fee, though a donation towards its upkeep is welcome.
Laem Sor Pagoda
On the island's southern tip, right on the waterfront, stands the golden Laem Sor Pagoda (also called Laem Sor Chedi), with views across the water to Koh Tan and Koh Madsum. Very few tour buses stop here, which makes it one of the quietest temples on Samui – a good pick if you'd rather avoid the crowds at Big Buddha or Wat Plai Laem. It's open daily from around 6am to 6pm, entry is free, and a donation of 20 to 100 THB towards its upkeep is customary.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most beautiful temple on Koh Samui?
That's a matter of taste: Big Buddha is the island's most iconic sight, while Wat Plai Laem, with its Guanyin statue and temple lake, is widely considered the most photogenic. If you prefer things quieter and less touristy, Wat Kiri Wongkaram or Wat Samutharam are better choices.
Which is the most beautiful temple in Thailand?
That can't be narrowed down to a single temple, and the best-known ones lie beyond Koh Samui: in Bangkok, Wat Arun and Wat Phra Kaew inside the Grand Palace are must-sees, while Chiang Rai has the striking all-white Wat Rong Khun. On Koh Samui itself, Big Buddha is the undisputed classic.
What are the must-see sights on Koh Samui?
Besides Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem, most visitors also make time for beaches, viewpoints and the Ang Thong Marine Park. For a full overview, see our Top 10 attractions on Koh Samui.
Where is the Tiger Cave Temple?
The well-known Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea) isn't on Koh Samui at all – it's on the mainland in Krabi province, around 180km away. Visiting it requires its own trip by ferry or flight; it isn't feasible as a day trip from Samui.
Where are Wat Bo Phuttharam and Laem Sor Pagoda?
Wat Bo Phuttharam sits in Bophut in the island's north, right by the Fisherman's Village junction, and is easy to combine with Big Buddha or Wat Plai Laem. Laem Sor Pagoda is on the opposite side of the island, on the southern tip near Ban Hua Thanon – see both in our "More temples worth knowing" section above.
For more of the island, see our Top 10 beaches on Koh Samui and our article on Koh Samui's waterfalls. If you're exploring the temples by scooter, check the essential rules in Top 10 scooter rules on Koh Samui.
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