Big Buddha Beach , Koh Samui
  Big Buddha Beach
Big Buddha Beach is in the east of Bophut and takes its name from the twelve meter tall statue sitting out on an islet connected to Samui by a causeway. This is part of the Koh Farn temple, which is the focal point of this area; there is no town as such, although there are plenty of little shops and restaurants around the temple. The beach has very clean and calm water which is very quiet and peaceful for spend your time relaxing.
 The Big Buddha
The Beach is named after the massive Buddha statue which straddles the breadth of the island of Koh Farn. The building of the statue was begun on the 27th of April 1972 and took over two years to complete. Over the years many pilgrims and tourists have come to visit the statue, which has now claimed worldwide notoriety and fame, and made generous donations to help the abbot build facilities for the monks and a teaching centre for under privileged Thai kids.
On festival days such as Loiy Krathong and Song Khran (learn more about these festivals elsewhere on this site),the temple becomes the focus of the whole island with massive celebrations which include beauty pageants, live music, comedy, and lots of incredible foods sold in makeshift stalls and vehicles. The causeway was built to the Buddha's island sometime in the 80's and much of the land between the original island and the mainland has now been reclaimed. The last addition to the statue was tiered golden pagoda style umbrella which towered over the Buddha adding another couple of meters to its height but unfortunately, due to a design oversight, the umbrella collapsed in a sudden squall about a month after it was built. Luckily, no one was hurt. Apart from the temple itself there are many shops selling jewelry, cloths, food and other souvenirs, and one can spend some considerable time browsing around or just cooling off under one of the vast shady trees. Fortune telling, relics, and other blessings such as sai sin are also available and one can buy gold leaf to ornate one of the many minor Buddha images which are situated at the lower level of the Temple. 
One of Samui's fastest developing areas, Big Buddha benefits from its proximity to the airport and Chaweng Beach. It's also the best place in the north of the island to catch a ferry or speedboat over to Had Rin on the island of Ko Pha Ngan - home of the Full Moon Party.
Big Buddha's long sweeping beach is lined with cheap to mid-price bungalow operations, many of which have excellent restaurants attached. One of the island's more opulent independent spas. Ban Sabai can also be found here.
The main road has improved a lot in recent months and now has several dive shops, numerous supermarkets and many nightlife options. The long running Secret Garden Festival, which is held every Sunday, is still a big draw for expats and tourists alike. There are also now British pubs, such as the Elephant & Castle and Brahms & Liszt; a sailors' hangout, The BBC; tapas bar Saboey and a myriad of cheap and cheerful beer bars, all doing their bit to attract visitors to the area and serve its large expat population.
Although backpackers still make up the majority of the clientele, Big Buddha is also now attracting its fair share of small tour groups and families, who appreciate being within a short distance of the bars and clubs of Chaweng and the trendy restaurants and shops of Fisherman's Village, but would rather stay on a quiet beach, which apart from the occasional kiteboarder, tends to remain pretty peaceful throughout the day.
 Out on a causeway at the northern end of the beach, Wat Phra Yai houses the statue that gives the beach its name and is the island's most popular tourist attraction. Twelve metres tall and located at at the top of a wide staircase decorated with dragons, it dominates the landscape and attracts visitors from all over the world. The view from the top of the staircase is brilliant.
A cluster of arty shops, including Farn Shop, which specialises in hand wrought silver jewellery, surround the temple.
The weekly Secret Garden Festival is a popular draw for expats and tourists alike. Visiting bands and musicians play impromptu sessions live every Sunday afternoon from 4p.m. The sessions often attract a crowd of around 200-300 hundred people, all in a party mood. Apart from this weekly happening, the area remains peaceful and relaxing.
Partner Sites
www.samuihoteltour.com
| www.samui-hotels-links.com
| www.hotel-samui.net
| www.1samui.com
| www.samui-hotels.info
| www.ko-samui-hotels.net
| www.samui-map.com
Provided
by Tourism Authority of Thailand
|
