Quite a few of our Sea Bees instructors and dive guides have been visiting Chalong Temple in the last week.
Wat Chalong is a beautiful and well known Buddhist temple in between Chalong and Phuket Town. It is dedicated to two highly venerable monks, Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured of a tin miners rebellion in 1876.

This time we didn’t go to visit the temple, but to have fun!
Every year, over Chinese New Year in the end of January, Wat Chalong Fair begins and runs for 8 days. Any day It starts early afternoon and finishes late at night.

Lots of people, Thai as tourists visit the festival for its great variety of food, shopping, games and a great market atmosphere. Many Thais visit the temple first to make an offering.

In and around the main temple you will see and smell flowers, incense sticks and candles.
The whole temple area changes and transforms with the smell of food, lights and music – especially at night, as later as louder.

People sell anything at this market cloth – from underwear to jeans and jackets -, bags, shoes, jewelry, plants and even pets – but one of my favorites are all the different sweets and snacks which are available at every corner.

The fairgrounds are large and you can walk around for hours. It’s also a great place to try different traditional Thai dishes, anything is available from Northern to Southern cuisine and local specialities, including fried insects, if you like them.

For more information please ask at Sea Bees Chalong office or your dive guide on your next holidays here in Phuket.