Our first stop was the Promthep Cape which is a headland forming the extreme south-end of the island. There is a shrine there where people leave wooden carvings of elephants and horses for strength and power. A lighthouse was built in later years to help with ship navigation.
Chalong Temple is Phuket’s largest and most sacred temple. The temple is dedicated to two monks who with their knowledge of herbal medicine helped the injured of a tin miner’s rebellion in 1876. While we were there, a monk graduated and his family was celebrating. Lots of firecrackers were continually going off. A little unnerving.
Our guide took us to see Saeng Tham Chinese Shrine which is the oldest Chinese shrines on the island. It was built for the Chinese migrants who moved to Phuket to be tin labors. Our guide grew up near this shrine and prayed at it daily. She performed a prayer ritual for us burning incense before the nine prayer spots in the shrine.
Pranang Sang Temple is the oldest Buddhist temple on the island and contains the largest Buddha images made of tin in the world. Tin was regarded as a semi-precious metal back then. A monk asked me to pour holy water over a Buddha for good luck.
At Prathong Temple, there is a Buddha half buried in the ground. It is claimed to be made of solid gold. Legend says that anyone who tries to dig up the statue will suffer terrible misfortune or death.
It was VERY HOT today. After our excursion, we decided to not head into Phuket Town for shopping. Instead, we sat in the ship’s library reading in air-conditioned splendor.
Wow, what can I say. Very beautiful temples and such detail art work. Great pictures, I can realy see all details.
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