Wat Ao Noi

📍 Location of Wat Ao Noi 🚘 Directions to Wat Ao Noi

About Wat Ao Noi

The teak temple in Prachuap is a sight to behold. It's a large, attractive temple with a teak wood prayer building, a surprising find in a rural community. The temple is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, making it a serene and peaceful place to visit. The temple is adorned with intricate carvings, a testament to the craftsmanship and dedication that went into its construction. It's an easy trip to see this teak temple, and visitors can also walk around the grounds. Nearby, one can find the Reclining Buddha caves, a highly recommended site to visit.

The Reclining Buddha caves are a unique attraction. Some visitors have reported visiting the caves more than once, always finding themselves completely alone and very impressed. The caves house a huge golden statue of a reclining Buddha. There is a second chamber behind it with another reclining Buddha and several sitting statues. The atmosphere inside the caves can be quite eerie, with bats making noises and the overall ambiance being somewhat creepy. However, the beauty of the statues and the uniqueness of the experience make it worth the visit.

The temple is approximately 8-9 km from the centre of Prachuap Khirikhan. It's a nice bike ride, with bike rentals costing around 50 BHT per day. The route to the temple is straightforward, passing by a hill with the temple on the left, and then turning right to the bride and going all the way to the big hill before you. There is no entrance fee charged for visiting the temple.

In addition to the teak temple, there are two other attractions in the area - Wat Ao Noi and the Reclining Buddha Cave. Wat Ao Noi is a dazzling chapel made entirely of Teak, decorated with elaborate Thai paintings and exquisitely carved. There is a Buddha image enshrined inside for visitors to worship and pray for good fortune. The walls of the Wat are covered with elegant painted murals depicting a collection of Buddhist stories. Just a few hundred meters from Wat Ao Noi is a cement stairway leading up the hillside to Tham Phra Non (reclining Buddha cave). The views over the bay as you ascend and descend from Tham Phra Non are breathtaking.

The Khan Kradai Cave, located in the hill next to the wat, is another must-visit site. Visitors are often welcomed by a very friendly monk, who encourages them to take photos and have a look around. The pictures and wood carvings inside the cave are truly beautiful, and the atmosphere is both casual and magical. The teak temple in Prachuap, with its beautiful surroundings and unique attractions, is definitely worth a visit.