Oh jeez, I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew this morning. This was a steep one, and one that I had to constantly encourage myself to keep continuing. My hike up Mt. Nakkerd to the big Buddha was both exhausting and exhilarating.
Location
Past Kata Beach on Phuket Island, if one looks left up into the mountains, a big Buddha head will be protruding from the top of one of the mounds. This is the Big Buddha!
There is a road to the top, however from where I was residing, this would have taken me two hours, both ways, to reach the top. So instead, I hiked up through the jungle on the back side of the mountain, which took one hour and 20 minutes.
Hiking
There are basically three stages to this hike in somewhat equal lengths. The first is the roadway which peters out as you climb, into a cement path and then into a dirt trail.
At this point, you will reach a small flat area, with the last house like structure, a small covered shed and a swing (yes a swing ๐). The view from here is lovely, both in front at the sea and behind at the mountains.
Jungle
From this point on, you will be entering the jungle. The path is clear enough, but very steep and rough terrain. There are ropes along the steepest sections, they are slimy and gross, but a necessity.
The jungle is dark, full of noises, a bit creepy and was scary for me, hiking alone, in the wee hours of daylight. Absolutely full of mossies (spray liberally before your hike) and other bugs, but thankfully no other critters landing on me or crossed my path.
Farm
After about half an hour, you are through the jungle and enter a wider path up through a rubber plantation. I stopped to video the farmer, carving the wood of the tree, to get the sap flowing for the day. It was absolutely cool to witness and interact with him.
Did you know that Thailand is the leading producer of natural latex/rubber in the world? An average of 4 million tons is exported every year! Mainly used in surgical gloves, and aircraft tires, it has more elasticity than manufactured rubber. ๐ง๐ค
Road
And finally, once through the farm, you are on a road! You still cannot see Buddha, too far behind and too low, but donโt worry, around a few bends and before your eyes, will be the back of his head! Finally. The destination in sight!
Buddha
A sad moment for me. I usually carry a tote bag with a fan and sarong, for you need to cover your shoulders and legs when entering a temple. Even though Big Buddha is not a temple per say, it is still a religious site and has security at the main gate.
I had left my tote at home, cause I didnโt want anything in my hands, should I encounter a family of monkeys. We all know what happened last time!! ๐
No tote, no sarong. The guard beckoned me over to him and said I could not enter. Iโm embarrassed to say, I burst into tears at this point (and I’m not a crier). ๐ฅI was physically exhausted from the hike up, and mentally spent from the jungle. When he delivered this news, I couldnโt help myself, my body just let out all the frustration and angst of the hour prior.
I stood for moments, not knowing what to do. Eventually he walked over to his motorbike, opened up the seat compartment and pulled out a small piece of fabric. He walked back towards me, handed me the fabric and motioned for me to put it around my shoulders. Bless his bloody heart. I could have kissed that man right there and then.
Big Guy
Off I went, into the compound, wiping my tears away. I walked over to the look out point and caught my breath, it was that beautiful.
Turning around I saw Buddha, face on, for the first time. He is huge! I climbed the steps and wandered through the golden statues surrounding him on the platform, wind whipping my face and sweat covered body.
Monkeys
Yes, the cheeky devils are here too! Follow a set of wooden stairs down behind the big Buddha, and you will arrive at a platform covered in monkeys! Being naughty as always, they were lovely to see again. I did not however, bend down to try and photograph them. Lesson learned!
Footprint & Hand-print
In this spot, is also the first time I have ever seen a massive Buddha foot and hand print. Placed on the rocks, and a sacred space, this was a unique experience for me. I was here alone, no other tourists about, amongst towering trees. Just me, monkeys and Buddha.
Amenities
There are toilets up here and vending machines for drinks. A few restaurants look like they were once operational, but I found no where to purchase any food. There is also a โtoiletโ part way up the hike just before the farm, which I guarantee you will not want to use. ๐คข
Downwards
Down and headed for home. My legs were absolutely jello descending that steep hike. At one point I had to side step, like I was a skier once again, situated on an icy slope and side stepping my way down. I took the exact route I had taken up. I could have gotten a taxi or ride, but where is the fun in that?
Do it. Go see Big Buddha in Phuket. Even if you drive up there, he is worth it.
