MY · Kelantan · 6.11°N 102.37°E

wat phothikyan phutthaktham

A 30-metre standing Buddha and two long dragons round a Siamese temple near the Bachok coast.

Best time
March to October. The north-east monsoon, roughly November to January, brings heavy rain and floods to the coast. Mornings are cooler for walking round the grounds.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kota Bharu (about an hour), then drive about 30 minutes south-east to Kampung Balai. By car from KL it's about 7 hours via Gua Musang.
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MY · Kelantanwat phothikyan phutthaktham6.11°N 102.37°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A 30-metre standing Buddha and two long dragons round a Siamese temple near the Bachok coast.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingWat Phothikyan PhutthakthamMY, Kelantan
KLwat phothikyan phutthaktham
≈ 339 km from KL, as the crow flies

A Siamese Buddhist temple in Kampung Balai, a Thai village in Bachok, about half an hour from Kota Bharu. Locals call it Wat Balai or Wat Dua Naga, after the two dragons whose bodies run along the temple walls, and its standing Buddha, about 30 metres tall, rises over the kampung.

Makan

  1. Nasi kerabuThe blue-rice breakfast, sold at kampung stalls all along the Bachok roads.Map ↗
  2. Ikan bakarGrilled fish with rice and sambal at the stalls by Pantai Irama.Map ↗
  3. KeropokFish crackers from the coastal villages. Buy a bag for the drive back.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The standing BuddhaAbout 30 metres tall, so you can see it from the village road before you reach the gate.Map ↗
  2. The dragon wallsTwo dragons guard the entrance, and their bodies run all the way along the temple walls.Map ↗
  3. The shrinesA seated Buddha sheltered by a seven-headed naga, a Four-Faced Buddha, a Laughing Buddha and a two-storey Chinese-style pagoda.Map ↗
  4. Wat PathumviharaThe village's other Thai temple, a few minutes away.Map ↗
  5. Pantai IramaBachok's casuarina-lined beach is about 10 minutes south, for a picnic afterwards.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Cover shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off wherever others do.
  • Making a temple day of it? Wat Machimmaram, Wat Mai Suwankhiri and the reclining Buddha at Wat Phothivihan are in Tumpat, about an hour away on the other side of Kota Bharu.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.