Wat Koh Wanararm (Lucky Temple)

Despite its unquestionable beauty, the temple is largely undiscovered by tourists. Most visitors come to walk around the peaceful courtyard with intricate mosaics, zen gardens, a koi pond, and golden Buddha statues. The most popular statue is that of laughing Buddha, considered to be lucky.

Those more devout visit the main prayer hall, where a large golden statue of sitting Buddha is framed against a Bodhi tree mural. Here you can light candles and recite traditional prayers. 3 Buddhist schools are also located within the complex, studying Thai, Chinese, and Himalayan Buddhist practices.

Look Around

Sitting Buddha statue and Goddess of Mercy sculpture

Temple buildings

Peaceful gazebos over fish pond.

Temple grounds

Tibetan pagodas

Buddha statues

Courtyard

Outdoor courtyard

Sitting buddha statue

Buddha statue & prayer wheels

Prayer wheels

Buddha statue inside stupa

Stone engravings to describe stupas

Outdoor statues and prayer wheels

Who Will Like Wat Koh Wanararm

Culture Buff

Visit the 3 Buddhist schools to witness different approaches to Buddhism, Theravada (Thai), Vajrayana (Himalayan), and Mahayana (Chinese). In the quiet courtyard, rub the belly of laughing Buddha for prosperity and good fortune.

Photography Whiz

Take a photo walk through the courtyard, keeping an eye out for repeating pagodas and buddha statues. Then, choose your framing to capture the towering statue of the Goddess of Mercy.

Insider Tips For Wat Koh Wanararm

• As tourists are quite uncommon, monks may choose to bless you with a prayer and bracelet if they happen to notice you and have some spare time.
• Donations go towards maintenance and expansion of the temple.
• According to legend, rubbing the belly of the laughing Buddha statue will bring prosperity and good fortune.
• A path behind the courtyard leads to natural caves, which the monks use to meditate. According to local legend, one of these caves is home to a giant snake. True or not, it's best to avoid the caves as regular-sized snakes are common in the area.
• The temple is a common place for locals to dump unwanted puppies. As such there are some stray dogs at the complex. Most are friendly and won't disturb you.

Local feeder caring for strays

A friendly stray

Dumped puppies

Young puppy recently dumped at the temple

Stray dogs at temple

Video

How To Get There

Entrance gate

Roadside parking in front of gate

Entrance & parking

Tech & Photography

Food & Drink

The closest cluster of restaurants are located in the center of Kuah Town, a 10-minute drive southwest from the temple.

Backstory

Wat Koh Wanararm was founded in 2000 and blessed by revered Thai monk Luang Por Khun, who passed away in 2015. The carved statue of the Goddess of Mercy was completed in 2014. The temple is constantly under expansion, with new buildings frequently being constructed.

The grounds include a landscaped garden with outdoor pagodas, prayer wheels, and statues; eight stupas; and a main hall with a large Buddha statue and painting depicting events from Buddha's life.

Etiquette

Scorecard

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