Page 48 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Phuket

46 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Chinese Shrines

Colorful dragon motifs on the Tha Rua Chinese Shrine
Tha Rua Chinese Shrine
1 Those suffering from ill-health often
come here to pray for relief, and the
MAP J1 • Thepkasattri Road
• Open 6am–6pm daily monks can prescribe Chinese herbal
Tha Rua, the largest Chinese temple medi cines. The temple helps parents
in Phuket, has under gone a series of name their newborn babies.
massive renova tions, reported to cost
Kathu Shrine
upwards of B40 million and funded 3
entirely by private dona tions. Colorful, MAP J2 • Kathu Village
with bold dragon motifs and brightly • Open 8am–5:30pm daily
lit at night, the new Tha Rua Chinese Credited as the first Chinese shrine
Shrine is far more elaborate in scale on Phuket to celebrate the annual
than its predecessor. Vegetarian Festival (see p13), this
temple features a fascinating collec-
Put Jaw Chinese Temple
2 tion of intricately designed Taoist
deity statues that are the main
MAP N5 • Soi Phuthorn,
Ranong Road, Phuket Town • Open objects of worship at the shrine.
6:30am–8pm daily • Adm
Boon Kaw Kong Shrine
The island’s oldest Chinese temple 4
is dedicated to the god dess of mercy. MAP H2 • Patong Road
• Open 9am–5pm daily
Drivers often honk their car horns
for good luck as they pass by this
revered shrine located on the hilltop
between Patong and Kathu. Besides
simply hoping for good fortune, the
drivers are also acknow ledging the
ghosts of travelers who have died
while passing over the hill in the
past. Well integrated in the local
com munity, this small but popular
shrine frequently shows films on
a giant outdoor screen.
Worshipers, Put Jaw Chinese Temple

046-047_Top_10_Phuket.indd 46 16/06/2017 13:01