Heaven and Hell Temple

This is a completely unusual temple for Thailand, where Buddhist philosophy transforms into an emotional art park — and not always with positive emotions.

You’ll be greeted by a huge dragon, and by walking through its mouth and down the tunnel, you symbolically pass into another world — the hellish part.

Here you’ll see dozens of eerie sculptures representing human vices: greed, anger, laziness, gluttony, and more. Spirits and demons mercilessly torture sinners for these flaws — the sight is truly chilling.

You may also encounter a monk who will tie a Sai Sin blessing string around your wrist.
Then descend deeper into the cave, where a statue of the Jade Buddha is located.

If you climb higher, you’ll reach the heavenly part, and your mood will instantly shift. Here you’ll find peace, calm, and light. The contrast after hell brings a genuine sense of relief. Quite an emotional roller coaster!

We visited the temple closer to sunset and didn’t meet a single person. But the bats flying out of the dragon tunnel to greet us added a dramatic touch.

The Heaven and Hell Temple isn’t very touristy, but it’s definitely worth visiting — especially for those who want to dive deeper into Buddhist symbolism.

Entrance is free, though donations are welcome.

If you would like to visit several of the best temples in Phuket and Phang Nga, you can explore the available tour options in more detail on our “Temples Tour” page.