Sanctuary Of Truth Pattaya 2023 guide
When I first told my local friend that I was heading down to Pattaya for the first time, this temple museum was one of his immediate recommendations to me. Handcrafted and carved by locals over the years – and even now, in fact, the Sanctuary of Truth stands as a massive wooden museum open to guests from all over the world.
While it is not necessarily a temple, there are elements of the space that are sacred and held in religious regard. If you’re anything of a temple-hopping adventurer like me, then pay close attention as I attempt to guide you on how to navigate this massive shrine.
Sanctuary’s carvings pay a loving homage to the Ayutthaya era
To give you a sense of the scale of the Sanctuary of Truth, this wide-angled shot was our feeble attempt at capturing just how huge the establishment was. Part-temple, part-shrine and part-museum – we just couldn’t believe how every bit of this modern marvel was made from wood. Not to mention, carved by hand.
As the sanctuary is still under construction – it’s been a work-in-progress for literal centuries, but more on that later – visitors will be required to wear helmets as a safety measure at certain parts of the temple. That being said, it did not stop us from capturing all the photos we wanted and truly appreciating the beauty of this sacred ground.
As I was walking through the museum or going up and down the wooden staircases, I couldn’t help but admire all the little details and thought that had gone into the construction of this place. Even the markings on the handrails were so deeply etched that we could see the indentations from afar.
Apparently, the Sanctuary of Truth had been conceived more than 400 years ago, with its construction efforts still ongoing today. Nonetheless, it was impressive to see how well-maintained it was after all these years.
Main hall houses carvings telling the stories of religious enlightenment
After we had thoroughly explored the outside of the sanctuary, it was time to step within the hallowed halls of the museum. I know I may sound like a broken record, but it was honestly hard to stop myself from marvelling at the intricate carvings covering the pillars and towering surfaces around me.
No doubt, 400 years of hard work and consistent maintenance by locals was the only way that these massive works of art still stand – almost spotless and in pristine condition – for guests like me to admire centuries later.
What made the experience so much more impactful was the fact that there were locals working to clean the premises as we were conducting our tour.
Looking at how many people worked together just to hoist one person up to reach the higher arches of the space only left me appreciating this sanctuary even more. As a whole, the sanctuary’s carvings adorn 5 halls in total – each of which demonstrate various religious teachings and the trials we must undergo in life. We’ve covered it in detail here.
There were also benches available for visitors to rest and or simply bask in the peaceful silence of hallways. Observing the pious workers toil away while hearing the rich history of the sanctuary definitely left me in a bit of a pensive mood.
Needless to say, I was brimming with respect, admiration and left completely in awe of this place.
Entry fees start from ฿500 for adults & ฿250 for children
For those interested in making pilgrimages of your own, do note that the sanctuary only allows for entry by the hour. This means that a limited number of people are allowed in at certain timeslots. So make sure not to be late for your tour, as even being 10-15 minutes late means that you may have to join a group that’s entering at a later time.
As for the prices of entry, with all the work required to maintain the sanctuary, I believe that the fee of ฿500 (~USD14) for adults is pretty fair. Kiddos get to enter for half that price at ฿250 (~USD7) each. But if you’re bringing the young’uns along, do ensure that they maintain a level of respect and a low enough volume to be respectful of other guests.
Getting to the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya
We managed to get here comfortably with the help of a taxi from Pattaya’s city centre. As it’s one of the staple attractions in Pattaya, most taxi drivers will know where you’re headed the moment you mention its name.
As for the weather, it was a pretty cloudy day when we visited and we managed to escape Thailand’s notorious combo of heat and humidity. Of course, the best time for a visit in our books is still as early in the morning as you can wake up – just so you can catch the locals at work while also escaping the midday glare of the sun.
If you find yourselves in Pattaya anytime soon, definitely set aside about half a day to explore this attraction fully. You can even book your tours in advance for a small discount. We’re 100% positive that you won’t regret it.
Sanctuary of Truth Pattaya
Address: 206/12 Moo 5, 12 Pattaya-Na Kluea Rd, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150, Thailand
Opening hours: 8AM – 6PM, Daily
Telephone: +66 3811 0653
Website | Google Maps
More temples in Thailand to visit:
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
