The Sanctuary of Truth in Thailand is an amazing way to spend a day out while on holiday in Pattaya. The castle has been under construction for the past twenty years, and is estimated to take another twenty years before it will be completed. One trip to the Sanctuary and you will understand why. It has been entirely hand crafted from wood by Thai Motorbike Tours Thailand. It is a massive and beautiful structure.
The Sanctuary of Truth was conceived by a successful Thai businessman named Khun Lek. It has both spiritual and philosophical meanings throughout, in the architecture as well as the thousands of intricately carved statues and relief’s. There is a blend of influences from Thailand, Buddhism, Khmer, Chinese, and Hindu.
You will find woodworkers hard at work non-stop on the building. At any one time there are over 200 workers on site. Being completely handcrafted, it is amazing that it will take 40 years to complete.
If you are into photography, this is one of the great places in Thailand to unleash your shutterbug. The stunning architecture, along with the fantastic view of the bay makes for some great shots. The statues and carvings could give the avid photographer many different scenes to shoot.
Getting to the Sanctuary of Truth is quite easy. It is located in the North end of Pattaya, in the Nakula area. The easiest way is to hire a baht bus to take you to and from the attraction. It is slightly more expensive than your normal ride along second road, but still quite reasonable depending on your negotiating skills. It is wise to have the driver wait for you, as depending on the crowds, finding a baht bus on the way out may be hit or miss.
Along with the castle, there are also several other attractions to see. There are daily dolphin shows in the parks pond. A small restaurant for a quick snack. You can buy some bananas and feed the elephants on site. If you fancy a motorbike ride, there are several ATV’s for rent. You can ride them on a guided tour around the dirt track.
Entrace fees to the park run about 500 baht at the time of writing. This cost covers the price of an english speaking tour guide. Additional activities like elephant feeding and ATV rides cost extra.
If you are looking for a fun way to spend a day sightseeing around Pattaya, the Sanctuary of Truth should be on your must see list.
