Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk)

Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk)

Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk)
4
Points of Interest & LandmarksReligious Sites
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles747 reviews
Excellent
181
Very good
281
Average
247
Poor
29
Terrible
9

Hi Samui Hostel
Ko Samui, Thailand75 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Friends
Wat Khunaram is a must-visit destination on Ko Samui, offering a unique glimpse into Buddhist culture and spirituality. The highlight of the temple is the mummified remains of the revered monk, Luang Pho Daeng, who passed away in 1973. His preserved body, displayed in a glass case, serves as a poignant reminder of life’s impermanence.
Upon entering the temple grounds, I was immediately struck by the serene atmosphere, perfect for contemplation and reflection. The simplicity of the architecture adds to the overall tranquility of the site. I found myself spending time in quiet thought, absorbing the teachings of Buddhism and the acceptance of life and death.
Wat Khunaram is not just a cultural landmark; it’s a place that invites introspection and spiritual growth. I left feeling renewed and grateful for the experience. If you're exploring Ko Samui, make sure to include this remarkable temple in your itinerary - it’s a truly unforgettable experience!
Written August 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CKF
CT2,156 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
While on Koh Samui, we took a 1/2 day tour to see the highlight. This wat was included because it contains a mummified monk, sitting in his prayerful position in which he was found when he passed. This was not pleasant for me to look at, but is apparently quite the attraction.

However, to the right of the temple there is an interesting display. The side of the property contains a large collection of Buddhas and other small statues in various stages of disrepair. Our guide told us that if people who have Buddhas at home break or damage them, the statues can be brought to this temple. It appears to be almost a cemetery for statues. I had not seen this before, even after spending over a year in Thailand, so I found it interesting. For this reason, I would recommend Wat Khunaram.
Written December 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Giuseppe Cincindella
Rosyth, UK2,317 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Couples
Must see place in Koh Samui because of the beautiful temple and because of the interesting story of this monkey who died at the age of 79 during his meditative state. You can see his body well preserved in his meditative pose. The place is nice and the buildings worth the visit.
Written December 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

davestat
Reading, UK87 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
It was nice to see and hear the story, but every single aspect required donations - clothing, blessing, temple, etc. I don't mind one donation but this was over the top. At the blessing by a monk (seemed to be compulsory) if you gave anything less than a 100 BHT note, the monk said something bad and put the smaller note in the desk instead of in the donations jar (in case others did the same). Sometimes, you simply don't have the right change but a donation is free money !!!
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roslyn138
Wrexham, UK1,201 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
We were on a recent cruise which only had two port visits due to the Coronavirus issue, and decided on a temple tour for our Koh Samui day.
The Wat Khunaram temple is small with the mummified remains of the priest in the glass case in the front. We were told by our guide the reasoning for the display and stayed about 20 min
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jarrod K
Houston, TX6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
Really neat monastery with a 50 year old monk who went into a trance and died. I drove from Mae Nam through the jungle which is a highly recommended drive. The monks will give you blessing for good luck (don’t forget to tip them) and you can light some candles or incense. Women are advised to dress conservatively.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff206
Samut Prakan, Thailand713 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
This was by far one of the most unique temples I’ve been to because of the obvious factor that this famous monk is still ‘present’ in the temple. I’d never in my life seen mummified remains but it was actually quite cool to see!

The temple area’s quite a small area, so it makes for a nice short stop if you’re on a little day trip like I did, and are stopping at places like the grandfather and grandmother rocks and Na Muang Waterfall. This place can certainly be added into the stops of places to see!
Written April 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ExpertReviewer99
Leeds, UK1,760 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
My friend Charlotte and I came here to see the Mummified Monk. He really took us by surprise...we thought there would be a bit of a build up, a little walk around before meeting him, but there he was waiting immediately at the entrance. Not to spoil the surprise, but he's wearing sunglasses which intrigued us. It's also free so worth a visit I would say. It was really nice to see a preserved monk who clearly loved life and wanted to be remembered. How humbling.
Written December 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AngloItalian78
Aylesbury, UK603 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Well, outside of the Egyptian museums, I have never seen a mummified body before, and certainly not one that is only 49 years old! 2023 will be the 50th anniversary of the death of this monk, and it's certainly a unique experience!
I wouldn't say that it's an attraction you'd take your children to, but as an adult, I certainly had a morbid curiosity to see what all the fuss was about...the sunglasses are apparently there not to make the monk cool, but rather to cover up the fact that his eyes have obviously disintegrated!
There were some interesting "games" you could play while there, and some words of wisdom to discover as well as other artefacts.
It won't be a long stop here, but it's certainly something you should see while you're on Koh Samui.
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Binu A
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates1,633 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2011 • Couples
The mummified mok by itself is not a must see attraction, but the whole attraction in its entiriety is extremely interesting.

Wat Khunaram was part of our island exploration stops that we did with our thai friend and so found it very very interesting. There are 4 parts to this attraction

The actual shrine with the buddhist monk. There were a lot of Thai locals praying here and a Buddha of the week shrine to the side. It is very interesting to hear the story of the monk and the significance of the shrine.

There is a second building with a buddha shrine which was unfortunately closed when we visited.

The third building is a school run by the buddhist monks.

Next to Wat Khunaram is a hanging round plate with a bulbous center. This is for the virtue test. The locals say that only people with pure hearts and minds can make it resonate when you rub it. You line up and wait your turn to rub it.

I gave it a go and I made it hum very lightly. The locals said that most children can make it resonate. When I laughed this off, they called a passing child and made the child hold my hand while I rubbed and it hummed soo LOUD!!! Everyone was amazed as was I. The child let go and it went back to almost a whisper. Child touched my hand and loud again.
I let go and let the child rub and it was even louder.

This was a very unique and surreal experience, and if you visit wat khunaram, you must try it.

All in all a very nice cultural experience.
Written October 4, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Wat Khunaram (Mummified Monk), Ko Samui

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