The Big Buddha is the large white statue on a hilltop in the south of Phuket. On the ground you stand at its base and look up at it. From a helicopter you see it in its setting instead, on its green ridge, with the coastline and the Andaman Sea spread out beyond. Two routes on the Phuket hub fly to it, one built around the statue and one that includes it in a longer tour of the coast.
The Phuket Big Buddha 25-Minute Helicopter Tour is the first of them. In about 25 minutes, the route crosses green hills to the Big Buddha, with views of the mountains, the coastline and the Andaman Sea along the way. A seat costs from THB 15,900. The tour description names no other stops, so the statue and its hilltop are the focus of the whole flight.
The Phuket West Coast 30-Minute Helicopter Tour includes the statue in a longer flight. After Surin, Kamala and Bang Tao Beach, the helicopter circles the Big Buddha before continuing down the west coast past Patong Bay, Karon and Kata to Phromthep Cape. It takes about 30 minutes and costs from THB 18,900 per seat.
The route is fixed, but weather or air traffic control can change it, and the pilot makes the final call on weather and safety, with a final weather check 2 to 3 hours before departure. Seen from the side and then from above, the statue changes shape as the helicopter moves around the hill, so the view from each seat is a little different.
Every tour starts and ends at the helipad near Phuket airport, where guests can use the helipad lounge, and your check-in time is confirmed after booking. Arrive at least 20 minutes before that time for the mandatory safety briefing. Hotel transfers are included only if listed in your booking confirmation. Tours allow no luggage beyond small personal items such as a handbag, and only bottled water is allowed on board; phones and cameras are welcome.
Each tour is sold by the seat, in a six-passenger helicopter with emergency floats and noise-cancelling headsets. On a shared flight you may fly with other guests, and the crew assigns the seats. To fly private, you book all 6 seats, and the whole helicopter is yours.
No minimum age is stated; children under 2 sit on a parent’s lap, children under 12 must fly with an adult, and pregnant passengers need a medical certificate. There is no free cancellation: cancelling more than 3 days before departure costs 25% of the fare, from 3 days to 3 hours before costs 50%, and later cancellations or no-shows pay the full fare. Rebooking is free more than 24 hours before departure. If the flight is cancelled for weather or safety, you can rebook free of charge or get a full refund (bank fees may be deducted).
Flights run all year, during daylight hours. In the rainy green season from about May, showers usually come in short bursts in the late afternoon, so morning flights are best, and the rain clears the haze for sharp views. To make the statue the focus of your flight, book the 25-minute Big Buddha tour.
See Big Buddha (Phuket) from a helicopter in Phuket. Book the Phuket Big Buddha 25-Minute Helicopter Tour.