The Sleeping Buddha

It's about 40 metres long

The gigantic feet

Most of my weekends were spent in Kota Bharu, Kelantan (my husband's hometown). Last weekend, we visited the famous Photivihan Wat in Tumpat, Kelantan where you can find the largest Sleeping Buddha in Southeast Asia. The last time I went there was about 12 years ago. The sleeping Buddha is about 40 metres long and took six years to build.

When my 7 years old daughter saw the photos which I took at the Wat, she complained that I lied to her that I actually went to Thailand and did not bring her along. I convinced her that I was at a Thai Wat but it is only about 30 minutes drive from the grandmother's house and she didn't believe me at all!

Well, there are hundreds of Buddhist temple that can be found in Kelantan especially in Tumpat area including the Photivihan Wat. Tumpat is near the Thai border and the ethnic Thai inhabitants are mostly centered in this area. That is why there are many Buddhist temples around the area.

A lot of visitors are surprised to see such big temples in Kelantan which is a Muslims majority state but that makes Kelantan very special. The people in Kelantan live together peacefully and would tolerate in any situation despite the differences in religious practices.