The Manasikarn Hall is Thailand’s newest tourist destination, located 90 minutes north of Bangkok in beautiful Kaeng Khoi, Saraburi province. It is the first and only spiritual attraction of its kind in the country.
The project is one of the projects under the Knowing Buddha Organization for the Protection of Buddhism (KBO), which aims at promoting Buddhism. It was initiated by KBO founder and Vipassana Master Acharavadee Wongsakon out of gratitude and a wish to answer frequently asked questions about Buddhism by sharing the Buddha’s life and his teachings in the setting of sophisticated multimedia exhibition.
Since its official opening in September, the Manasikarn Hall quickly rose to the top must-go tourist destinations of 2022, and was lauded as a unique tourist landmark that offers both physical and spiritual bliss. The exhibition has garnered a lot of praises even from monks and Buddhist scholars for its presentation style that makes them “understand the Buddha’s teachings within 15 minutes” and “feel very related.”
Inside the hall on the entrance side is the “Buddha’s Journey” exhibition, which is like a tunnel bringing you back to the Buddha era. Further down the hall is a rectangular hall or the “Stupa Hall” where visitors can pay homage to 18 Buddha’s relics, 30-inch lap-length golden Buddha statue “Phra Borommalokkanat” and the embroidered Buddha image. The walk way on the exit part resembles a modern gallery that provides Dhamma thoughts that can be applied in daily life.
Spiritual Life Exhibition The modern building with mountain landspace as its background. This is an exhibition providing knowledge on Buddha’s teachings and the proper conduct toward the Buddha and his image. There is also a VDO room for visitors to learn basic meditation practice.
Reception and By the Hill Cafe The reception point in a beautiful architectural building. There are delicious coffee, foods and snacks available at affordable price.
Meditation Room At Manasikarn Hall, this is a place where you can practice basic meditation and find inner peace in an easy, comfortable and feel-like-home atmosphere with the guidance of a meditation teacher. In the coming future, the meditation room in the garden, where you can practice meditation amid the nature, is opening soon.
Market Place A stroll of local products, foods and drinks for shoppers and souvenir seekers
Traditional Thai Dress Rental Shop Visitors can rent a traditional Thai dress, which can be chosen from many styles, to take a photo with the beautiful architectural Manasikarn Hall and an amazing unseen background of limestone mountain.
To honor the Buddha’s sacrifices and contributions to the world, the design team adopted a unique, contemporary architectural mix from Indian, Victorian, and the ancient Sukhothai periods.
Standing elegantly with its unique architectural design, the Manasikarn Hall’s structure is 9.50 meters in width, 42.75 meters in length, and 25 meters in height. It took five years to complete. At the end of the portal is a Stupa Hall, which enshrines the Buddha statue, Buddha’s relics, and an embroidered Buddha Image, as well as to serve as a place to teach basic meditation.
The Hall is set up like a time portal which slowly leads visitors back to 2,500 years ago to witness this young prince named Siddhartha becoming Gautama Buddha.
