The full name of the temple is Wat Chaiyatararam. It is located in the southern part of the island in the area (tambon) Chalong, 10 km south of Phuket Town. The date of foundation is not exactly known, the first written mention refers to 1837, when the monastery was rebuilt. Initially, the temple was located in the northern part of the modern territory of the complex.

The monastery received royal status in 1846, when it was given the official name Wat Chaiyatararam. The temple gained fame thanks to Luang Pho Chem - first a monk, and then the abbot of the monastery (from 1876 until his death in 1908), a talented healer and chiropractor. Today the monastery is the main place of pilgrimage for Thais on the island.

Every year a fair is held in Chalong Wat. Its timing varies from year to year. During the week, the territory of the monastery resembles a market, where crowds of local residents go all day and especially in the evenings.