Wat Tham Suea — Attraction in Krabi Province

If I had to pick one unique excursion in Krabi, it would be the climb to the Tiger Cave Temple. A tough 1,260 stairs climb to Wat Tham Sua's golden Buddha statue, sitting atop a limestone cone and guarding the temple's hallowed sanctuary. You can only picture the spectacular view from up there, at approximately 300 meters, across Krabi's beautiful scenery of lush forests and dramatic karst mountains that appear to grow up out of nowhere!

The Tiger Cave Temple is conveniently located about 7 kilometers from Krabi Town and less than 30 kilometers from Ao Nang. In this essay, I'd want to share some of my Wat Tham Sua experiences and suggestions with you!

Before beginning the climb, you should visit the cave with the lesser Buddha statues and the glittering golden tiger sculptures at the foot of the limestone cone, which is topped by Wat Tham Sua with its huge Buddha. This is where the Tiger Cave Temple received its current name. Why before the ascent? Because then you'll have enough time to process the impressions, and not every muscle in your body will be aching for a wash and massage.

But how did the name come about? In 1975, Thai monk Jumnian Silsetto was practicing Vipassana meditation in this cave when he heard a tiger scream outside. The monk did not see the animal that day, but the finding of a big footprint in the cave established its existence. Following this discovery, the wat was simply known as the Tiger Cave Temple.

We were really thirsty after the climb, despite drinking plenty of water. I should have packed more water. We believed the drop would be quick, and you could buy beverages at the bottom! The descent took around 30 minutes, but my thighs hurt and my husband's legs buckled! We had to stop a few times. It's pretty steep in some spots! After returning to firm ground, we purchased some beverages and placed some money in the contribution boxes.

Keep an eye out for the monkeys at the bottom of the steps and surrounding the temple, since they will try to take everything you have in your hands, especially food. Don't get too near to the newborn monkeys since their parents will cause...

Kitty and I, along with a group of friends, embarked on a day trip to Wat Tham Suea (วัดถ้ำเสือ), also known as the Tiger Cave Temple, in Krabi province, Thailand. We were drawn to this unique temple complex by its reputation for spiritual significance, challenging hikes, and breathtaking panoramic views. But the main reason we made this trip was to revisit a special tradition we had experienced many years ago. We had come specifically to pay our respects and make a coffin donation, a tradition that was very meaningful to us.

However, our visit was unfortunately met with disappointment. Many years ago, we had donated a coffin at Wat Tham Suea, which cost 500 baht. The temple would then donate the coffin to a needy family, ensuring their loved ones who had passed on had everything they needed for a dignified funeral. Sadly, when we arrived this time, the coffin donation counter had been removed. It was a real shame to see this tradition disappear, and we weren't able to make our donation.

Furthermore, the temple grounds seemed to be undergoing a lot of construction, and the entrance was muddy and disorganized. We parked our motorcycles in the same spot where we had parked during our previous visit, but were quickly approached by temple personnel who told us we couldn't park there and needed to pay an entrance fee of 50 baht per person. We were quite disappointed, especially since this is a temple, and it felt like it was becoming more of a tourist attraction than a place of worship. We were also a bit taken aback by the impatience of the temple personnel, who seemed to be waiting for us to move our motorcycles even though we were dressed in our full touring gear and needed some time to get ready. Their impatient looks made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.

It's sad to see the changes at Wat Tham Suea, as we have fond memories of our previous visits. The atmosphere felt very different this time around, and we were left with a sense of...

Let me start off by saying, 1. You need to have a decent level of fitness to do this. This is no joke. 2. Do not go between 11-3. It will simply be too hot. 3. Wear appropriate footwear. Open toes are not a good idea here. Sneakers are needed. 4. Bring water and lots of it and finally 5. Health and safety in the UK or US, would shut this place down the second they stepped on sight! The steps are vertical stone steps, with just a handrail on either side, with realistically only enough space for 1 person so be going up or down at a time, to allow someone to pass you that is going up or down you do need to turn your body a little. I don’t know which is more dangerous, going up or down!!

We managed to get to the top within 40 minutes and that was stopping, every 20 or so steps towards the last 500 steps. Views from the top are really something and you should be looking to spend at least 30 minutes up here. First 5 will be spent catching your breath and recovering anyway! Getting back down took us 25/30. That was a straight shot with no breaks. That’s a 30 year old and 23 year old who are both relatively fit.

Lots of monkeys at the bottom just hanging around, looking for food, a few dogs too. Make sure you are dressed appropriately for a temple, shorts knee high and not showing your shoulders or you will get shouted at by the lady at the entrance! It’s free to enter which is a big plus considering some of the things we have had to pay for. I would have been happy to pay for this!

Worth a visit but please take my tips on board. Enjoy...