Phang Nga Caves

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Tham Pha Peung is a cave temple by the side of a nice stream not far from the second byepass road of Phang Nga. You can see the large cave and several monks dwellings in the cliff side.

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Tham Suwan Kuha is one of the oldest and important temples with the symbol of Mueang Phang Nga. It includes the largest cave which is
20 m. wide, 40 m. long and used as a temple The floor is level and the ceiling is dome shaped, decorated with willow ware cup tiles and houses a big sculpture of Buddha Saiyasana which is gold in colour.

There are other Buddhist images including a heart shaped slate stone pendant inscribed with the Thai alphabets during King Rama V's reign. Next up the hill is Tham Chaeng which has inscriptions with the royal monogram of the kings, members of the royal family and the former prime minsters on the cave walls. Next to this cave is Tham Mued (Dark Cave) of limestone. On the right hand side in Tham Kaeo with 3 Buddha images installed on a high throne. Admission is 20 Baht.

Wat Suwan Kuha is located at Mu 2 Tambon Krasom, about 9 km from Phang Nga town.

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Wat Thamtapan, inside of the temple's cave has a small waterfall. You will see Dhamma Petchra ground, a three topped pagoda, a stalactite castle, a thousand year old stone stove and Buddha images that line the wall. The trail in this cave is approximately 400 m long.
At the entrance is a sculpture of a dragon and outside the monks residence is a sculptured impression of hell. Walking through the tunnel you will cross a bridge called "Dragon Bridge to Hell" continue for 100 m and go through the mouth of Tham Tapan. A monks residence is inside of the cave.
At a steep cliff covered in greenery there are many statues of the Hindu Pantheon, such as God Vishnu, Krishna and Sarasvati.
Impressive is also a set of statues depicting the birth of the historical Buddha Siddhartha Sakyamuni.
Wat Thamtapan is located in the west of Phang Nga Town along the Panorama Road Montri Road.

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Wat Khiri Wong is the retreat of hermit monks. At the parking beside the road a group of quite active monkeys are begging for food. After passing the tunnel through the mountain a tropical garden comes into view. Several kutis (huts) for monks are built here, in an absolutely quiet tropical garden location.

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Phraya Nakarat Cave Temple, also called Wat Tham Khao Ngu, is a very attractive cave temple with a breathtaking scenery. Four religions are represented in this temple: Thai Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Hinduism and the ancient belief in spirits. You can admire highly venerated statues such as Phra Pikaneth, the elephant-headed deity, Shiva Nataraja, the dancing deity, and various forms of the historic Buddha. The main attraction is the tip of the tail of a huge snake (ngu) sticking out from the ground in a cave.

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Tham Pung Chang is a large cave passing all the way through Khao Chang in the south of Phang Nga town.
There is a stream flowing in the middle of the cave with both shallow and deep areas. If desired, sightseers can wade through the stream, ride on a raft or paddle one of the available canoes. It takes about 1 hour to travel to the other end of the cave and visitors are advised to wear shorts and rubber sandals.
This area of Tham Peung Chang is one of two sanctuaries for Kitti bats which are the smallest bats in the world and were first found in 1973 in Thailand's Kanchanaburi Jungle.

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Koh Hong (Room Island) is a limestone island completely surrounded by a cliff so that it looks like a huge hall with one entrance. There are many islands like this in the Bay of Phang Nga.

Access to these islands is only by a narrow cave. Due to the low cave roof, only kayaks can get through the channel at a suitable water level. Entering the sunlit hall from the dark cave gives an immense feeling of the creative power of nature. The unique experience of entering this natural wonder in solitude will remain with you for the rest of your life.
The area is also good for swimming.
The first person to detect the hongs inside the towering limestone cliffs was John Gray, an adventurous American. He had seen similar rock formations on Fiji and investigated the Bay of Phang Nga with the first inflatable sea kayak. He then started his sea canoe company in order to show other nature lovers this marvel. In 1991 Richard and Ursula Doring were among his first highly impressed customers and subsequently described their experience in the Loose Guide Book.

Most hongs are in the Bay of Phang Nga and can be accessed with one of the numerous sea kayak tour companies from Phuket or on a Phang Nga Bay Tour from Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.
So far only the private 5 Highlight Tour, organized by Yui and Gaeng from Sita Garden in Khao Lak, visits the hongs without any other tourists in the area.
Several islands along the Andaman Coast are called Koh Hong due to their natural features. All of them are certainly worth a visit.

Most hongs are in the Bay of Phang Nga and can be accessed with one of the numerous sea kayak tour companies from Phuket or on a Phang Nga Bay Tour from Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.
So far only the private 5 Highlight Tour, organized by Yui and Gaeng from Sita Garden in Khao Lak, visits the hongs without any other tourists in the area.
Several islands along the Andaman Coast are called Koh Hong due to their natural features. All of them are certainly worth a visit.

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Tham Russi or Tham Russi Sawan cave is cool inside, with stalagmites and stalactites and a clear stream running through.
You can walk through from the front to the back before continuing on to Tham Luk Suea, a small cave where there are some stalagmites and stalactites and a lot of monkeys living in the front.
Tham Russi is in front of Tham Luk Suea, are located inside the Srinakarin Park.

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The Lagoon Cave is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province. It is actually a part of Than Bok Khorani National Park. But there is nobody here to collect an entrance fee. The Lagoon Cave is entered from the tidal mangrove river Tha Pring. The entrance in the sheer cliff is about 10 meters wide and 5 meters high. The cave is well lit by natural light. After 30 meters easy paddling you reach the lagoon behind the cave. The lagoon is surrounded by steep cliffs covered in dense vegetation. Some palm trees create a surrealistic impression. The main attraction is a stalactite formation that looks like a life size elephant from behind giving birth to a baby elephant.
The Lagoon Cave is not on the itinerary of the mass tourist excursions, thus it is still only rarely visited, although it is much more impressive than Tham Lot or Tham Pee Hua To.

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Tham Lot is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province. It is accessed from the tidal mangrove river Tha Pring. This cave with its lovely stalactites is worth a visit. It is no way as interesting as other caves in the area.
The best time to go is at high tide.

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Tham Muerd is the Thai name for "Dark Cave". This extensive cave is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province, actually in Than Bok Khorani National Park. The wide entrance is right in the sheer cliff of a huge wall. After a few meters the cave becomes really dark and headlamps are necessary to find your way. There are no obstacles in the way, though, so it is easy to paddle the 100 meters to the exit. There you are in the midst of a mangrove forest surrounded by steep limestone walls. Many stalactites are hanging from these walls presenting an impressive sight.

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The cave Tham Lot Phraya Nakarat begins 300 m south of Wat Phraya Nakarat cave temple. A small stream flows in and continues all the way through the cave. The cave runs in a southeasterly direction and crosses a 200 m high and 1 km wide chain of limestone rocks.
The cave is very beautiful with many stalaktites in brown, white and red hues. Also most amazing rocks can be seen washed out by heavy waters.
Walking through the cave takes about 70 minutes. The cave is mostly between 5 and 10 meters high. Walking is mostly ankle deep through the clear water, sometimes knee deep and occasionally through one foot deep mud. Only twice it is necessary to go down to your knees for a meter or so.
Near the northern end a flock of bats clings to the cave roof.
This cave was just rediscovered by T-Tour in Khao Lak. The staff expects that also families with children from 12 years up will have fun exploring the cave.

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Wat Khao Thao is an unobtrusive temple mostly overlooked by the wayside. Maybe some travelers take a look at the golden Buddha statue on a pedestal. In a modern hall the nine postures of the Buddha can be seen, too. Not really spectacular. But... the uniqueness of this temple opens only up to the intrepid traveler who moves along the rock cliff to the right. The statues here are of an originality only rarely seen in Thailand. Take your time and admire the local folk who have created these local style pieces of art.

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Tham Sam has old mural paintings, which are thought to have been painted at the beginning of the Rattanakosin era. The Fine Arts Department has registered the paintings to be genuine ancient remains.

The outer hall way is a long covered area with a smooth floor with light appearing to shine through it. The cave walls are irregular with paintings continuing along the wall for a distance of approximately 70 m.
The discovered paintings are historically typical of local handiwork and mostly depict beliefs in Buddhism, nature, and the way of living in those times.
In front of the cave is a stone carved Buddha Image. This is in a natural swamp area called Nongharn Samsam.

Tham Sam is located beside H3027 in Moo 2, Ban Fai Tha, Tham Nam Phut Sub-district to the northwest of Khao Thoi. On Rong Ruea Road it is 1.1 km to the east of the city center beside the beautiful lake.

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Tham Hua Kalok is split into two main sections accessible by a single entrance. The left section is the larger cavern lit by a small opening in the top. The right section is an open hall which many believe was once the dwelling of pr-historic people.

Inside the right section there are over 70 rock paintings portraying both people and animals. Also found in the cave were several large skulls and a large pile of shells. This cave is very close so go along the same route to Tham Lot.

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Tham Pee Hua To is just 500 meters from Tham Lot and surrounded by mangrove swamps.
There are two different paths inside the cave. On the left lies the shortcut to the back of the cave where sunlight shines through, and on the right is a path to a natural hall believed to have been a shelter for prehistoric people. Prehistoric paintings of men and animals. Numerous seashells can be seen in the cave.

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Tham Klang is one of the most beautiful caves in Thailand. It is very easily accessible and poses no danger whatsoever.

Tham Klang features the most beautiful stalagmites and stalactites of different kinds that can be visited in less than one hour. Most remarkable are the grisly hair stalactites of one to two millimeters in diameter. Absolutely unique are the stalactite hairs dangling from the ceiling invisible to the unsuspecting eye. Other highlights in the cave are the "Viewpoint" and the "Dome", the small fishpond at the "end" after 45 minutes in the cave, and the myriads of drinking straw stalactites growing from the ceiling 2 to 3 meters in height.
For cave freaks we mention that the cave is said to be 4 hours deep, but such a trip has to be arranged long in advance, best with the guide Gaeng and the cave freak Richard from Khao Lak who are waiting for an expedition to be put together.

Turn off at KM stone 144.4 of highway H4, just 4 1/2 km south of Ao Luk junction. Drive 1 1/2 km down the asphalt road until the turnoff to the left which leads to the entrance within a few hundred meters on a gravel road. Next to the parking area is the resident guide's house. There are two caves accessible from the parking area. The right one an underground river which is said to be navigable by canoe for 2 hours. The left one is Tham Klang whose entrance is nearly hidden behind some greenery.

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The cave Tham Lot Phraya Nakarat begins 300 m south of Wat Phraya Nakarat cave temple. A small stream flows in and continues all the way through the cave. The cave runs in a southeasterly direction and crosses a 200 m high and 1 km wide chain of limestone rocks.
The cave is very beautiful with many stalaktites in brown, white and red hues. Also most amazing rocks can be seen washed out by heavy waters.
Walking through the cave takes about 70 minutes. The cave is mostly between 5 and 10 meters high. Walking is mostly ankle deep through the clear water, sometimes knee deep and occasionally through one foot deep mud. Only twice it is necessary to go down to your knees for a meter or so.
Near the northern end a flock of bats clings to the cave roof.
This cave was just rediscovered by T-Tour in Khao Lak. The staff expects that also families with children from 12 years up will have fun exploring the cave.

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The Lagoon Cave is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province. It is actually a part of Than Bok Khorani National Park. But there is nobody here to collect an entrance fee. The Lagoon Cave is entered from the tidal mangrove river Tha Pring. The entrance in the sheer cliff is about 10 meters wide and 5 meters high. The cave is well lit by natural light. After 30 meters easy paddling you reach the lagoon behind the cave. The lagoon is surrounded by steep cliffs covered in dense vegetation. Some palm trees create a surrealistic impression. The main attraction is a stalactite formation that looks like a life size elephant from behind giving birth to a baby elephant.
The Lagoon Cave is not on the itinerary of the mass tourist excursions, thus it is still only rarely visited, although it is much more impressive than Tham Lot or Tham Pee Hua To.

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Tham Klang is one of the most beautiful caves in Thailand. It is very easily accessible and poses no danger whatsoever.

Tham Klang features the most beautiful stalagmites and stalactites of different kinds that can be visited in less than one hour. Most remarkable are the grisly hair stalactites of one to two millimeters in diameter. Absolutely unique are the stalactite hairs dangling from the ceiling invisible to the unsuspecting eye. Other highlights in the cave are the "Viewpoint" and the "Dome", the small fishpond at the "end" after 45 minutes in the cave, and the myriads of drinking straw stalactites growing from the ceiling 2 to 3 meters in height.
For cave freaks we mention that the cave is said to be 4 hours deep, but such a trip has to be arranged long in advance, best with the guide Gaeng and the cave freak Richard from Khao Lak who are waiting for an expedition to be put together.

Turn off at KM stone 144.4 of highway H4, just 4 1/2 km south of Ao Luk junction. Drive 1 1/2 km down the asphalt road until the turnoff to the left which leads to the entrance within a few hundred meters on a gravel road. Next to the parking area is the resident guide's house. There are two caves accessible from the parking area. The right one an underground river which is said to be navigable by canoe for 2 hours. The left one is Tham Klang whose entrance is nearly hidden behind some greenery.

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Tham Lot is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province. It is accessed from the tidal mangrove river Tha Pring. This cave with its lovely stalactites is worth a visit. It is no way as interesting as other caves in the area.
The best time to go is at high tide.

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Tham Pee Hua To is just 500 meters from Tham Lot and surrounded by mangrove swamps.
There are two different paths inside the cave. On the left lies the shortcut to the back of the cave where sunlight shines through, and on the right is a path to a natural hall believed to have been a shelter for prehistoric people. Prehistoric paintings of men and animals. Numerous seashells can be seen in the cave.

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Tham Muerd is the Thai name for "Dark Cave". This extensive cave is situated in Ao Luk District in Krabi Province, actually in Than Bok Khorani National Park. The wide entrance is right in the sheer cliff of a huge wall. After a few meters the cave becomes really dark and headlamps are necessary to find your way. There are no obstacles in the way, though, so it is easy to paddle the 100 meters to the exit. There you are in the midst of a mangrove forest surrounded by steep limestone walls. Many stalactites are hanging from these walls presenting an impressive sight.

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Mr Gaeng is a very reliable taxi driver. He never drives too fast and never makes any risky maneuvers. Mr Gaeng has a SUV for up to 4 persons. He mainly brings tourists from Phuket Airport to their resort in Khao Lak. For 2 passengers the transfer costs only 1600 Baht to Khao Lak, for 3 or 4 persons 2000 Baht. Booking is possible through Amy Minne from Internet Booking Service Khao Lak by email: khaolaktransfer@gmail.com
But Mr Gaeng is also one of the best tour guides in Khao Lak for private tours. His specialty is the 5-Highlight-Tour to Phang Nga Bay and around including James Bond Island and some of the most beautiful caves in the world. This tour is designed such that hardly any other tourist is encountered during his visit to these top attractions. To get the right timing he starts at 7.30 a.m. in the morning and returns around 19.00 h in the evening. This tour has been an absolute highlight for all tourists who went with Mr Gaeng.
His second exclusive tour is the overnight tour to Chiew Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park watching large animals by the lakeside in the evening. No other guide in Thailand offers this type of wildlife watching.
His third exclusive trip is the half day snorkeling trip to Khao Na Yak National Park just in front of Thap Lamu near Khao Lak. Only Mr Gaeng is able to show the many underwater attractions at the reefs of this unknown National Park, like 4 different kinds of Moray Eel or a couple of Sepia.
You can contact him by phone or at Sita Garden at the beach in Bang Niang, Khao Lak.

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Mister Gaeng makes some of the best tours that Khao Lak has to offer. All guests are full of praise about his non-touristy "Five Highlight Tour" that includes three world class attractions of Phang Nga area, the limestone rocks of Phang Nga Bay, made famous by a James Bond movie, the unique hongs accessible by sea canoe only, and one of the most beautiful small caves in the world hardly known by any tourist or even by cave freaks. Another tour that is absolutely unique in Thailand is the big game watching tour to Chiew Lan Lake where in an overnight trip up to five big game can be observed, among them wild elephants, gaur, sambar, wild boar, barking deer, and occasionally a sun bear or even the elusive tapir. His half day snorkel trip at the house reef of Khao Lak is a highly attractive tour, too, as with Gaenge many fish can be seen among vast coral fields.

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