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There are several tiger temples in Thailand, which appeared due to the fact that Buddhists meditated in the tiger's den.
People often stop at one of these temples on their way to the River Kwai.
Its full name is Tiger Cave Temple.
According to legend, a huge tiger lived on the hill. He growled throughout the area, scaring the local residents. But one day, a monk, looking for shelter during hostilities, wandered into a tiger's den. The predatory beast did not touch him. So they lived together, tiger and man.
Then the tiger cave was chosen by monks for meditation. And then temples and pagodas were erected here.
They say this is the most bizarre temple complex in all of Thailand. I can’t say for sure - I haven’t seen everything (there are more than 30 thousand temples in Thailand), but it’s amazing - for sure! Very picturesque architecture.
In fact, there are two temples on the hill, united into a single temple complex. One, Wat Tham Sua, was built in the style of Thai architecture, and the second, Wat Tham Khao Noi, was built in the Chinese style.
Hill Cave Temple
The temple, called Wat Tham Khao Noi (Cave Temple on the Hill), rises on a hill overlooking the Mae Klong Dam.
Guides usually suggest climbing the stairs to the Tiger Temple. Count the steps, and while climbing, at the same time cleanse your soul.
The staircase is decorated along the edges with long snakes (they act as railings). There are 157 steps leading up, so it’s not easy to walk in the heat.
But! For the sick, elderly and simply lazy, for 10 baht you can climb up the rails in a cabin.
It doesn't matter how you get to the top - everyone at the top is presented with a magnificent, majestic sight. 18-meter tall Buddha statue in lotus position.
She is huge and majestic.
All made of gold (I can’t say for sure whether it’s gold or gilding, because in Thailand there are actually golden statues and faces of Buddha). I also examined it from the side - it was curious.
Next to the Buddha is a small temple complex. The beauty and magnificence cannot be expressed in words.
Each structure of the temple complex is unique.
The entrance to one of them is decorated with tigers.
The tiger is wearing a wreath of flowers.
The corridors of another temple are made with arches. It seems like infinity...
Area for prayers and offerings.
Monks live in a high pyramidal temple, closed to tourists.
The temple is surrounded by many bells. They recommend that everyone call and make an intangible wish.
Everyone is trying to capture their presence among all this splendor.
Checking the purity of the soul
I went into one of them.
In one corner is Buddha. In the other there is a shield. If a person with a pure soul rubs it with the palm of his hand, it will ring.
On opposite side- another shield.
The walls are painted with three-dimensional paintings depicting various religious scenes.
You walk along and you want to take pictures from each side. They are so incredibly beautiful! They are constantly looked after.
And all around is a typical Thai landscape - rice fields.
At the edge of the temple complex there is a well with holy (if we call it) or cleansing water.
We need to get some water.
If you draw water with it, everything will be better cleaned.
You need to wash yourself with this water, bathe yourself, douse yourself - whatever you like. I poured the water over my head, almost completely dousing myself. Hot!
Opposite the Big Buddha there are machines into which you throw a coin or paper money, and a prayer is performed. But you need to choose by day of the week, depending on what day you were born.
Near the largest temple there are many bells for fulfilling wishes.
And a large friction shield. Each of us came up to rub it with such confidence, and different ways, but something didn’t ring or buzz for anyone. Although many claim that it really does hum sometimes. Maybe the soul is truly purer?
Extraordinary beauty and grandeur!
I walked back down the alley, decorated with various birds and little animals.
Having gone down on the other side of the stairs we had climbed, I discovered. There is free access to it. Although there is free access everywhere in Buddhist temples (except for the monks’ homes, of course), you just need to take off your shoes.
Inside the real cave is an altar,
various figurines
and statues.
Tips for travelers. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, travel lightly, without heavy luggage, and take water with you.
The Tiger Cave Temple is located in Kanchanaburi province, in the Muang District, five kilometers from the dam to which we rafted - remember my story?
There are several tiger temples in Thailand. Don't confuse this one with the other, more famous Tiger Temple, which is located in Krabi. The one I talked about is much more interesting in terms of architecture.
Did you like the Tiger Cave Temple?
Have you seen something like this?
P.S. Svetlana (Kusha69) shared her impressions of visiting an unusual temple in Thailand. Below you will find links to Svetlana's other stories about Thailand.
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© Svetlana Kusha69, “Roads of the World” website, 2015. Copying text and photos is prohibited. All rights reserved.
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(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -142249-2", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-142249-2", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");The history of tigers began in 1999, when local residents They brought the first orphan tiger cub to the temple, but unfortunately, the baby soon died. A little later, several more tiger cubs were given to the monastery. Some of them were brought in by people who discovered that their “pets” had become too big, others were orphans whose parents were killed by poachers. Another reason why people have started giving tigers to forest sanctuaries is because of stricter animal welfare laws. The colony of the cat family gradually expanded. This happened not only due to the arrival of animals from nearby territories, but also as a result of the appearance of their offspring within the walls of the monastery. As of May 2012, the total number of tigers living in the temple has increased to more than 100 individuals.
Due to the lack of controlled breeding programs and available DNA data, it is very difficult to determine the ancestry of native cats. However, most of them are believed to be Indochinese tigers, with the exception of Mak, which belongs to the Bengal subspecies. It is likely that the recently discovered Malayan tigers are among them, and many are likely a mixture of several breeds.
Over the history of its existence, the temple has grown to a whole island, where animals no longer live in cages, but under open air, which is more similar to their natural habitat. The smallest tiger cubs run freely around the territory, but older animals must be kept on a leash for safety reasons.
Diet big cats at the tiger temple consists exclusively of boiled chicken and dry cat food. Feeding these foods prevents predators from becoming familiar with the taste of blood, which could trigger associations that associate the smell of blood with food. The chicken is also heat-treated to kill the avian influenza virus that may be contained in raw meat. Cat food, according to the information provided on the official website of the Tiger Temple, enriches the body with essential nutrients, such as taurine, which is not retained in cooked chicken.
The predatory inhabitants of the monastery live in quite comfortable conditions. They are cared for by monks, local staff and foreign volunteers. Once a day, at approximately one o'clock in the afternoon, the tabby cats are led on leashes into a nearby rocky canyon, where they used to roam without any obstacles. However, due to the increase in the number of animals and the number of visitors, for safety reasons they began to be tied to “anchors” driven into the ground.
So unusual place, where monks live side by side with tigers, sharing shelter and food with them, very quickly gained immense popularity throughout the world. Today, the Tiger Temple receives 300-600 visitors per day.
The Tiger Monastery is open to visitors every day during daylight hours. The entrance fee to the temple grounds is $8, and you also need to prepare a tribute to the monks in the form of fruits and rice. Before entering and being in close proximity to tigers, in addition to the mandatory fee, all visitors are required to sign a waiver releasing the Tiger Temple from liability. There is also an instruction in which it is forbidden to wear bright and revealing clothes, Sunglasses, hats, wearing perfume, walking in drunk, stroking tigers on the head and turning your back to them. For safety reasons, while on the territory of the monastery, you should carefully adhere to all of the above rules.
At first, tourists waiting to meet the tigers stand behind a shaky fence, watching the measured life of the monastery. Staff then lead them one by one to the animals, where they can stand or sit next to each one, pet them, or take a few photos. For an additional fee, the monk can place the tiger's head on the visitor's lap. The monastery workers carefully monitor the behavior of their pets so that, having had enough of communicating with guests, they do not suddenly begin to get nervous, and if any signs of aggression arise, they immediately take the animal away.
At the Tiger Temple, visitors have the opportunity to bottle feed tiger cubs, take part in the process of bathing tigers, play with them, feed them by hand, take pictures with tiger cubs or with sleeping adults. Several times a day, guests have the chance to play with huge cats near a small waterfall, using an analogue of a “bow on a string” corresponding to their size as a toy. They will jump high, trying to grab a giant bow with their paws, controlled by the visitor using a long stick.
In addition to tigers, the temple is home to birds and other animals, including buffaloes, hiding in the cool swamp from the heat of the day, deer, monkeys, camels and a wild boar, with which interesting story. Several years ago, he was run over by a car, and local residents brought the wounded boar to the monastery. The monks nursed him for a long time, as a result of which he became stronger and went back into the forest. After some time, the smart boar returned to the monastery along with his entire family.
Anyone who wants to support the unusual nursery can make a contribution to the donation boxes, which are located on the territory of the monastery. The cost of feeding and caring for tigers alone, according to temple workers, is about $100 per day per individual.
All proceeds from tickets go to purchase food for the animals, as well as to work related to the construction of a large reserve where they will live in the environment closest to them. The total area of the previously acquired land is 1,000 acres. Some areas are already open and inhabited by tigers, but most of reserve on this moment is under processing and construction. In the surrounding areas, the monks are restoring the forest, which, although it will not be as lush as, for example, the tropical jungle on the island of Koh Chang, will allow the tigers to feel very comfortable.
The Tiger Temple is located just 200 km from Bangkok and 38 kilometers from the city of Kanchanaburi on the way to the city of Sai Yok, along Highway 323. The journey from Bangkok to the monastery will take about 2.5 hours.
Road to the Tiger Temple:
Inside the Tiger Temple:
It seems that someone overestimated their strength. For this reason, our walk to the place “Tiger Cave” to the temple and to the Buddha on the mountain turned out to be not the most informative. We arrived at 10 a.m., by which time the 35-degree heat had already begun and it was not possible to really see everything that was planned. Well, okay. Not a big deal. Not everyone can cope with such heat.
Wat Tham Suea. Tiger Temple new
Mom makes a wish and hits the gong
Slava is interested in the money tree
It is not known why the planes were placed here and what relation they have to the temple
Like 2 girls friends
The construction of the new temple is not yet finished
After the gate we are greeted by monkeys. Hungry monkeys. And well-fed sleeping dogs.
To avoid becoming a victim of a monkey robbery, you need to look around or find a place where they won’t jump on you. For example, this monkey snuck up behind a guy who had just bought a coconut, suddenly jumped on him and snatched the coconut out of his hands.
Tourists! There's no point in yawning. The coconut was missed
We wandered around the neighborhood
Deity for worship and prayers
A great place to relax near a waterfall. It's just too hot to sit there
Where can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You have already talked about your experience In this article.
We decided to climb the mountain to Buddha.
The sign with the number of steps did not bother us.
It didn't seem like that challenging task. But in vain.
The tiger temptingly calls with his paw up
And the old man chuckles shyly,
Climbing the stairs to the top of a mountain in a hot, humid tropical climate was no easy task. Even for a healthy person under the scorching sun this will become torture.
Glory at the beginning of the rise
A short distance has been passed. Phew.
By the way, it’s better not to come here if you’re afraid of heights. Some parts of the stairs can be very scary.
Naive women who think they will rise!
After 300 steps we became exhausted and gave up. The thought of going 3 times more was depressing.
I'm tired, but happy, I go downstairs!
Lathered people passing by us, who, apparently, were descending from the Buddha, gave us sincere advice not to rise further. One Korean said three times that it was definitely not worth it, we took his word for it.
We were quite happy with this view too.
And all this suffering to rise to the Buddha? Why haven't we seen Buddhas? To hell!
Many people have probably heard that it is not the goal itself that is important, but the road to the goal. IN in this case this hard climb is more important than what you see on the mountain. We got up with these thoughts, but at some point we realized that to hell with philosophy, health is more important. In addition, we had parents with us who find it more difficult to tolerate heat and physical activity due to their age. It was our mistake that we arrived late; we should have started climbing at 7 am.
I don’t understand travelers who, with all their might, go there just for show or because, it seems, everyone has been there, but I’m worse off or something...
And we’d better look at a panoramic view of the whole of Krabi on the Internet.
Getting down is also not so easy. My legs were already shaking and aching. The steps were also terribly uncomfortable, the railings became hot, and it was not always possible to hold on to them.
Tiger Cave or tiger cave
Legend claims that a tiger lived in this place and kept everyone in fear. But then the tiger left and the monks came there to meditate. How things actually happened can only be guessed at. The cave in the real rock was, of course, impressive. Unusual. I would live in a place like this. The house in the rock is a children's fantasy.
Inside there is a tiger, Buddhas, monks, tourists taking photographs.
A satisfied tiger is held in high esteem
After what we saw that day, we all felt that we were not in Krabi, but in another city in Thailand. We are used to the fact that Krabi is beaches, shops, merchants and travel agencies. And then again, and you are already in the Buddhist world.
By the way, admission is free everywhere. Nobody asks for money. Feel free to come to Tiger Cave in Krabi, but it’s better to go early, around 7-8 in the morning, to visit all sorts of interesting things that we didn’t see! After ascending and descending in the heat, we no longer had the strength to look into the small jungle reserve, where the dwellings of monks and exotic plants awaited us.
How to get to Tiger Cave from Ao Nang on your own
An excursion to Tiger Cave is quite expensive. Therefore, it is easier and more profitable to go yourself. In Ao Nang we stopped a sontgeo (minibus) going to the bus station. We agreed on 100 baht per nose. He took all the passengers to the bus station, and then dropped us off at the temple. You can go back by Songeo with a transfer in Krabi Town. Or by taxi - 600-800 baht to Ao Nang or 200-300 baht to Krabi town.
Tiger Cave on the Krabi map
It just so happened that initially my plans for a three-month trip to Southeast Asia included many cities and various man-made things created by man. But at some point, while studying points of interest, I simply switched to nature and animals. I changed my route. Instead of the beaches of Samui, she preferred elephants and monkeys on the island of Koh Chang, visited Borneo, and almost went crazy with happiness while walking around jungle of the Bako reserve, spent a month listening the sound of the waves of the Indian Ocean, on Bali. In general, I chose the natural habitat of animals and untouched, uncut nature. South-East Asia.
Zoos, which is essentially the Kingdom of the Tigers, did not interest me. The life of animals in captivity... I don’t really like to look at that. Although I admit that on this trip I visited the zoo in Chiang Mai, aquarium in Bangkok and a zoo in Singapore. I was attracted to the Tiger Kingdom by the fact that there I could communicate with animals not through the bars of a cage, but on the same territory - that is, by visiting the tigers. On their territory. In a cage. Well, first things first.
The Tiger Kingdom is located near Chiang Mai. Every songthaew and tuk-tuk minibus that roams the city streets is hung with advertisements for this, essentially, zoo. All you have to do is stop her, tell her where you need to go and they will take you. The price is negotiable and is usually for a round trip. At the entrance to the kingdom you are greeted by girls who offer to choose the type of ticket. The difference lies in how many animals you want to visit, whether you need photos and videos, etc. There are several options for visiting tigers: children aged 3-4, young animals and very adult, I would even say old, tigers. If you take a combo for all cells, it will of course be cheaper. I can’t say where they buy more.
Cost: adult tigers - 420 baht, young tigers - 520 baht, and the smallest cubs - 620 baht. I didn’t understand why there was so much for the little ones, but I was interested in these wild kittens, so I climbed into their cage.
Ticket vending machines. 
Information desk and ticket office where you can pay for your ticket. After visiting the Kingdom of the Tigers, many people are confused by one thing - why are the tigers so calm that they allow strangers to strangers go into their cage and do what they do: lie on them, pull their tail, hug them... The owners of the zoo have hung up information boards like this, in which they assure that they do not give the tigers drugs. And after the visit, I am still tormented by doubts. I've seen tigers in other zoos, I've been to circuses before... or are the Thais really all talented trainers?!
The path leading to the smallest tiger cubs. 
Sleeping tiger cub. I don’t know how it is with visiting adult tigers, but when entering the kids, you need to leave all your things in front of the entrance, change into flip-flops, and after a little instruction (like not petting the tiger cubs on the head), everyone is given a personal escort. He pulls the tiger cub away by the tail if it decides to fall asleep or hide in a corner, takes a photo of you, or hits the little tiger cub in the face with a stick if it decides to snap back. It must be said that half of the cubs were sleeping, and the other cubs were playing. Yes, it may be hot, and they sleep during the day, and in general little ones sleep a lot. But... maybe they still give them tranquilizers...
Tiger cubs. 
Little tiger games. Hugs with a tiger cub. 
My little striped brother. 
Tiger cubs feel like plush. The time limit is about 15 minutes. After sweating my fluffy soft paws and playing with hugs, I went to look at the daredevils who chose older tigers. But first, I reached the cages with the smallest tiger cubs. They are not allowed into the cage and they are poor and unhappy hanging out in some strange room that looks like a laboratory or a medical office. It is also unknown where their parents are.
The smallest cubs in the Tiger Kingdom do not accept visitors. Older tigers play and frolic so much that sometimes you can’t get close to them. Even on the other side of the cage it seems that you are superfluous. Yes, you, man, are already superfluous.
In addition to cages with tigers that you can play with, there are also those where there are really dissatisfied, or rather, normal tigers and even a lion, predators to whom the person who put them in this cage is clearly not a friend.
Lion in a cage. 
Sweetie) Moore) 
A lion in a cage is not a fun sight. And at the same time, watching young tigers swim and play is very fun. And then looking at their funny faces in photographs is doubly rewarding.
The tiger is ready for a photo shoot. 
Hidden in ambush. 
Sprayed) 
Playing. 
Two acrobat brothers. 
Save help)) I didn’t take pictures of people who were in a cage only because it was more interesting to watch the games of tugs. So what if some brave man came into the cage and pulled the tiger by the tail. Many come here for the adrenaline, and I think they get it quite well. But that was not my case)
Watching the tiger cubs play is a pleasure. 
I know that the Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai is not the only place of its kind in Thailand where you can interact with tigers up close. There is also the Kanchanaburi Tiger Temple near Bangkok, the Tiger Kingdom in Phuket, as well as the Sriracha Tiger Zoo near Pattaya.
discount hotels hereThe famous landmark of Krabi is the Tiger Temple. The exact name of this place sounds like Tiger Cave Temple. There are always a lot of people around the temple; tourists and locals love to visit it. But if for many tourists the Tiger Temple is just an interesting tourist place, then Thais come here to walk the purification path and pray.
The Tiger Temple has a fairly large area. There is a monastery and meditation center here, which is known throughout the country. The temple combines Thai, Indian and Chinese architectural styles. The beautiful Chinese pagoda especially stands out.
Thais and tourists love to come to the Tiger Temple to take a course of meditation. A hotel was built especially for them, where they live during the course. The monks live in small houses that are located on the territory of the temple.
According to legend, a tiger lived in a cave on the temple grounds and a monk meditated next to this tiger. The tiger's growl was constantly heard from the cave, but he did not touch the monk. For this reason, this place was called Tiger Cave Temple. If desired, now each visitor can go down to the cave where the monk meditated next to the tiger.
The territory of the Tiger Temple is well-groomed and well equipped. There are many religious statues, buildings, tents with souvenirs and places of rest. Visiting the temple is free, but there are donation boxes everywhere. First, it is better to walk around its territory and examine everything, and only then begin to climb to the main observation deck of the temple. After all, the path ahead will not be easy, as you will have to overcome 1237 steps.
Tiger Mountain
The main feature of the Tiger Temple is the observation deck, which is located on a mountain 600 m from sea level. TO observation deck There is a staircase consisting of 1237 steps. Getting to the top of the mountain is not easy. But according to Thai belief, it is the difficult path up the mountain that cleanses and frees you from sins. Therefore, at the top of the mountain you will be completely cleansed and renewed.
Before climbing the mountain, be sure to go to the toilet and take a bottle of water with you. The journey to the top usually takes from 30 minutes to an hour. But it’s better not to rush, as you will quickly get tired and the further path will be very difficult for you. It's better to relax and slowly walk up the stairs. Then the road will be quite simple for you and you will be able to fully enjoy the views along the way.
Note! While climbing the stairs up the mountain, you will periodically meet monkeys. Remember that these are wild animals and you should not tease them or try to pet them. They can attack and bite. But there is no need to be afraid of them either. If you behave peacefully and do not touch them, they will not harm you.
In addition to purification at Tiger Mountain, you will find a large golden Buddha statue and beautiful views in the vicinity of Krabi. The whole province seems to be in the palm of your hand! It's worth coming up here just for the view alone. There is also a gazebo where you can sit and relax, and taps with clean, cool water.
Video review of the Tiger Temple
In this video you can see what the Tiger Temple looks like and what views open from the top of the mountain.
How to get there?
The Tiger Temple is located 7 km from Krabi Town, near Krabi Airport. The cheapest way to get to the temple is to use by public bus going to the airport. You should get off before reaching the airport. Arrange with the driver to tell you when to get off. Next, you will have to walk to the temple. You can also return back on the same bus. To do this, go to the main road and wait for the bus from the airport.
You can also get to the Tiger Temple by taxi. The journey will cost you an average of 200-300 baht.
If you want to get to the temple on your own bike or car, then plot the route on Google Maps. She will show you the way and will not allow you to go astray.
You can also go to the temple along with an excursion, the price of which includes transfer from the hotel and back, as well as visits to other interesting places. You can book a tour at any travel agency or online at.
Tiger Temple on the map
On this map you can see the exact location of the Tiger Temple in Krabi.
It is best to go to the Tiger Temple early in the morning, no later than 9:00. Then the sun is not so hot yet and you will have enough time to explore everything. And don't forget to wear comfortable shoes and a hat.
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