Tiger Temple in Thailand 1200 steps. What is so attractive about Tiger Cave? Climbing the mountain near Tiger Cave

« Tiger Temple"or tiger cave is one of the favorite places for tourists in. This is often suggested for tourists looking for a ride. interesting places in Thailand. A visit to hot springs is often added as a bonus. True, a rare tourist after a long study cave temple I'm glad for this “hot” addition. Followers of the Buddhist religion come to Tiger Temple in Krabi on a pilgrimage mission.

What is so attractive about Tiger Cave?

is a Temple located under the “claw” of a rock 270 meters high. The temple rock is shaped like a tiger's claw, hence its “predatory” name. The area around the Temple is incredibly beautiful; the rock fits neatly into the surrounding landscapes.

For the idle tourist, the main “exhibits” in the Tiger Temple are the statues, of which there are many, as well as the walls themselves, intricately carved by time. Buddhists come here not for the Temple itself, but for the “path of purification.” Not far from sacred place there is a climb up the mountain. According to local legends, Buddha himself left a mark on it. Climbing Tiger Cave Mountain you can see almost the entire Krabi province.

In addition, there is no way to get to the top of the sacred mountain using the “ladder”, which is a staircase of 1,237 steps. Because to pray at the statue of Buddha sitting surrounded by impressive views and panoramas, you will have to go through the hard way.

Modern infrastructure has improved the place with several free parking lots located near the Temple. Visit Tiger Temple in Krabi Also, anyone can do it completely free of charge. Special ballot boxes are provided for voluntary donations.

"Path of Purification"

After visiting the Tiger Temple in Krabi (one of the most beautiful), it is worth climbing sacred mountain, for this you need to prepare. You should definitely go to the toilet (read more about the features) and also stock up on a bottle. The road to the Buddha statue will take a lot of time, usually 30–40 minutes is enough, but everyone has their own pace. It can be scary to get up right away, but then you get used to it. There is only one toilet on the stairs of the Tiger Temple and that one is almost at the very top.

Not so scary tiger cave in krabi, like the first few dozen steps up the mountain. But as you go up, the stairs become more comfortable and easy to walk on. It's important to take your time here. The rapid ascent can be very tiring, and this will ruin the feeling of visiting a sacred place. It’s better to walk slowly to Tiger Cave, keeping your breathing even and not overexerting yourself. Then you will have the strength to enjoy the beautiful views that open from mountain peak.

At the top, they took care of the guests and installed a gazebo with benches and several washbasins with cool water. But there will definitely be pilgrims and tired tourists who have already managed to get up.

conclusions

For visitors, the Tiger Temple in Krabi is one of the first places to visit. No need to choose paid excursion, you will hardly want to go to hot springs after a walk. It’s cheaper and easier to get to the place by taxi, rented transport () or. This will allow you to save a lot, because visiting the place is completely free. There will be a lot of impressions. On the one hand, thousands of Buddhists come to this place, believing in the sacred energy of the cave and the mountain peak. On the other hand, the view from the mountain is indescribable; it’s unlikely that anywhere else near Ao Nang there will be the same Observation deck, offering a panorama of most of the Krabi province.

Video filming of the temple from a quadcopter

The idea to visit the Tiger Temple in the Thai province of Krabi came to me and my friends suddenly. We rode rented mopeds while exploring the beaches of Krabi. Someone, apparently tired of the sand and sea, suggested climbing to some observation deck. Having googled the phrase “Krabi observation decks” on our smartphone, we learned that the Tiger Temple is located 20 kilometers away, and near it there is a mountain with supposedly stunning views. Looking ahead, I will say that the panorama from the top is truly fantastic. One BUT. To see it you need to climb more than 1200 steps...

After visiting the Tiger Temple, I learned that this is a very popular place among travelers and they even organize group excursions here, and tourist guides all advise visiting the temple and climbing the mountain. You will find out how to get to the temple at the end of the post, where, according to tradition, all the helpful information, but for now I’m sharing my impressions.

The Krabi Tiger Temple, which the Thais call Wat Tham Sua, and in English its name is Tiger Cave Temple, can perhaps be called the most famous Buddhist temple in the Krabi province. As you know, Muslims predominate here, so the province cannot boast big amount Buddhist temples. Tiger Temple located approximately 10 kilometers from the provincial capital Krabi Town and 20 kilometers from the most popular resort town Ao Nang. By the way, judging by the Thai name, it is more correct to call the temple the Tiger Cave Temple, but still the name Tiger Temple is more popular among the people. And it is important to clarify that we are talking specifically about the temple in Krabi, since there is also a tiger temple in the Thai province in Kanchanaburi.

Live tigers You won’t see them here, but there are sculptures of them. And very original. Agree, you don’t often see smiling tigers.

Legends are legends, but Wat Tham Sua has grown over time into a large temple complex and construction on its territory continues to this day. The Krabi Tiger Temple is active, so there is no entrance fee.

But to be honest, we didn’t even go into the temple, since we were only interested in the main attraction of this place - the staircase leading to the top of the rock, on which a gilded statue of Buddha is installed. By the way, you can see it if you drive to or from it.

Climbing to the top of the mountain

The staircase has 1237 steps (!!!), after overcoming which you will find yourself at a height of 600 meters.

For example, the height of the twin towers in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, is 452 meters, and rises above the ground by only some 200 meters. In addition, modern high-speed elevators take you to the roof; in the Tiger Temple there are no such benefits of civilization. Legs, only legs. But they say that if you overcome this path, you will clear your karma.

Tiger Temple in Krabi - my impressions

I don’t know what seduced us more - beautiful views or purification of karma, but leaving all doubts below, we climbed the mountain. Personally, I was pushed forward by a large group of monkeys at the base of the mountain. After visiting the Monkey trail on the beach of Ao Nang, my attitude towards these antics changed sharply for the worse and I didn’t want to be near the annoying animals.

Perhaps that is why the first 200 steps were very easy for me, although they were very steep and high.

Even such uncomfortable shoes as flip-flops didn’t hurt, although I still I recommend climbing the mountain in sneakers or sneakers.

After every two or three flights, the number of steps you have climbed is indicated.

The most desperate of our company had the hardest time of all, because he lifted up a bag of watermelon)).

Climbing up is not easy even for a trained person. I seem to be good at sports, but by the end of the trip I was pretty exhausted.

Half an hour later, all 1237 steps were left behind (in fact, for some reason, 1260 of them were abandoned) and you can enjoy the views. But first it’s better to catch your breath and drink some water. Fortunately, its supplies can be replenished at the top.

The temple on the mountain is also active, so you need to take off your shoes before climbing to the upper tier of the site. At the top there are many statues of various deities (not only Buddha), bells hang, and incense sticks burn.

But you look at all this briefly and in passing, because the gaze attracts the blue of the sky and the green of the fields with tropical forests, lost over the horizon. Either I’m a stupid photographer, or such beauty cannot be contained within the frame of a photograph, but photographs do not convey even a tenth of the emotions that you experience at the top.

After being filled with spiritual food, we enjoyed earthly food. We went down to the tier below, which is no longer considered a temple, and cut a watermelon.

The rest of the tourists looked at us sideways as if we were crazy, or maybe they were just jealous =0). I think watermelons are rarely raised to a height of 600 meters under their own power)).

The descent is generally considered easier, but in the case of Tiger Cave Temple this rule doesn't work at 100%. Some steps are so steep that if you descend too quickly, you can easily thunder down. The method of reaching the ground is, of course, faster, but is fraught with injury. Therefore, be careful and take your time.

Summarizing our sudden trip to the Tiger Temple in Krabi, I will join the guidebooks who advise visiting this place. But I note that you must do this on your own, and not as part of a group. So, you’ll plan your trip for yourself, you’ll get a better feel for the place, and you’ll get a lot more emotions!

Useful information about the Tiger Temple 1200 steps

How to get to the temple

By moped or car - get directions in Google Maps from your location to the point on the map above. The bikes can be left at free parking at the temple.

Tiger Temple on the map

When is the best time to go to the Tiger Temple?

We went spontaneously and at the wrong time. At lunchtime the sun is at its zenith and is mercilessly hot. Therefore, I advise you to go either in the morning to start the climb, when the sun has not yet begun to burn in full force. Or closer to the evening, when the sun goes down. At the same time you can admire the amazing sunset.

What to take with you

• Comfortable shoes
• Headdress.

Excursion to the Tiger Temple

If you don’t want to bother with renting a bike or car, but just want to visit the Tiger Temple, which also includes visits to other interesting places.

Always yours, Daniil Privonov.

Dreamsim is a universal SIM card for travelers. Operates in 197 countries! Fast delivery. .

Looking for a hotel or apartment? Thousands of options at RoomGuru. Many hotels are cheaper than on Booking

Tiger Temple Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave) is the main man-made attraction. And this is not surprising, because... in one place you can see Thai and Chinese temples, caves and an observation deck. It is located at the foot of Khao mountains Phanom Bencha, 7 km from and 20 km from the beach.

The history of the name of the temple is not entirely clear. According to one version, there are prints on the stone here in the shape of a tiger’s paw, according to the second, the rock near the temple is similar in shape to a tiger’s claw. And finally, there is a legend that in the 70s of the last century a tiger lived here and scared people, but after a monk began to meditate at this place, the animal disappeared. Later, at the base of the cliff, in small cave, a temple was built. Then it grew and today there are quite a lot of buildings, stupas, sculptures, statues of gods and goddesses. This is a whole temple complex, whose main attraction is Big Buddha, which is located at an altitude of 600 meters and is reached by 1237 steps. However, for most people it will not be the Buddha that will be of interest, but the breathtaking panoramic view from above.

Excursion to the Tiger Temple

Since this is the most popular attraction of Krabi, excursions here can be booked everywhere - both at a street travel agency and at a hotel. Usually it also includes a visit to hot springs, lasts the whole day and costs from 1,200 baht. If you wish, you can get here on your own (it will be much cheaper), but more on that below. In the meantime, we will spend with you virtual tour to the Tiger Temple.

So, at the entrance you are greeted by an arch, after which there is a parking lot.

The first thing that immediately catches your eye is a large stupa with several tiers. Approaching it closer, we will see two smiling tigers (or grinning tigers, depending on what it seems like) who are guarding main entrance. The other entrance is guarded by four dragons, also grinning.

Nearby are statues of various incarnations of God and saints.

Opposite the main stupa you can see the base of the cave where the tiger lived. Now there are many Buddhas there.

After walking a little, on the left we see steps that lead to an observation deck with a Buddha statue.

But don't rush to get up there. First we will walk 50 meters straight to get acquainted with Chinese temple goddess Guan.

Well, have you examined everything? Do you want to climb to the top of the mountain and enjoy panoramic views? You say: “Yes, of course, let’s go ahead!” Wait a bit. If among you there are people with weak hearts, blood pressure or pensioners? If there is, then we do not recommend that you climb to the very top. You feel how hot it is, how the sun is scorching, and even in the shade it’s above 30 degrees. Everyone is already wet. Now imagine that you now need to climb the mountain on foot. Ostankino Tower in this heat. We ourselves saw lathered and heavily breathing boys of about 20 who had only walked half the way. But then you also have to go down. In general, going through 1237 steps is really hard exercise stress, so everyone decides whether he is ready to take the risk or not. If you take a chance, you will see a unique panoramic view from a bird's eye view - this observation point not available anywhere else in Krabi.

Be sure to take it with you drinking water, it is sold in a mini market at the base of the mountain. There is even a sign warning about this.

Video

How to get there

The easiest way to get to the Tiger Temple is with a tour, which also includes a visit Emerald Lake and hot springs. Since these attractions are located far from each other, the entire tour will take almost a whole day, especially if you go with. Such excursions are sold everywhere and cost from 1,200 baht.

You can rent a motorbike or car and use it to get to the attraction.

You can also get there on your own by public transport which will be much cheaper. To do this, you first need to get to and get off near the embankment. Along the road next to the embankment there are songthaews that go to the Tiger Cave for 50 baht (and their parking lot is at the intersection next to the main market). They are usually dark burgundy in color and have Tiger Cave written on them. Songthaews also go from . Don't forget to tell the driver that you need to go to the Tiger Temple, because usually they just don't go there because... you need to make a short detour of a couple of kilometers, and then return to the main road again.

In fact, getting there is much easier than going back. We waited for the songthaew for about 30 minutes and it was then that we realized that if there were no tourists, then the songthaew simply did not go to the temple. Therefore, we had to wait for half an hour until several Chinese tourists arrived. They got out and we got into the car. Otherwise they might have waited longer, because... it was late in the evening, and the main stream of independent visitors arrives in the first half of the day.

The Tiger Temple or, as it is also called, “Tiger Cave”, “Tiger Mountain” (in Thai “Wat tam suea”) is one of the amazing attractions in Phuket in the Krabi region. Locals they say that a tiger used to live in this cave, and its roar could be heard far throughout the surrounding area. After the tiger was gone, Buddhist monks took this place for their meditations. Monks live here to this day in the forest at the foot of the mountain.

After visiting the tiger temple, you can see with your own eyes the cave where the tiger previously lived and the forest for meditation. However, what you will like most is the observation deck and the Buddha statue. Buddha is located on the top of the mountain; you can climb up the stairs of 1237 steps. The road is not easy, the steps are high, and wild monkeys sometimes annoy you along the way - but when you get to the top, you will understand that you have not come this way in vain. From the height there are amazing views of the limestone cliffs of Krabi, palm plantations, as well as the city of Krabi and Ao Nang Beach.

Background information about the Tiger Cave Temple

• Schedule: Daily during daylight hours
• Entrance fee: Free (but it is advisable to prepare 20-100 baht for donation)
• How to get to the Tiger Temple: If you drive from Phuket to Krabi, then at the entrance to the city of Krabi there will be a fork and a large sign: the road straight leads to the city of Krabi, the road to the left leads to Trang, as well as to Krabi airport. You need to turn left. After 4.5 km, in front of the Big C and Tesco Lotus stores, you will need to turn left at the Wat Ta sign

Tiger Cave Temple(or Tiger Cave Temple) is one of the attractions that is definitely worth a visit. Here you will not only get a lot positive emotions, rising 600 meters above sea level, but also test your endurance, and also admire the views from the observation deck :). I have prepared a short review for you, which includes more than 50 photos and several videos from this excursion.

This amazing place is located three kilometers from Krabi Town and if you are staying in the city itself, you can get here by taxi, or shuttle bus. We visited here during an excursion, where one of the points of the program was a visit to the Tiger Cave Temple.

WAT THAM SUA (this is the original name of this place) is famous primarily for the cave itself, in which you can see imprints in the stone, similar to the footprints of tigers. But the most interesting thing, in my opinion, is the observation deck at the top of the mountain, where you can see not only huge statues Buddha, but also the imprint of his trace. Of course, its authenticity is in question, but it’s all very interesting :).

In order to climb to the top and contemplate all these beauties, you have to overcome 1237 steps, which is not very difficult, but the increased humidity and heat take their toll and you get pretty tired, but it’s worth it. The only thing worth adding is to take at least a liter of water per person with you, since during the ascent you get terribly thirsty :).

Well, in general, the climb is very fun and along the way you will meet wild monkeys, who every now and then scurry under the feet of tourists in search of water and tasty treats :). Take a look and see for yourself.

So, having overcome the difficult climb, we find ourselves at the observation deck, where simply magnificent views. If you have a camera with a good zoom or binoculars, you can see palm plantations, Krabi Town itself, the bay, ponds and much more. We caught our breath and started taking photos.

You can see how it all looks like. After standing at the top, we go down - oh yes, it’s much easier! Below you can also have fun with the funny monkeys and go into the cave itself, where there is a lot of interesting things.

It's also worth walking around the courtyard and seeing the monks

Or admire the local beauty.

As I wrote above, this place is located near Krabi Town. You can get there by taxi, bus or walk. From the city center a taxi will cost approximately 100 baht. Buses also go in that direction, if I'm not mistaken, they're blue, but it's better to check with the driver. Traveling on it costs 20 baht per person. Above I have added a map for you and noted the coordinates of the Temple, as well as the route from the city center :). Thank you for your attention, subscribe to updates.