Some days while traveling in Thailand are all about relaxing, while others seem to turn into one adventure after another. This was definitely one of the latter.
We started the day exploring the enormous cave system at Wat Tham Phu Wa, stopped for a simple roadside Thai lunch, and then headed to Wat Tham Suea, the famous Tiger Cave Temple. There we took the unusual inclined rail up the mountain before eventually making our way back down the stairs. We finished the day with dinner at Suan Bua Steak House in Kanchanaburi. It was a full day, but a fun one.
Exploring Wat Tham Phu Wa
Our first stop was Wat Tham Phu Wa, a temple complex located in the countryside outside Kanchanaburi.
While the temple itself is interesting, the real reason we came was to explore the massive cave system beneath the mountain.
The entrance leads into a large cavern, and once inside, the cave seems to keep going. There are multiple chambers and passages to explore, with Buddhist statues, shrines and other religious features incorporated throughout the caves.
It was fascinating walking from one section to another and seeing how the natural cave formations have been combined with the temple. Some areas are enormous, while others become much more intimate as the passages lead deeper into the mountain.
The temperature inside was also considerably more comfortable than outside. After being in the Thai heat, wandering around a cool cave was a pretty nice way to spend part of the morning.
We continued exploring until we’d seen much of what the cave system had to offer before heading back outside.
Taking the Mountain Rail to Tiger Cave Temple
After a simple Thai lunch at a roadside shack, our next destination was Wat Tham Suea, or Tiger Cave Temple.
The temple is located high on a mountain, and there is a long stairway for visitors who want to make the climb. We decided to try something a little different and took the inclined rail up the mountain instead. Calling it a train is perhaps a little generous – it’s essentially a small incline rail system designed to carry visitors up the steep incline. But it certainly saves your legs from having to climb the entire mountain. As we traveled upward, the views became increasingly impressive. Looking down from the rail also gave us a good appreciation for just how steep the mountain is.
Wat Tham Suea
At the top we arrived at Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple), one of Kanchanaburi most recognizable temples. The temple complex is dominated by its enormous Buddha image, and its position high above the surrounding countryside gives it an impressive setting. We walked around the temple grounds, explored the different areas and took some time to enjoy the views. From this elevation, you can see across a huge expanse of the countryside below. It is easy to understand why this location was chosen for a temple. The combination of the mountain, the enormous Buddha and the surrounding landscape makes for quite a setting.
And Then We Walked Down
Having taken the rail up, we decided to take the stairs back down. That turned out to be quite a workout. Walking down a long staircase is obviously easier than climbing it, but there are still plenty of steps, and the descent gives you plenty of time to appreciate what you would have been facing if we’d decided to walk up in the first place.
Dinner at Suan Bua Steak House
After returning to Kanchanaburi, we headed to Suan Bua Steak House for dinner. It was a nice change of pace after spending much of the day walking, climbing and exploring. We settled in for dinner and talked about the day’s adventures.
It was a fitting way to end a day that had taken us from deep inside a mountain to the top of one.
A Very Thai Day
What made this day enjoyable wasn’t any single attraction. It was the variety. We explored a huge cave system at Wat Tham Phu Wa, ate lunch at a simple roadside restaurant, rode an unusual inclined rail up a mountain and visited Wat Tham Suea before walking all the way back down.
It was a little bit of everything that makes traveling around Thailand by road so much fun.