One of the most inspiring landmarks in Thailand, Tiger Cave Temple remains largely unknown to far-east 'banana pancake trail' tourists. The reason the temple gets overlooked must be its remoteness. Five kilometers outside of Krabi Town, deep in the province's jungle, the Tiger Cave Temple, or Wat Tham Seua, feels a million miles from anywhere.
Tiger Cave Temple apparently takes its name from a local rock formation shaped like a tiger's claw. Or it could be that tigers once lived in the area.
Grisly interior
When you visit the temple, the first thing you see is an Aladdin's-den cave complex containing close-up photographs of human entrails and internal organs – a reminder of the body's impermanence (just like your holiday, your life will run out). The monks here practice vipassana meditation and the skulls and skeletons that litter the labyrinth help them focus on spirituality versus corporeality.
Platform in the clouds
If you feel lively, in the cool of morning or evening, you might want to hike to Tiger Cave Temple's main attraction: a dazzling shrine set atop a towering staircase. If you do, take it slowly. Because the steps are steep, they feel more like 10,000 than the actual figure – around 1,200.
En route, you will need to weave past a straggle of scrawny gibbons that look like they would happily swipe your camera. But the hassle is worth negotiating because of the Land of Oz wonder waiting at the top.
Panorama
There a host of giant shining spiritual statues and a gilded stupa stand silhouetted against the sky – sensational. Plus, you get a 360-degree view of Krabi Province, which is best seen at dusk. At that atmospheric hour, while the sun sinks under the Andaman Sea in the west, the moon rises eerily over the eastern lowlands.
Travel tip: Don't forget that you are in the grounds of a temple. Dress modestly. Bring tons of water – at least a litre per person – for the climb if you feel fit enough to reach the summit. Completing the uphill journey takes drive and time – about an hour.
Getting there
You can reach Krabi by land air. Krabi's Airport fields direct flights from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Travelling overland, you can arrive by road from Bangkok, Malaysia, or Singapore by bus or hired car. VIP buses from Bangkok leave from the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai), 15km outside the city center. You can even reach Krabi by overnight train from each of the three mentioned places, getting off at Suratthani and driving or catching a minivan or bus the last leg (takes three hours).
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