Attractions in Krabi Town

Krabi town is no longer a sleepy little fishing village. Krabi province has been discovered by international travelers. Krabi town is growing to meet the needs and demands of the many tourists who come to explore this beautiful province.

Krabi Town - Places of Interest for your Family

Wat Tham Sua (Temple Of The Tiger Cave)

Tiger Cave temple, or Wat Tham Sua, is about three kilometers from Krabi town in southern Thailand. It has become a popular tourist attraction in the area of Krabi town due to the maze of natural caves which make up the temple grounds. At the Wat Tham Sua, the monks practice a form of Buddhism called Vipassana. Vipassana is a form of meditation based on the earliest Buddhist texts.

The main attraction of the Tiger Cave temple is the long climb up a limestone rock formation of 1237 steps. The staircase reaches the "footprint of the Buddha." Such a climb in the heat and humidity of southern Thailand is not a simple task. The climb can take about 30 minutes, depending on your level of conditioning. But the reward of the stunning view at the top is well worth the climb up the steps.

The most bizarre attraction of the temple are the photos of internal organs and split cadavers in the main temple area. These pictures are supposed to remind the monks of the temporary nature of the body. This then helps them focus on their spiritual acts of meditation.

It is said that the temple was named Tiger Cave because of a monk named Jumnean Seelasettho. Sometime in the early 1960's, Jumnean saw the caves and felt is was a good place for meditation. However, at that time there were still many wild tigers living among the cave complex.

Susan Hoi or Shell Fossil Cemetery

The shell graveyard at Ban Laem Pho was once a large fresh water swamp. Dating back some 40 million years, the snails or mollusks died by the millions when sea water invaded the fresh water swamp. The fossilized shells are over 40 centimeters thick. Even if your family has little interest in prehistoric sites such as this, stop by for at least a short visit. This is one of only three such sites in the world.

Susan Hoi is located about 17 km outside of Krabi town and is best viewed at low tide.

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