Wat Tham Suea, Buddhist temple in Krabi Noi, Thailand.
Wat Tham Suea is a Buddhist temple in Krabi Noi, Thailand, that spreads across a hillside with multiple caves and features a grand staircase of 1260 steps leading to a mountaintop Buddha statue. Beyond the climb, additional prayer halls and shrines stand at the foot of the mountain.
A Buddhist monk founded this location in 1975, selecting the site for its natural caves that suited meditation. Since then, the complex has grown into an important religious center in the region.
Monks study religious texts and practice traditional meditation techniques in natural cave settings throughout the complex. This connection between rock landscape and religious practice draws people seeking spiritual quiet in nature.
The climb to the summit requires physical stamina and takes between 20 and 40 minutes. Early morning hours are better suited to avoid midday heat.
Tiger paw prints in the cave system contributed to local narratives about tigers inhabiting these grounds in past centuries. These traces gave the temple its name, which refers to the tiger.
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