Wat Ban Tham

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About Wat Ban Tham

The Dragon Stairs at Wat Ban Tham are nothing short of awe-inspiring. As one gazes up from the base, the sight of where they lead is truly breathtaking. However, it's advisable not to undertake this journey on a particularly hot day. Instead, bring along some water, take it slow, and absorb the stunning vista at various rest points along the way.

Wat Ban Tham itself is a beautiful temple, with many places to worship. There's also a temple at the top of the hill, which can be reached by walking up the stairs. This journey not only offers an opportunity to pay homage to the Buddha image but also provides a lot of historical context. The vantage point at the top is perfect for photography, and there's also delicious food available.

The temple is definitely worth a visit if you're in the vicinity. About 700 stairs lead to the Buddha statue at the top of the hill, with another temple located mid-hill. Some parts of the stairs can be challenging and narrow, but the journey is well worth it. If you're lucky, you might even encounter a monk at the hilltop, offering blessings.

The temple is known for its many steps. One visitor, guided by a local, embarked on the journey with a water bottle in hand, climbing what felt like a thousand steps before reaching a cave. The journey, though long, offered great views. Along the way, the visitor encountered a monk who, understanding the challenge of the climb, offered a knowing smile and laugh. The temple is not recommended for the elderly or very young children if you intend on going beyond the first level due to the heat and the number of steps.

The temple is also known as the dragon's mouth cave, as you enter it after climbing a number of steps through a rather colorful mock-up of a dragon. It's one of the more interesting wats to visit. Reaching the very top to see the huge Chedi is quite a climb, and it seems very few people make it up there. However, there's plenty of interest at different levels and great views of the surrounding area, without the need to go all the way up.

The dragon temple is worth the climb if you've got the stamina to make it to the top. About a third of the way up is the dragon, then farther up is a temple cave, then the summit. On a clear day, the views are nice, but it's not recommended to visit on a wet day for safety reasons. There's usually a monk giving blessings at the top. Most visitors only go part of the way up. From the top down, there are about 650 steps.

Wat Ban Tham is a cave temple beside the Khwae Noi river. It's quite off the beaten track, but only about 10 minutes from the town center. The temple features a long staircase that leads up the hill into an amazing dragon's head. Once inside the dragon, the steps continue and there are wonderful paintings on the walls that depict scenes from the classic Thai novel Khun Chang Khun Phae. The steps lead to a temple near the top of the hill with a large cave behind it, which contains a stone in the shape of a woman from a local legend. If you still have some energy left from the first climb, you can continue right to the top of the hill via slightly steeper and less even steps. However, the climb is worth it as the views from the top are amazing. Once back down at the bottom, you can refuel at the stalls selling local dishes such as Som Tam and Fried Rice. This temple makes a great afternoon excursion as it's quick and easy to get to, and you can spend 1-2 hours wandering around taking in the fantastic sights.