Phu Pha Phet Largest Cave in Thailand
Phu Pha Phet Largest Cave in Thailand
Thailand is an evergreen destination for holiday. Many of us have travelled to various parts of the kingdom and yet there are plenty unknown to us. Destination for shopping is Bangkok, islands are Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Lipe but others are still unknown to tourists especially Malaysians.
Meet Satun, a province in Southern Thailand bordering state Perlis. A former state of Kedah, Muslims still dominate this part of the kingdom with population of more than 2/3 in this province.
Muslim and Halal food is never an issue in Satun and it is immense with beautiful national parks and islands. Eco tourism at this part of the world is relatively young and that’s why it is best to travel to there now.
Hidden in Satun is the Phu Pha Phet cave. It is the largest cave in Thailand and discovered by accident by a monk. The monk was looking for a perfect place to meditate and found the cave by chance. The rest is history, Phu Pha Phet cave is developed to be a tourist attraction but due to its location, it is still unpopular among the tourists.
You need to do a brief hike up to the hill and on the way, you will br entertained by the sounds of the jungle. Within half an hour of slow pace hiking, you will reach the entrance of the cave.
There is no grand entrance and only a hole (that is big enough to fit a large person like me) comes in between the entrance and the cave.
You definitely need a guide for the cave as there are no directions but there are wooden walkways around the cave. The cave is extremely dark at first before the guide turns on the lights.
There is one unique piece of stone green in colour. It is dark green in colourr and shone by the natural light through a hole on the ceiling of the cave. This jade-like stone is the highlight of the cave and during certain time of the day, the scene is spectacular with natural light beaming on the stone.
Like many other caves, you can animals and insects. Spiders are common sight as well as cave toads. Cave toads are darker in colour and they usually stays near the damp area of the cave.
This time around there is no sights of the snakes nor their shredded skin. It took us more than an hour for the hiking and caving. It is a great workout after all those delicious meals I had in Satun and Hatyai. If nature is your game, you will probably spend longer time in this cave.
Phu Pha Phet is also known as Diamond Cave due to its shinny particles in the cave and it is 18 acres in total size. It is highly recommended you get a guide for this tour so that he can explain the history of the cave. The entrance fee is 20 baht and you need to spend at least one hour for a quick tour and more for a full tour. Please wear proper shoes, bring your towel, your own water and some sweet if possible.
Phu Pha Phet Largest Cave in Thailand
Address: Palm Phatthana, Manang District, Satun 91130, Thailand
Phu Pha Phet GPS: 7.124562, 99.998352