Location: 10.4557505, 99.1056832
Krating Thong Stone Carvings and Cave can be found in the grounds of Wat Tham Krating Thong, 18km south of Chumphon town. Take Road 2006 off Highway 41 and travel for about 4 km till you reach a concrete road to your right (just after a big quarry).
Travel down this road for 2km where the entrance to the temple is on the right. It is signposted in Thai. Driving into the temple complex the first thing you see is an impressive stairway leading to a large rock carving in the side of the hill.
The stone carving of a standing Buddha must be about 5 meters tall.
On both sides of the stairway up to the Buddha large multiple headed nāgas form the handrail.
To the right of the stairway, further along the bottom of the hill, is this large sitting Buddha.
Just to the left of the sitting Buddha is another ornate stairway.
This stairway leads you up to the cave entrance where you will find a place of worship containing a number of statues.
There is lighting in the cave and this can be switched on by using a pole to flick the breaker which is opposite the shrine. Please remember to switch the lights off when you leave. On our last visit not all the lights were working so as always bring a good torch.
The 'Caves & Caving in Thailand' website has referenced this as Cave No. CP0107.
The cave extends into the hill for about 100 meters with a couple of passageways, to the left and to the right. Access has been made easy with a level floor throughout and steps for where the cave descends.
Throughout the cave you will find images of Buddha which have been carved into the cave walls.
One carving you will find high in the loft of the cave.
Only one carving has been decorated.
Within the cave we found a number of these long legged spiders. Believe it's a Giant Huntsman Spider and most probably a female for apparently they eat the males after mating!
There are bats in this cave but not many. I think the carving works has scared them. Was able to get close to these two juveniles.
Comments
Post a Comment