Wat Tham Khao Pun

On the west bank of the Kwai Noi, a short way past the Chungkai War Cemetery, Wat Tham Khao Pun burrows into a limestone hill as a chain of interconnected cave chambers, each lit and lined with Buddha images, shrines, and offerings.

Why It’s Interesting

You wander from grotto to grotto through low, cool passages, the daylight giving way to lamplit altars deep in the rock — a genuinely atmospheric cave temple rather than a polished showpiece. The hill carries a darker memory too: it stood beside a prisoner-of-war camp during the Death Railway years, which lends the quiet a particular weight. Coming straight from the cemetery next door, it makes for a thoughtful, uncrowded west-bank pairing.

Getting There

Cross the river south-west of town and follow the lane past Chungkai War Cemetery; the temple is signposted just beyond. Bring a few coins for the donation box and watch your head in the narrow passages.