Caves at Phattalung town, south Thailand

Phattalung is a province in southeast Thailand. There are 2 limestone hills in the town of Phattalung.

Khao Ok Thalu is the tall hill to the east of the railway, characterised by a cave tunnel that pierces the hill near the top. This is the view from the station.

Khao Hua Taek is to the west of the railway line.

This is where Wat Khuha Sawan is located. There is a small bat filled cave behind the monks' house. The main cave has a reclining Buddha and is filled with seated Buddhas. Steps lead down to a lower chamber and pool.

You can climb up the steps to the right of the wat by a fat Buddha

and the path leads up through a wood and to a small cave. A monk used to sleep here. There is also a path up to a view point. There are good views over town to Khao Ok Thalu

and other hills in the other direction

We walked from town to Khao Ok Thalu aka Punctured Chest Mountain.

At the cave park is a sign saying Tham Pim, Kuram and Malai are archaeological sites where votive tablets from 8-13th c. were found and dug by Rama IV in 1907.

We then followed the signs to Tham Malai,

walking on the road which runs alongside Khao Ok Thalu. Malai Cave is in a small rock outcrop at the NW end of the main hill. It is about 2 km along this open road which follows a canal and the railway line. It was a nice green walk with the padi fields in front of the limestone hill.

and looking back at Khao Hua Taek.

We visited in July 2003 and Tham Malai was being developed for tourism. There was a small quarry right by the main cave.

We passed a small cave at the bottom of the hill then climbed up steps to a cave with a fat Buddha,

and behind is a larger chamber which goes into an even bigger chamber. There is some nice stal and some bats.

Continuing up to the top, old broken steps lead down to another cave with a large chamber, bats and cockroaches. Workmen were building steps in the cave. There is a view from the top

The 4th cave was presumably Tham Malai. It's a large chamber with steps and when we visited a lot of construction work was taking place.

There is a 5th cave at the back of the new car park, a chamber with creamy colour stal.

© Liz Price
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