So this is bit of a secret, and a secret that the Monks living there wish to share. If you have an interest in confined places, with no fear of claustrophobia then taking on the adventure to find the beauty that is the Crystal Caves in Kanchanaburi might just be what you need.
If you have been to Khao Bin Caves or followed my story on it, the Crystal Caves is nothing like them.
To start with there is a sign just outside Wat Tham Khao Noi which will point you in the right direction to get started towards the caves. Basically it is approximately 10 minutes drive past the right turn into Wat Tham Khao Noi.
The English signs end pretty quickly so try and keep following the blue signs. You will turn off the ‘main’ road and head up a long concrete road to the top of the mountain.
At first glance it may feel like you are heading in the wrong direction but have patience.
At the top, there is a temple, partly under construction, a few monks live on the premises. Past that, there are no signs indicating you have arrived at the Crystal Caves. Follow down the pathway to gain access to the 3 caves.
Now exploring these caves really brings you back to basics. There are no safety features here, makeshift steel ladders crudely fastened to the walls make easier work of the hands and knee crawling in the tight confines of the crystal lined walls and ceilings that would make Heisenberg jealous.
The easiest and most spacious of the caves is the 1st, right at the end of the walkway. I did spot a few bats in this cave, not many, and they remained undisturbed throughout my visit.
As for depth of experience, the 3rd cave has 9 caverns within it, but wear long sleeve clothing as you will be crawling through some pretty tight places if you truly wish to see it all.
The dripping crystallized stalactite’s clusters that are found deep in the caves are simply breathtaking. The walls are covered with sparkling snow crystals.
Tourists are encouraged to ask for more information about the cave from the monks who reside in the meditation centre area.
They are extremely eager to have more tourists explore the caves, though not ideal for larger groups due to the extremely confined spaces.
Currently only 1 car load of visitors explore the caves daily so expect to have the whole place to yourself to explore.
GPS direction to the Crystal Caves in Kanchanaburi
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