Climbing the 1,260 Steps to Tiger Cave Temple, Krabi

Tiger Cave Temple, also known as Wat Tham Suea, is a Buddhist temple located just northeast of Krabi Town in Thailand. It’s one of the most sacred temples in Krabi Province, likely due to the legend that tigers used to roam the area and rest in the caves here.

Today, Tiger Cave Temple is famous for the supposed tiger paw prints in the cave, impressive Buddha statues, and the challenging climb to reach the summit. The climb requires you to hike 1,260 winding steps up and around a limestone mountain to reach it, which makes for a fairly incredible workout.

After several days of relaxing on Thailand’s beaches, I was keen to do something active. And while climbing up to the temple isn’t technically challenging, it is quite hard work!

How to get to Tiger Cave Temple

Tiger Cave Temple is located just 15 minutes from Krabi Town or 30 minutes from Ao Nang. Both of these locations are well-connected, and as the Tiger Cave Temple is a well-known destination, arranging transportation is easy.

Tuk-Tuks: If you’re staying in Krabi Town, one of the most fun and budget-friendly ways to get to Tiger Cave Temple is by tuk-tuk. You can easily flag one down, and the ride should cost around 150-200 baht each way for up to two people. From Ao Nang, the cost is a bit higher, usually around 300-400 baht each way.

Songthaew (local bus): The cheapest option would be to take a songthaew, which is a shared open-air bus. These run frequently from Krabi Town, and the ride should only set you back around 50-60 baht per person. From Ao Nang, songthaews start from about 150 baht. This is a great option if you’re travelling solo or want to experience local transport, though it may take a little longer as the songthaews make frequent stops.

Scooter Rental: Renting a scooter is one of the most popular ways for backpackers to explore Krabi. You can rent a scooter for about 200-300 baht per day, and the ride to the temple from Krabi Town is only around 15-20 minutes. Gas typically costs around 40 baht per litre, and you’ll probably spend about 50-60 baht on fuel for the round trip.

Private Taxi: If you’re travelling with a group or prefer a more comfortable ride, hiring a private taxi might be best for you. A round-trip journey, with the driver waiting for you during your climb, usually costs around 500-600 baht from Krabi Town and 800-1,000 baht from Ao Nang. Be sure to negotiate the price before setting off.

By joining a tour: If you don’t want to navigate yourself, there are many tours to Tiger Cave Temple available from Krabi Town and Ao Nang. These are usually combined with other highlights in the region, such as the Emerald Pool, hot springs, or waterfalls, making it a full-day trip. This day tour is a good option.

How long does it take to hike to Tiger Cave Temple?

Tiger Cave Temple sits on top of a 270-metre mountain, requiring you to scale 1,260 steps to get there! There is a sign at the bottom of the stairs that says there are 1,237 steps to the top, but the staircase has since been renovated, and the climb is now 1,260 steps. Every step matters when you’re climbing in the heat!

Depending on your fitness level, it will likely take you anywhere between 40 minutes and an hour. There are several benches on the way up to sit and take a break if needed, so you can certainly take your time.

All in all, I’d allow about 2.5 hours to give you enough time to ascend, explore the temple at the top, and descend.

Tiger Cave Temple entrance fee and costs

Good news! There’s no entrance fee to climb Tiger Cave Temple. It’s free to visit, although donations are welcome to help with the temple’s upkeep and maintenance.

If you’re renting a scooter, there’s a small parking fee at the base (around 10-20 baht), and you’ll find a few vendors selling water, snacks, and fresh coconuts — a refreshing reward both before and after the climb. Be sure to carry some cash for any purchases or small donations at the temple’s summit.

What to expect when hiking to Tiger Cave Temple — tough, but worth it

As a keen hiker, I was eager to tackle the climb to the top of Tiger Cave Temple. I’m reasonably fit, but I still found the 1,260-stair climb to be a challenge, particularly in the Thai humidity. The steps differed in height and distance apart, and many were quite uneven. That being said, many children and elderly people were successfully reaching the top, so I think that with the right attitude and preparation, most people can do it.

Thailand can get very hot and humid, particularly here in the south, so plan to hike Tiger Cave Temple early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat. You’ll also be climbing over 90 flights of stairs, which means you’re going to sweat. Be sure to bring enough water and snacks to keep your energy levels up.

Unlike the name would suggest, there are obviously no tigers on this hike, but there are a lot of monkeys. These monkeys are seasoned pickpockets. They know that people keep food in their backpacks and will unzip, snatch, and run. They successfully pinched a whole pack of biscuits from me, and given that I hadn’t had my rabies vaccinations, I wasn’t prepared to fight for them. Fortunately, they didn’t bother to climb up further than the first few hundred steps, so we were left alone after that.

As you climb, you’ll occasionally catch glimpses of the surroundings through the trees. The views are beautiful, showcasing the tropical rainforest and limestone karst mountains of the Kiriwong Valley.

Once we reached the top, we were treated to stunning 360° views of the surrounding area. The temple itself was staggering, with gold, ornate detailing, and impressive Buddha statues peppered around the site. The sky was dark and stormy, and I personally think this made the temple look even better.

While climbing up those 1,260 steps was quite the challenge, Tiger Cave Temple really was a phenomenal reward.

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