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Khao Kob Cave in Trang

Khao Kob Cave in Trang

khao-kob-cave-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Khao Kob Cave in Trang, Southern Thailand, is a must-visit place if you are into Ecotourism, cave lovers, or adventure tourism.

Coming from a tropical country with many caves, I believe this place has to be one of the most exciting caves I have visited. The nearest town or city is located in the Trang Province, and a tiny area here is Hat Yai.

Khao Kob Cave in Trang

The caves are also located along the way from Hat Yai to Krabi, so it would be easy for drivers to stop here.

Judging from the picture above, you may wonder what goes on inside this cave, locally known as Tham Le Khao Kob and part of the Kao Kob Mountain in this region.

khao-kob-cave-entrance-thailand Khao Kob Cave in TrangKhaoKob Cave Entrance

As this was a familiarization trip with Tourism Thailand, we were brought here via a tour van with an excellent guide who knew the area well. 

As we arrived, we suddenly saw a small office complex at the main entrance to the Kao Kob Caves. Just nearby, two bright gold walls serve as the caves’ main entrance, while well-manicured landscaping surrounds the opening. 


We then crossed a short bridge over a small river, where the natural scenery looked untouched. The name is Khao Kop, and the sign clearly mentions Le Khaokob Cave. Was this meant for the French Cavers? I’ll never know, as I just remembered that I had to ask my guide. 

khao-kob-cave-boats-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Paddle Boats at Kao Kob Caves.

Khao Kob Cave Adventure

As we crossed the bridge, there was a jetty with several paddle boats waiting for us, each with a local boatman who would take up to six persons per boat.

Here’s the fun part – The boatman will decide who sits on which boat, as there were about 8 of us here. Reasons I will explain later.

Once everyone was on board, we made our way through the little river, which had lots of green on both sides. It was refreshing to see so much nature here. 

khao-kob-cave-entrance Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Start of the boat trip towards the caves.

Each boat has its own captain and an assistant. The captain will steer the boat while the assistant becomes the rudder at the back, leading us in the right direction.

As this was purely paddling power, there was no electrical or motorized activity, making this a very Eco-friendly place.

In the beginning, the journey takes about 10 minutes before we reach the cave entrance. First stop, we head in and disembark at a natural platform where we start trekking inside the caves.

khao-kob-caves Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Stunning cave lighting inside.

The authorities here have done a fantastic job with the overall experience. The walkways inside the caves were very clean, and the lighting was spectacular.

It was very well-lit, and the colours were reds, greens, and yellows. Each highlighted the unique areas of the caves. While some would dread the colours here, they looked beautiful.

The trek inside led us to another exit where the paddle boats were waiting for us, and we continued to the next cave.

Entering The Dragon’s Torso

kao-kob-cave Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Entering the Dragon’s Backbone at Khao Kob Cave.

Here’s the fun part. The cave resembles a dragon’s torso, and it is believed that we are travelling through the backbone of a dragon.

As we get deeper inside, the passageway over the water starts to become narrow and lower. This magnificent cave waterway stretches over 800 meters long in here.

Once the ceiling lowers, the captain tells us to lie in the boat, and we will want to do that. 

khao-kob-underwater-cave-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Lying down flat on the boat as we navigate through the dragon’s backbone.

As you can see, we lay down while the captain navigates us through the passageways. Such an exciting ride, I told my friends while they looked worried.

I thought this was a fun ride but did not think much about it as I am used to adventure. Little did I know what was awaiting ahead.

khao-kob-cave-boat-ride-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
The Cave ceiling starts to get lower and lower as we pass through.

The passage became narrower as we inched our way through the rocks. Looking back, I saw the assistant using his hands to navigate us.

Looking up, I noticed the ceiling was getting lower and lower. I was about 70 degrees laid down trying to take pictures (the ones you see here) while Mr Captain told me to lay flat down more seriously. Alright, jokes aside, I better listen to the captain then.

khao-kob-caving-experience Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Dragons Belly, manoeuvring through in a boat. This is the lowest ceiling point.
And it came the most thrilling part of the boat ride. Just take a look at the picture above. There were six of us on the boat, and everyone was laid flat down to pass through there.

I swear, this was the most thrilling ride in my life. As we manoeuvred slowly through this narrow section, I dared not move my head. Parts of the ceiling touched my nose as we skimmed through here.

Here’s the funny part – my tummy got caught on one of the stalagmites at one point, and the boat just stopped. I gave a loud ‘ouch’, and both the captain and assistant started to use their hands to hold the rocks to reverse the ship as we could not proceed.

Talk about needing to lose weight. My friends laughed while lying horizontally, and they managed to reverse the boat to move a few inches to the right to pass this section.

I tell you, it was no joke seeing the ceiling pass through a few inches from your eyes, and this was definitely one of the most thrilling adventures I have experienced in my life.

kao-kob-cave-elephant-foot-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Elephant Foot Stalagmite inside the cave.

The area we passed through must have been about 80-100 meters long, which was most thrilling indeed.

It was known as the dragon’s stomach and could only be accessed when the water level was low. When it rains, the boats cannot go as the waters rise inside the caves.

kao-kob-cave-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Coloured lights give a surreal view inside the caves.
We came to another stop inside the caves, where the journey continued on foot inside. This time, all kinds of mini stalagmites and stalactites were seen.

As incredible as the pictures look, I spent a good time trying my best to photograph these with an 80% success rate.

This is because we had a tight schedule ahead, and the boatmen had informed our guide that rain was approaching. We would have been stuck here if it had rained heavily and the waters had risen.

khao-kob-cave-stalagmites-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Thousands of mini stalagmites lit up in the cave.

kao-kob-cave-stalagmites Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Mini stalagmite formations inside the cave.

kao-kob-caves Khao Kob Cave in Trang
The walkway towards the boats.
kao-kob-cave-praying-alter Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Natural prayer alters inside the cave.
Walking inside the caves, I noticed natural altars formed by Mother Nature, where the local Thai people would come in and pray.

Colourful pieces of cloth were wrapped around certain stalactites, which were prayed to. Each time we passed one, the guide would grasp his palms together and perform the ‘wai‘ in respect.

Seeing him do it made us all follow as well. I asked him who the ‘god’ was, and he said some were guardians of the caves.

thailand-cave-water-droplet Khao Kob Cave in Trang
Droplets of water inside the cave.

Finally, the weather changed drastically when we exited the Khao Kob cave. Dark clouds had formed, and droplets of rain fell.

The boatman spoke to our guide in Thai and then translated it as saying that the gods waited for us to exit before it started raining. It was a good sign, indeed. It was an experience worth telling everyone about and something I will never forget: Water Caving in Thailand.

The cost to rent a boat for a maximum of six people is Baht 200. However, the captain and the assistant should be given additional tips as they did a marvellous job here.

It takes skill to do this, and I hear they are paid very little. So, we chipped in and gave them both a token of appreciation. 

As you exit the cave river, you will be welcomed by locals who have already attached your photograph to a souvenir plate (they took our picture just before we started the boat trip). The souvenir is sold at Baht 150 per plate.

kaokob-tambon-cave-thailand Khao Kob Cave in Trang
The cave office.

After the thrilling experience, this was the only souvenir available, so I bought one. It is not every day that there are hoards of tourists here; therefore, we all bought one each, helping contribute to the tourism economy here.
The overall length of the water cave is 800 meters, while the thrilling lying down part is about 350 meters long. This is one of the best adventure tourism in Southern Thailand and one of the most Eco-friendly tourist attractions here.

There are many other caves in the area for serious cavers, namely the Konthan Cave, Thongprarong Cave, Paeng Cave, Petch Cave, Sawanh Cave, and Ply Caves. Arrangements can be made with the local authorities.

More information about Trang is from Wiki.

For more information on the caves, you can also contact the Tambon Administration Organization at Telephone Number:  0 7527 1426 

Map to Khao Kob Cave in Trang



How to go to Kao Kob Caves?


Directions to the caves are tricky; if you are driving or riding a bike, below is the information.

  • Take the Petkasem Road (Highway 4 from Trang to Krabi)
  • Pass through the town of Huai Yot and turn left at the 7km marker onto the concrete road of the Office of Accelerated Rural Development
  • Travel for 700 meters and the Tourist Center of Tham Le Khao Kop is located at the end
The best way to find this place is to use Waze or Google Maps, or you can go old school and ask the locals if you need directions. 

You should inquire about a half-day quick trip here for those headed to Hat Yai who have extra time. It is about a one to two hours drive from Hat Yai Town.

A tip is to avoid visiting this place during the rainy season as you cannot experience it due to the high waters.

Conclusion

You can read about my travels around Krabi, as I have written several articles covering Ecotourism, nature, and general tourism.

And finally, if you want something different and memorable in Southern Thailand, I recommend you come and experience the Khao Kop Caves in Trang.

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0 comments

comments user
manonthelam

Very cool! Love that you need to lie down in the boat to get through the cave. I love crap like that!! 🙂

comments user
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista

This was quite a journey just reading about it! I have to say this adventure looks so awesome. Its thrilling and beautiful all rolled up in one adventure 🙂

comments user
The Travel Chica

Even being rushed, your photos are incredible. Thanks for sharing because I will probably never see this myself because I would never be able to go through such a tight space in a canoe.

comments user
Christy @ Technosyncratic

Having to lay down in the boat to get through is so hardcore!

Great pictures, though – it's always hard to get good shots with such strange lighting. 🙂

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Manonthelam – Trust me, it was such a rush! Especially when the ceiling scraped my tummy too. Amazing experience.

Laurel – It sure was, I even had some scratch marks on my stomach. Should have taken a picture of it.

Jan – One in a lifetime, you should try it. I thought the cave was 'caving' into me lol.

Christina – Overall, I give this cave a 8/10. Walking and the thrill of the lying down 🙂

Debbie – The best part is that it is not even crowded for a thrilling experience like this. Shows that there are so many adventures out there waiting for us.

Travel Chica – Thank you and I am also glad I took pictures of this to share with everyone. My friends in the boat were too caught up trying to stay sane.

Christy – Hardcore + thrilling was the 2 words for me. Would I do it again? Yes Yes and Yes! And I used my DSLR here too, I forgot to mention that the camera has a few scratches from trying to take pics here .

comments user
Nisha

This is so awesome and thrilling. I bet you had a wonderful time there.

Any first hand tips for others ?

comments user
Malaysia Asia

Nisha – Actually, just come as you are, it's a pretty simple tour. Watch for slippery rocks when walking.

comments user
Miss FJ

Wow… Pretty Cool..
I just came back from Trang.. too bad, I missed this place (T_T)

comments user
Anonymous

It was thrilling indeed. Just came back from Thailand. We visited the Khao Kop Cave. The narrow cave was just 2 inches above my head.

comments user
Unknown

Thank you for the post. Is month of december can be consider good timing?

comments user
Christina

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

comments user
Unknown

It's scare like hell, the two of us just going without knowing about the heavy rain issue and nearly got stuck inside. I managed to stay obey and calm, but my hubby was so scare that he raised his hand to protect his face and got the boatman scratch while trying to protect him. BTW his tummy got scratch too hahaha. We both went out with shaking legs. With a huge compliment for the boatmen, it's still worth every penny. Highly recommended experience

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