The monkey temple in Khao Lak, and the temple tours

The monkey temple of Khao Lak is Wat Suwannakhuha, also written Suwan Khuha, a cave temple in Phang Nga province. The Thai government's Phang-nga guide calls it one of the province's important temples because of its history and archaeology, set on a mountain with a number of caves.⁴ It lies about 9 kilometres from Phang-nga provincial town, so plan for a drive from the coast rather than a nearby stroll.⁵

The largest cave is Tham Yai, on the lowest level, decorated with ceramic tiles and crockery along its length. It serves as a wihan with several Buddha images, and the most important is the Reclining Buddha.¹ A listing for the day tour calls it the Suwan Khuha Cave Temple and mentions its golden reclining Buddha. In another cave, the guide notes initials left by kings and royal family members.⁶

The monkeys are why many people search for the monkey temple in Khao Lak. According to the guide, the space before the cave is where a large number of monkeys come to feed.² The same guide lists an admission of 10 baht, though it is an older printed figure, so check the current price at the gate.⁷ Treat the visit as a visit to a place of worship that happens to have wildlife, and not the other way round.

North of Khao Lak, a 4 hour tour strings together the Takua Pa food market, a new Tsunami Museum, the Kong Ka Temple with its pagoda and the old town. It is a gentler alternative for people who find a very long day too much, and it keeps the temple in a 4 hour slot. The listing states that knees and shoulders should be covered and that shoes, hat and sunglasses come off in temples and places of worship.

Several rafting days include a temple stop. A 7 hour small group tour spends 30 minutes at the Phanthurat Temple between the elephant centre and lunch, before rafting the Sok River. A 4 to 4.5 hour Sok River tour pairs bamboo rafting with a cave temple with monkeys and the Khao Sok View Point. A 9 hour adventure day adds the Wat Tham Suwan Khuha stop to an ATV, a zipline and rafting.

For history, the government guide mentions Wat Narayanikaram in Kapong district, where replicas of Narayana and Lakshamana are enshrined with the original Sida image. An inscription stone of 1,300 to 1,400 years old was found on Khao Riang in the temple grounds.¹⁶ The guide ties these finds to Takola, the old name of Takua Pa, and to the introduction of Indian culture to the region. No tour on this page lists it, so it suits independent travelers. The same listing works as a 3 temple tour from Khao Lak for travelers who prefer one long day to several short ones.

A cave temple with monkeys invites you to hand out food, and the guide itself describes the space before the cave as where the monkeys feed.² That does not mean visitors should feed them. TAT's guidance on encounters with wildlife lists refraining from feeding wildlife and avoiding close interactions among its basic rules.²⁵ The advice was written for elephants, but it applies to any wild animal.

Keep food and plastic bags out of sight, put your phone away while you walk past, and do not reach toward a monkey. If one approaches, step away calmly instead of shouting or running. Temple staff and guides know the habits of these animals better than a visitor can, so follow their lead, and keep your distance even when an animal looks tame.

Be careful with children near the cave, and hold small hands. Keep sunglasses and loose items inside a zipped bag. The visit is better if you bring nothing edible at all and enjoy the sculptures, the tiles and the cool air of the cave. Nothing here replaces a guide's instructions, which should always come first, and a short pause outside the cave to let a group pass keeps the path clear for everyone.