Short answer
The Tiger Cave Temple, Wat Tham Suea, near Krabi Town has a stairway of about 1,260 steps to a hilltop Buddha, with the top at 278 metres according to Wikipedia. Older signs say 1,237 steps. Thai Holiday Guide gives 30 to 60 minutes up, 20 to 40 down and 2 to 3 hours in total, and lists daily hours of 06:00 to 18:00 with free entry. Start at dawn, cover your shoulders and knees, bring water and keep food out of sight of the monkeys. Check hours at the gate.
How many steps? About 1,260, depending on who counts
The number most guides give today is 1,260 steps. Wikipedia says the temple once had one stairway of 1,237 steps and that, after a rebuilt section, it now has 1,260, though it marks that update as needing a citation. Wikivoyage also says 1,260, and Thai Holiday Guide says the sign at the base counts 1,260, up from an original 1,237 after a section was renovated and extended.
A travel magazine, Thailand Magazine, says 1,256 and notes that the sign at the base still reads 1,237 because monks added steps years ago. So expect a figure between 1,237 and 1,260 depending on the sign and the source. The number matters less than the shape of the climb: it is steep almost all the way, and Wikipedia says some risers are more than a foot, about 30 cm, high.
How hard is the climb and how long does it take?
Allow two to three hours for the whole visit. Thai Holiday Guide says most visitors need 30 to 60 minutes to climb and 20 to 40 minutes to come down, and that the stairway has handrails along the full climb and small rest platforms roughly every hundred steps. Thailand Magazine suggests about an hour up and says going down was harder on the legs than going up.
The top is at 278 metres above sea level, according to Wikipedia. This is a stair climb, not a hike, so the effort is steady and steep, with no flat stretches. It suits people who are fit and used to stairs. If you have bad knees or a heart condition, or you are unsure, do not push on: the temple grounds and the cave shrine at the bottom are worth a visit on their own.
What you see at the top, and what you can see without climbing
At the top Wikipedia describes a large golden Buddha statue, with other temple buildings and much of Krabi Town visible from the shrine. Thai Holiday Guide adds a pagoda and a carved Buddha footprint in the limestone, and one of the broadest views in the south: karst peaks, the Andaman Sea and the Kiriwong Valley. Thailand Magazine mentions a tap with filtered drinking water at the summit.
If you skip the climb, the base still has something to see. Wikivoyage says the temple is built into the foot of a cliff, with Buddha images along the overhang and a few narrow steps into the cave shrine. A second, easier stairway through the monks' village leads to a valley it calls Wonderland, with smaller cave shrines. Wikipedia says 184 steps lead up to the area where monks live in caves.
Opening hours and the best time to start
Thai Holiday Guide lists the temple as open daily from 06:00 to 18:00 and says entry is free; some visitors report the grounds open around 5 am, and Phuket 101 gives 5 am to 8 pm. We found no official notice of hours or fees, so treat these as a guide and check at the gate. Wikipedia calls it a Thai Buddhist meditation centre, founded in 1975, so be ready to follow the signs and the monks' instructions.
Go early. Thai Holiday Guide says the steps are in the sun from roughly the halfway point and that by 10 am the heat is serious. Sunrise at the summit arrives between about 6:15 and 7:00 am depending on the time of year. If you prefer late afternoon, Thailand Magazine notes there is no lighting on the steps after dark, so plan to be down before sunset. Both sources point to the cooler hours.
Dress code, monkeys and what to carry
Dress for a temple, not a beach. Thai Holiday Guide says shoulders and knees must be covered, and shoes come off inside temple buildings. Thailand Magazine is slightly more relaxed, saying shorts are acceptable as long as shoulders are covered, avoiding see-through clothes, and says sarongs can be rented at the base. The safe choice is a light shirt with sleeves and trousers or a long skirt. Our temple etiquette guide covers the general rules.
Monkeys live on the stairs and around the grounds. Wikivoyage warns that they can bite without provocation, and that signs against feeding them stand next to signs selling monkey food. It says a bite means you need rabies vaccine immediately. Thai Holiday Guide says they will try to take unsecured food and open bottles, so keep bags zipped. Carry at least a litre of water, as Thailand Magazine advises, and wear shoes with grip.
Getting there from Ao Nang and Krabi Town
The temple is about 9 km from Krabi Town and 22 km from Ao Nang, according to Thai Holiday Guide. From Krabi Town a taxi or motorbike takes 15 to 20 minutes. From Ao Nang the same guide says a shared songthaew costs around 150 baht but drops you on the main road, a flat 10 to 15 minute walk from the gate, so tell the driver you want Wat Tham Suea, not the junction. Prices change, so ask before you get in.
A rented motorbike lets you arrive at dawn: Thai Holiday Guide says you can reach the temple by 5:30 am, before any shared transport runs. Read our scooter rental rules before you rent one. Many half-day tours combine the temple with the Emerald Pool and hot springs, which our Emerald Pool guide explains.
How it fits with a boat day from Ao Nang
Give the temple its own morning. Our Krabi 4 Islands speedboat tour, from $35 per person, collects you from your hotel at about 7:30 to 8:40 am and returns at about 2:00 pm, so a dawn climb the same day would clash with the pickup. An afternoon climb after the boat means walking up in the hottest hours, which both guides advise against. The Hong Islands day returns at about 3:30 pm.
A better plan is the temple at dawn on a day without a boat, then the beach or town in the afternoon, and the sea the next day. If you are choosing between island days, read our 4 Islands or Hong Islands guide, and see the tour schedule for times and packing. For other plans around Ao Nang, see our things to do in Ao Nang.
Practical checklist
- Plan to be at the foot of the stairs at 6:00 am, and allow two to three hours in total.
- Wear sleeves and knee-length bottoms, with shoes that grip and can come off easily.
- Carry at least a litre of water and keep food zipped inside your bag.
- Do not feed the monkeys, and keep phones and bottles out of reach.
- Be back down before sunset, as the steps have no lighting after dark.
- Do not schedule the climb for the same morning as a boat tour.
Questions and answers
How many steps are there at the Tiger Cave Temple?
About 1,260, according to Wikipedia, Wikivoyage and Thai Holiday Guide. The older sign at the base says 1,237, and one magazine counts 1,256. Expect a figure in that range.
How long does it take to climb the Tiger Cave Temple?
Thai Holiday Guide says 30 to 60 minutes up and 20 to 40 minutes down, so 2 to 3 hours in total with time at the top and the cave shrine at the bottom.
Is there an entrance fee?
Thai Holiday Guide lists entry as free. We found no official fee notice, so check at the gate and carry small baht notes.
What are the opening hours?
Thai Holiday Guide lists daily 06:00 to 18:00, some visitors report around 5 am, and Phuket 101 gives 5 am to 8 pm. We found no official notice, so check on the day.
Can you wear shorts at the Tiger Cave Temple?
Shoulders and knees should be covered, according to Thai Holiday Guide. Thailand Magazine says shorts are acceptable if shoulders are covered. Long trousers are the safe choice, and sarongs can be rented at the base.
Is the climb safe with children?
The stairway has handrails and rest platforms, but the steps are steep and some are 30 cm high. Judge by your child's stamina, hold hands near the monkeys and read our Krabi with kids guide.