Bo Aong Pagoda

Phra That Bo Ong is a small, ancient Mon-style stupa that stands on a rocky limestone outcrop in the Vajiralongkorn (Khao Laem) Reservoir, deep in the remote Pilok area of Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi. Barely six metres tall, it is revered by local Karen and Mon communities and reached only by boat across the lake — a quiet, little-visited shrine rather than a grand temple.

The stupa sits alone on its islet, weathered by the elements and ringed by the reservoir’s still water. There is no prayer hall or resident monastery here; the draw is the setting — a tiny whitewashed chedi mirrored in the lake and framed by forested hills. Each year on the full moon of the fourth lunar month, Karen and Mon devotees make the boat pilgrimage out to pay their respects.

Getting here takes effort. Pilok is a long, winding drive from central Kanchanaburi, and the stupa itself is accessible only by longtail boat hired from the reservoir shore. Combine it with the wider Pilok mining-village and Khao Laem scenery, go in the cooler, drier months, and bring everything you need — this is a far-flung corner with few facilities.