Khao Pathawi

Rising from the flat central plains in Thap Than district, Khao Pathawi is a Triassic limestone hill in Uthai Thani province. Its weathered grey cliffs stand out sharply against the surrounding rice country, and the shaded slopes are home to resident troops of monkeys that visitors often meet on the way up.

The hill is honeycombed with caves. Tham Prathun and Tham Rusi — the Hermit Cave — hold stalactites and stalagmites, and it was around Khao Pathawi that archaeologists uncovered stone tools and prehistoric human skeletons, evidence that people lived here thousands of years ago. A small local museum nearby displays some of these finds alongside regional history.

A flight of steps and shaded paths lead up through the trees to viewpoints over Thap Than’s fields and the low hills beyond. Mornings are cooler and quieter, and the monkeys are most active early and late in the day. The atmosphere is rural and unhurried rather than developed — no large facilities, just the hill, its caves and the farmland around it.

Khao Pathawi sits roughly 38 km from Uthai Thani town, reached by local roads through Thap Than district, and your own transport is easiest. Entry is free. Bring water, sun protection and shoes with grip for the steps, and keep food out of sight of the monkeys. It makes an easy half-day stop on a loop of Uthai Thani’s caves and limestone scenery.