Tham Phung Chang

Tham Phung Chang — the Elephant Belly Cave — sits beneath Khao Chang hill on the edge of Phang Nga town, inside the grounds of Wat Tham Phung Chang. The name comes from a rock formation just inside the entrance shaped like a standing elephant, with a line of smaller elephant-like stalagmites trailing further into the passage. Entry costs 500 THB for foreign adults and 200 THB for Thai adults, and it runs daily from around 08:30 to 16:00.

This is not a walk-in cave. Staff paddle visitors in by canoe, then switch to a low bamboo raft for the sections where the ceiling drops close to the waterline — you lie flat to clear them. After the raft stretch, the route continues on foot along the underground stream, following it roughly 1,200 metres through the hillside. Headlamps are provided since there’s no fixed lighting; the whole trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. Inside, stalactites and stalagmites crowd the passage walls, and the sound of the stream and dripping water carries a long way in the enclosed space.

Watch out: book the canoe/raft trip through the temple operators at the entrance rather than expecting to explore independently — the water level and passage height mean it has to be guided.

Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet, since the raft sections put you close to the water and splashes are routine. Closed shoes with a decent grip help on the slippery rock near the entrance and exit points. The cave sits a short drive from Phang Nga town, with parking near Wat Tham Phung Chang’s entrance.

Insider Tip: go earlier in the day if you can — the operators run trips through the afternoon, but a morning slot avoids any backlog behind other groups queuing for canoes at the entrance pool.

Combine the visit with the Sa Nang Manora Forest Park trail or the cave temple at Wat Suwannakhuha, both a short drive away and easy to fit into the same day out from Phang Nga town.