Tham Suwannakhuha Cave

Tham Suwannakhuha is a cave shrine at the foot of a limestone outcrop in Suwannakhuha district, Nong Bua Lam Phu — not the well-known “monkey cave” temple of the same name in Phang Nga, some 700 km to the south. Entry is free, daily 09:00-18:00.

A Lan Xang-Era Cave Shrine

Tradition dates the site to around 1572, linked to King Setthathirath of Lan Xang, the Lao kingdom whose capital at Vientiane sits across the Mekong from this stretch of Isan. Setthathirath (reigned 1548-1571) is remembered as the ruler who moved Lan Xang’s capital to Vientiane and held off repeated Burmese campaigns during his lifetime; the cave’s principal Buddha image, a large reclining figure carved in Lan Xang style, carries his name — Luang Pho Phra Chai Setthathirath. Antique objects and portraits connected to the historic Lao court are also kept inside.

Inside the cave chamber, naturally formed stalactites and stalagmites frame the Buddha image, giving the shrine a different character from the brick-and-stucco temples more typical of the region — the cave itself does the work that gilded architecture would elsewhere.

Insider Tip: The site draws far fewer visitors than northeastern Thailand’s more famous temples, so there’s rarely a queue to view the reclining Buddha up close — a contrast worth knowing if you’re coming from a busier stop elsewhere in Nong Bua Lam Phu.

Watch out: This is an active place of worship inside a natural cave — footing can be uneven and the interior dim, so bring a torch or use your phone light, and mind the usual temple etiquette (shoes off, shoulders and knees covered, feet not pointed at the Buddha image).

Getting There

Tham Suwannakhuha Cave is at Ban Khuha Pattana, Mu 7, Tambon Na Si, Suwannakhuha district, Nong Bua Lam Phu. Take Highway 210 (Nong Bua Lam Phu-Wang Saphung Road), turn onto Highway 2097 toward Amphoe Suwannakhuha, then follow Phra Chai Setthathirath Road and local signs for the final stretch. View on Google Maps. It pairs well with Phu Khao-Phu Phan Kham National Park or the Shell Fossil Museum elsewhere in the province if you’re spending a full day in the area.