Wat Khao Tham Prathun

Wat Khao Tham Prathun’s main draw is its ordination hall, built almost entirely from tree roots and old hardwood — teak and makha among them — rather than cut timber assembled in the conventional way. The roots are hand-carved into images of the Buddha, Guan Yin, and other revered figures, an unusual piece of religious woodwork for a rural temple in Thap Luang subdistrict, Ban Rai district, Uthai Thani.

Behind the temple rises a limestone hill riddled with caves. The main one to see is reached by climbing roughly 700 steps up the hillside — a genuine workout in Uthai Thani’s heat — to a replica Buddha footprint at the top, where the forested plain of Ban Rai district opens out below. Bring water and expect the climb to take a while; there’s no shade for most of the stairway.

Insider Tip: Go in the early morning before the heat builds, both for the climb and for better light on the root-carved sanctuary, which sits in deep shade for most of the day.

The temple grounds also hold a large pond crossed by wooden bridges built from natural, unmilled timber — a quieter spot to sit after the climb. As with any working temple, dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) and remove your shoes before entering the ordination hall.

Watch out: The 700-step climb is unshaded limestone stairway, not a maintained park trail — sturdy shoes matter more than they would at a typical hilltop temple.

Wat Tham Khao Wong, another cave temple in Ban Rai district, and Pha Rom Yen Waterfall make reasonable pairings for a day out in this part of Uthai Thani. For the wider area, see Uthai Thani.

Getting There

Wat Khao Tham Prathun is located at Ban Rai, Uthai Thani. View on Google Maps.