Tham Le Khao Kob: An unseen cave boat ride you can’t miss

If you’re headed to, or through Trang province, the Tham Le Khao Kob cave is one activity worth your time! Conveniently located between Krabi and Trang, this little adventure is a perfect little stop if you’re travelling between.

Tham Le Khao Kob is a limestone cliff with a naturally formed cave system. Locals have put together an excellent guided activity to take you through this system on a little plastic boat. You’ll be on and off of the boat to explore some sections by foot, and, if that section is open, you’ll experience the “Dragon’s Back” which is a point in the cave where the water sits very close to the roof of the cave with just enough space for the boat to fit through. There’s no room left to paddle and the boat is moved through the cave by pushing and pulling against the ceiling of the cave!

How to get there

Traveling by yourself with a car or motorcycle is the best way to get there. The cave is just a few minutes from the main highway connecting Trang and Krabi, 30-40 minutes outside of Trang city and approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Krabi. Open in Google Maps.

We haven’t seen any tours running to Tham Le Khao Kob, Trang isn’t super popular with foreign tourists, and the attraction may be too small to run tours from Krabi – the activity lasts around 1 hour.

If you don’t have a motorcycle or a car, another option is to pay a taxi, or a driver for the day and visit as part of a day trip.

Best time to go

Our guide did mention that the low parts of the cave, which we thought were the coolest parts, can be inaccessible when the water level is high. Check with the operator before travelling to find out which sections are open, especially after heavy rain.

Phone: +66 92 651 2132
Opening hours: Local-authority listings give an 8am opening but differ on closing time; confirm before travelling.

When we were there in April it was very quiet and peaceful, but consider that it’s a very Thai attraction, so Thai holidays and weekends will see more visitors.

Cost

One guided boat costs 300 baht. Check the permitted passenger limit with the operator for your group's size. Our guides were excellent so we also gave them a little tip.

What to expect

After you arrive there’s a car park and scenic little river with blue boats parked up. Head over to purchase your entry and your guide(s) will take you down to the waterfront and help you in to the little blue boat. We had parked and were on the boat in minutes.

Your guide will paddle you around the river to the back of the cliff where eventually you’ll enter the cave system. It’s a series of large and small passages where you’ll be in and out of the boat a few times to explore artificially lit sections of the cave. Your guide will show you around and point out a few things of note, including this intricately shaped stalagmite – what do you think our guide called this? 😆

If the last section is open, look forward to being dragged through a tiny section of the cave for a bit of an adrenaline rush!

In total the activity is just 40-60 minutes, but well worth your time if you’re in Trang or passing by!

Extra tips

Bring your own waterproof head torch, and ask the operator what other equipment you need.

There’s a few food and drink stalls in the area.

In the cave, do not touch the stalactites or stalagmites. Oils on our skin can stop these formations from growing.

Not recommended if you are extremely claustrophobic or fear dark, tight spaces – a little claustrophobia might make it more fun though 😛