Not far from Wat Ao Noi, right by the sea, lies the Khan Kradai Cave, better known as Wat Ao Noi Cave or Tham Phra Non (Cave of the Reclining Buddha). The name refers to the largest cave, accessible by climbing over a hundred steps, whose first two chambers each contain a statue of a reclining Buddha. The second chamber displays rows of seated Buddhas. From the beach, after the first few steps, you'll see a small staircase to your left, decorated with shells, especially oyster shells. At the top, you'll find two halls built on stilts. One hall on the left is also almost exclusively decorated with oyster shells, while the other is simpler. Beyond this, you'll find a small cave with a row of Buddha statues. The ascent to the large cave with the reclining Buddha statues begins directly in front of you via the staircase leading up to the sea.

Free admission. Open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This visit is part of a lovely little tour to Ao Noi, which I highly recommend. You can easily do the tour yourself by bicycle (there are bike rental shops in town along the beach promenade). Follow the road from Prachuap Khiri Khan mountain towards Khao Chong Krajok to the cave. You'll cycle along the sea for most of the approximately 8 km route. For the first half of the route, there's also a dedicated cycle path along the beach.

The Khan Kra Dai cave is a temple. When visiting a temple in Thailand, there are some rules to observe: appropriate clothing (knees and shoulders should be covered), remove shoes upon entering the building, be quiet, no hugging or kissing, do not point your feet at the Buddha statue, and do not smoke.

How to get there

How do you get to Khan Kra Dai Cave? This visit is part of a lovely little tour to Ao Noi, which I recommend for a self-guided bike ride (there are bike rental shops in town along the beach promenade). Follow the road from Prachuap Khiri Khan Mountain (Khao Chong Krajok) to the cave. You'll cycle along the sea for most of the approximately 8 km route. There's also a dedicated bike path along the beach for the first half of the route.