Tham Pum and Tham Pla Cave ‘See the stalacmites and pay respect to the Buddha statue.’
If you want to see beautiful caves with water, it’s not as difficult as you think. Even we’re in the age of technology and sciences are developed everyday, there are still many natural places in the world left for us to visit.
Take Pong Ngam District in Chiang Rai as an example. This district is full of beautiful caves with water. They are like some scenes in many movies you have seen.
And Tham Pum and Tham Pla Cave are the most suggested ones. You should get to them at least once in lifetime. You will not want to miss them.
Tham Pla Cave:
Also known as Wat Tham Pla Cave, this cave is about 1.5 metres high and 2.5 metres wide. You can find it under a limestone mountain. The best part of it is the cool water that flows from the entrance all the time, causing a fresh and relaxing atmosphere. There are also countless fishes swimming around in the water. Some of them are rare species. But some of them are ordinary and were released by some people.
In English, the word ‘pla’ means ‘fish’ and the word ‘tham’ means ‘cave. Now you can see why the cave is called ‘Tham Pla Cave’.
Beside of fishes, there are also monkeys. These monkeys may be mischievous, but they are typically not dangerous. In fact, they are cute. If you have a food bag with you, they probably sit near you and beg some bites of food from you. Anyway, don’t feed them or any other animals arbitrarily, as your foods may be bad for them and you may also make the place dirty.
Lastly, at Tham Pla Cave, you can pay respect to ‘Phra Song Kruang’, a Burmese-style Buddha statue, for your own good fortune.
Tham Pum Cave:
This cave is located on a mountain, not under a mountain like Tham Pla Cave. Therefore, if you want to go, you need to be in perfect health, as you will have to walk along a tough stairway, in order to go all the way up to the cave. This may sounds exhausting. But after you reach it, you should feel better. The scenery on the top is stunning. It is able to comfort your exhausted mind and body. You will see a 200-year-old lion statue at the entrance. Inside the cave, there is a series of sparkling stalagmites. They look like buttons. That makes them called ‘Tham Pum’.
Tham Pum is 60 metres long and 1.50 metres wide. The path is quite rough and dark. For your own safety, you should bring a tour guide and a flashlight with you.
How to get there
Tham Pla Cave:
Tham Pla Cave is located at Area 5, Ban Huai Poo Kaeng, Pong Ngam District, Mae Sai County, Chiang Rai Province.
The best way to go is to be in Mae Chan County first, as you will have to head for Mae Sai County by using the Highway No.10. After that point, try to look for the 877th and the 878th kilometre poles. Turn left when you see them. Then you should find the exact direction, which required about 1.5 kilometres, to Tham Pla Cave.
Tham Pum Cave:
Tham Pum Cave is located at Ban Dong, Area2, Pomg Ngam District. It is not too far away from Tham Pla Cave.
This is not too far from the southern side of Mae Sai County. Just drive along the Highway No.110. After the 12 kilometres, you will see it. There is some parking areas for you. Just park your car and resume the trip with your feet.
Nearby Places
The market here was traditionally known for gemstones and as a place where Thai traders picked up products (legal and illegal) from Burma and where Burmese stocked up on items not easily found, or more expensive, across the border. These days the incoming products are overwhelmingly Chinese mass-produced goods: clothes, electrical items and housewares.
The area is full of beautiful natural scenery and ancient temples, so it isn’t like it’s not worth a visit. The typical sights on a golden triangle tour are the town of Mai Sai, where you can even cross into Burma for some shopping; the small village of Sop Ruak, where the Ruak and Mekhong rivers meet, forming the borders of three countries.
Just travel for about 29 minutes from Tham Pum and Tham Pla Cave, you will reach the place. Choui Fong Tea Plantation, the branch in Mae Chan County provides you the extra comfortable atmosphere, with descending tea lots, cafe, desserts, drinks, quality products from fresh tea.
The palace is only about 19 kilometres away from Tham Pum and Tham Pla Cave. This was the first palace of Princess Srinagarindra, the royal mother of King Bhumibol. The architecture looks so stunning with Swiss Chalet-Lanna style. Feel free to explore the whole place, even inside the royal bedroom. But photography is prohibited in indoor area.
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