Chiang Dao Cave

Chiang Dao Cave is an extensive limestone cave system at the foot of Doi Chiang Dao mountain in Chiang Dao District, about 70 km north of Chiang Mai city. Located within Pha Daeng National Park, it features stalactites, stalagmites and large chambers extending several kilometers. The entrance is marked by Wat Tham Chiang Dao, a Buddhist temple. The cave is notable for its natural formations, religious shrines and guided lantern tours into unlit inner passages.

Visitors can expect a large limestone cave complex at the base of Doi Chiang Dao with both illuminated public chambers and darker inner passages accessible only with a local guide carrying a lantern. The entrance area houses Wat Tham Chiang Dao with Buddha images and shrines. Inside, narrow passages, stalactites, stalagmites, and spacious caverns are visible. The surroundings include forested mountain slopes, temple grounds, and small shops and food stalls near the parking area.

Chiang Dao Cave has been known for centuries as a meditation site for Buddhist monks and hermits. Local tradition associates the cave with a Burmese hermit who established shrines inside. The cave and its temple have long served as a religious retreat and pilgrimage site at the foot of Doi Chiang Dao, one of northern Thailand's most prominent limestone mountains.

The cave is culturally significant as the site of Wat Tham Chiang Dao, a revered Buddhist temple at its entrance. The temple enshrines Buddha images and is an active place of worship and merit-making for local communities. The cave's shrines and statues reflect the integration of natural cave features with Buddhist religious practice.