When the abbot of Wat Phayap learned that blasting for a quarry in Saraburi Province was destroying a beautiful cave, he rescued pieces of it and plastered the stalactites, stalagmites and other incredible rocks all over a room below his residence, creating a shrine like no other.

The walls and, very unusually, roof of the beautiful new bóht next to the cave shrine are made of polished granite.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Suranari Hall

0.14 MILES

This little white building is a sort of museum to local heroine Thao Suranari, with a cool diorama and an even cooler sculpted mural of the famous battle…

2. Thao Suranari Monument

0.27 MILES

Thao Suranari, wife of the assistant governor during Rama III's reign, is something of a Wonder Woman in these parts. Ya Mo (Grandma Mo), as she’s…

3. Chumphon Gate

0.27 MILES

The city's only original gate left standing. It was a part of the city walls erected in 1656 by French technicians on the orders of King Narai (Ayuthaya)…

4. Chang Phueak Shrine

0.33 MILES

The wooden pillar at the centre of this small shrine was once used for tying up sacred 'white' elephants that passed though Khorat on their way to be…

5. Pratu Phonsaen

0.47 MILES

An ornamental city gate built in the location of the original northern gate.

6. Maha Viravong National Museum

0.48 MILES

Though the collection at this seldom-visited museum is very small, it's very good. There's prehistoric pottery (don't miss sneaking a peek at what's…

7. San Jao Lak Meuang

0.56 MILES

Khorat's city pillar shrine is pretty ordinary, but it has a large Dan Kwian (a nearby pottery village) ceramic mural on the wall beside it. It shows…

8. Wat Phra Narai Maharat

0.61 MILES

This large temple is of interest primarily for three holy Khmer sandstone sculptures that were unearthed here – Vishnu (Phra Narai in Thai) is the holiest…