After a week of planned events during orientation I was so excited to go out and start exploring during my first free weekend. There was a group of us that had heard about this temple in a cave that you could hike to (ok, we partly knew about it because Jojo and Jordan went there on the Bachelorette) so we set it up and set off early Saturday morning.
We rode in a songtaow. It is like a big truck that is open in the back with benches inside and poles to hold onto if you dare to stand on the ledge at the back(which I of course love!). We got to the Phraya Nakhon Cave National Park right on the beach and began the hike. The hike was in two parts; the first went up and over a small mountain to another section of the beach; the second was much more intense.
As we made our way up the mountain on the second part of the hike, I felt like Frodo going up the stone stairs into Mordor. We were climbing almost straight up, over huge rock steps; we took many breaks. By the time we got to the top and the trail slopes down into the cave my burning thighs were forgotten. The cave was beautiful and immense, with bright green plants and trees growing within it. That large cave then continued into another where the temple rested atop a lone hill. It was spectacular.
We spent over an hour in the cave, eating snacks, wandering around, relaxing and admiring the beauty. It was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Man-made and natural elements came together in magnificent harmony.
The hike back was a breeze and we ate lunch at a small restaurant and relaxed on the beach between the two mountains for a while before heading back. My first leisure day went splendidly and then I topped it off with a Thai massage! I could get used to this.
The Voyager 