The Legend of Phranang Cave

On a day trip to the islands in Krabi Bay, our hired longtail boat pilot told us of a mysterious cave that local people revere as a holy place. One day in Railay, we took a short trek through a jungle path, fending off a monstrous water monitor and a troop of monkeys to reach a secluded bay. There, we found Phranang Cave, a small shrine set alongside the pristine beach, the site of an ancient local legend. This is the legend of Phranang Cave:

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Long ago, there lived a beautiful princess. Some stories say that she was an Indian princess, the daughter of a powerful Hindu king from the west who was shipwrecked and washed up on shore near Krabi. Others say she was a local woman, the daughter of the sultan of one of the former kingdoms of southern Thailand. Whatever the case, every story tells that she was a very beautiful woman of noble birth.

the path to the shrine

The princess met and fell in love with a local fisherman, and their wedding was planned to take place along the beach in Railay.

Unfortunately for them, the son of the Naga, the Hindu snake king and god of the water, grew jealous. He too was in love with the princess, and believed that he deserved to marry her instead of a lowly fisherman.

walking beneath the cliffs to the shrine

The Naga wrecked the wedding, showing up uninvited and attacking the guests. A local shaman, a wise man who lived in the caves of the island and who possessed incredible holy power ran down from the mountains to stop the mayhem.

the secret bay

Unable to control the powerful demigod, the shaman cast a spell in desperation, transforming the entire scene and turning it into stone. 

the site of the shrine

According to the legend, the Naga prince stands frozen in stone, as do the bride and groom. The wedding pavilion was transformed into a cave along the shore, now the site of a shrine. The sticky rice that had been prepared for the wedding was transformed into what is now called "Fossil Shell Beach", and the treasure barge that was bringing the princess' dowry to the beach sunk as a stone, turning into a small island off of the coast.

a small shrine along the way

Nowadays, the shrine is revered by local people, specifically fishermen, who pray for safety on the sea. The shrine was full of wooden offerings and incense, as well offerings of holy cloth and fragrant flowers. Today, it's the holiest site on Railay Beach (which is too small to have a temple). This ocean-side shrine is of particular importance to sailors and fishermen.

Phranang Shrine