Tiger Temple

Tiger Temple Review

Tiger Temple (or Wat Pa Luanta Bua Yannasampanno) is a forest monastery that houses several kinds of animals on its grounds, most notably tigers that have been cared for since 1999. At 3 pm every day the 30 or so tigers are let out of their cages into a canyon. Visitors are lined up for a photo op that lasts no more than a minute. The rest of the day, you can see some of the tigers in their cages, as well as peacocks, wild boars, and water buffaloes. Controversy surrounds the sight—locals are concerned about visitor safety (though no injuries have been reported), suspicions that tigers are drugged, and the presence of commercialism unbefitting a temple, in light of steadily increasing entry fees. (Temple officials say the price hikes are necessary to fund the creation of a larger environment for the tigers.) Many tour operators claim they'd rather not promote the site, but can't afford to lose customers. To get here, look for the sign posted on the right of the road to Sai Yok National Park or book a tour with one of the private agencies in town.