I Survived Thailand’s Most DANGEROUS Temple: Wat Phu Tok & Three Whales Rock Adventure

Today we're taking on Thailand's most dangerous Temple, a heart-pounding climb towards Enlightenment, where every step tests your courage and every view leaves you breathless. Next, we'll journey to the legendary Three Whales Rock, where ancient stones and panoramic views offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Along the way, we'll connect with friendly locals, savor delicious food, and uncover the secrets of this untouched region. Let’s jump in! Good morning, Country Collectors, and welcome to Thailand's most dangerous Temple, Wat Phu Tok. The temple itself is one of the most unique that I have ever seen. It's built in a faux cave style, complete with stalactites and small alcoves filled with beautiful Buddhas. It's like a cave of tranquility, and I feel like I'm spelunking for inner peace when I'm inside. What makes this such a dangerous Temple is just behind it, where you can see the stunning Sandstone Rock Rise Above. In local Isan language, Phu Tok means isolated Mountain. You climb the rock on a series of steep, narrow, and sometimes rickety wooden Pathways built directly into the side of the mountain. It was built for the monks to test their faith as they climb the seven levels of precarious walkways meant to symbolize the stages of Enlightenment. And before we start the journey, I just wanted to say that this is a temple so you do need to dress appropriately: no short shorts, no stomach showing, sleeveless shirts are a no, and wear closed-toed shoes. The entrance is right here behind me, so why don't we rock and roll and elevate our spirits one step at a time? We'll bring the roosters with us! As you enter it is just so peaceful with the forest all around you. Walking on these rocks, nature—it gets me every time. And something else that they mentioned that makes this dangerous as well is that there are some mischievous monkeys, as well as the possibility of venomous snakes, especially as we get up to that top level. So keep those peepers peeping, people! And just inside the entrance, they have a map of the Seven Levels that we will be ascending today. Alright, let's start the climb. Now these first three levels are supposed to be the most accessible and easy to get to, but it's pretty steep already. Sawasdee khap! So we've already reached level two. I mean, that wasn't so bad, but we have to make a decision—left or right. Just like with Enlightenment, you need to choose your path. Some friendly locals were coming down, and they were so happy, and they suggested that I go to the left, so we're going to do that. Local knowledge always works most of the time. So, we're getting our first view of the actual rock while we're climbing, and the steps have gone from wooden to stone. Definitely the workout for the day! Wow, the rock is so beautiful; it has vines hanging on it. Oh, and I can see up to where we're going. So those first three levels, the accessible ones, were pretty easy. We're about to head up to the next one, and you can see the steep steps that are going up directly into the rock face here. Alright, let's do it! Oh, wow, looks like we're going to go straight into the rocks—so beautiful. Sawasdee khap! How are you? So, we've reached our first little meditation cave. Wow, and they have an actual skeleton here! Huh. Look, we've got a mobile monk right here, cruising on his electric cart. How are you? They gave me some directions. Ah, you got to love it—that kindness of the monks. While we're up here looking out at this amazing view, I just want to tell you how I got here—or how you can get here. You can go and stay in the town of Bueng Kan; it's the capital of this province here. It's a great little town. They have a night market; you can hang out with the locals down on the water while they're boating or working out. This morning, I got up, and I drove a motorbike here. It was so beautiful; I got to see elephants, a cool little market, and some friendly locals. I also explored some temples where I met another incredible Monk and my first ever Temple goat. You could say he was really bleating that Zen Vibe. The monk gave me a tour of the temple, and then he brought me into the private temple and actually, in one of those beautiful Isan acts of kindness, gave me a new amulet, Luang Por Tuad, and it was really touching and so beautiful. He actually took it off of his necklace, and I was so grateful. Then he called up one of his monk friends and FaceTimed him to show him, and then in that true Isan style and generosity, he gave me some food before sending me on my way, which just really gets you right in the heart. And now I’m up here in this private place where these monks meditate, and the monk stopped to give me a bracelet. You know, there's something so special about Isan and its people. They’re so kind and so open, and it's something that you have to experience for yourself, so definitely come here and check it out. Alright, I think I'm going to go and head to find these precarious walkways just ahead. Look at that—so beautiful. So we've reached level five, which is where the caves for meditation happen. These were created so that the monks could come up here and find peace. And it's so much cooler; you can feel how the air just dropped a few degrees. And look at these amazing Red Rocks—wow! I'm kind of at a loss for words being up here. You know, you make this climb, and there are hundreds of these bronze statues… like, how did they get these up here? They’re massive, and they're so lifelike. You know, being here in this nature with these rocks hanging overhead, I can totally see why monks come here to seek that level of Enlightenment. It is so peaceful up here. I haven't gotten to the dangerous part yet, but it's just so quiet and green. So, as I'm wandering around, I found a little viewpoint down here at the monk’s station. Look at this view—stunning, and we're not even at the top yet! This is just level five. There were some tourists down at the bottom, but I really haven't seen many people since I've been up here. And just over here, I can actually see those wooden steps. What a magical place for them to have created this Temple. All you can hear are those little bells tinkling in the shade, with this view that just feels like it goes on forever. Alright, let's go check out some of those precarious walkways. We've made it to the first series of walkways. Wow, these boards are definitely a little bit creaky. It gets very narrow with quite a bit of a drop-off. They've got a little covered area here, but I mean, it's—I just hear the creaking underneath my feet. Whoa, wow, the whole railing just kind of goes. I think I'm going to stay a little bit closer to the inside. Look at this spot here. Oh, whoa, holy heck! So that's one of those boards that you need to look out for. Most of it is pretty solid, but there are some pieces that have definitely been forgotten about. That just got my heart going. Well, so I guess there's a lot of ways to get up to the top here. The way that we went through that little rock face kind of avoided some of these other smaller walkways. Maybe it's better, maybe it's worse—I don't know, but I'm really enjoying this so far. Oh, I wonder where this little area goes to. Oh, hey, there's a bunch of people eating lunch over here. Let's check it out. And in that amazing Isan style, I was just walking along, they were having lunch, and they said, "Gin Khao, gin Khao," come and join us for food. It's so delicious. We're having some som tam, spicy papaya salad; we have a little curry here, a giant bag of sticky rice (I love sticky rice!), and some more fish. Let's jump in! Got to kiss the cook! Talk about a complete meal. I even got a cup of coffee to end it. These people are so nice. It's just—you know, this is supposed to be the most dangerous temple in Thailand, but it's turning out to be the nicest temple in Thailand. Food, friends, coffee, and now we're all charged up to head up to that sixth level that is supposed to be legendary because of the views and the precariousness of that little walkway we're going to be on. So, that's it over there right now—see? Very, very hot… so good. Good luck! Good luck, sir. Yeah, I go climb up to the top now. Okay, see you again. this way? Yeah, up? Yeah, Khop Kun khap, Kop Kun khap. It looks like we've arrived at the stairway to level six. Start that climb and definitely be conscious of your stepping because there's stuff like this where there’s just a missing step. Take a big one! Wow, the views are just breathtaking—or it might be the steps. Could be both. Alright, my calves are burning. Alright, we are up on level six, and I think it’s going to be interesting. Oh wow, check that out. I am cooking right now; maybe it’s those chilies I just ate! Anyway, before we step onto this path, I wanted to tell you that level six is the Detachment Level. The pathways are very narrow, and they’re supposed to test your courage and your concentration. The detachment part is about letting go of worldly possessions and your ego as you focus on walking this very fine line, just like you're supposed to be doing in life. So I just think that's beautiful. Let’s go take these steps on our path to enlightenment. Only one level left after this. Alright, jeez, well that is definitely a loose board. So we're going to make sure that we are focusing while we walk. Kick that back in place. Alright, so this one is definitely less stable than the other ones. I don't know if you can hear the boards beneath my feet, but there's some loose stuff and the drop is about 300 meters, or 1,000 feet. Look at that. Wow. So let's focus, concentrate, and get this done. And as you're walking here, there are some definitely low-lying rocks like this here, so watch your step because one wrong move and you're heading down that way. Definitely the hardest level, and you can like really see the gaps in these boards. It's not something that you want to mess around with. Wow, everything is shaky—jeez. I guess this really is a test of your faith. And it looks like there's also some falling rocks that you should probably look out for. Let's just add another dangerous element to this—falling rocks, who would have thought! Oh, look, there's some extra safety. The boards were broken, so they just laid another board across it. I like it. There's some more discarded pieces—at least they're maintaining it. This one seems a little more solid. Thank you, no worries. And this is two ways, so definitely be courteous and cautious. You can hear the creaking under your feet. Water—be careful, it's definitely slippery in some places where the water’s coming through. There’s another tight little spot here, one of the tighter spots. Yep, that’s right…no, no. I love that teamwork makes the dream work. And I just wanted to point out, as I cautiously go to the edge, this railing doesn’t even come to my hip. So you have to be so careful so you don't end up over the side. And I think that’s one of the things that makes a place like this so special. In America, back home, this would not be possible; they would have giant barriers and glass between you. But in Thailand, you're responsible for yourself, so there’s nothing between you and the beauty of nature out here. And that is one of the cool things about Thailand. It can be a little dangerous, but if you can take care of yourself, then you have the opportunity to see these things as they are and experience them as they are. So come here, be careful, and enjoy the journey. I'm just loving this so far. If you are, please leave me a comment down below and let me know what you think, and if you could do this yourself. Let’s keep going. So there’s definitely a few points that are a little sketchy, but for the most part, I feel like as you’re being conscious of things—like, I’m going to stop while I’m talking to you because I don’t want to fall off the side. And this is a little small gap right up here, but it’s definitely worth it, and it’s not that physically taxing either. Like, there are lots of places to sit down and relax on the way, and you should be taking your time. This should be a journey for you, in your mind, in your meditation, and just taking in this amazing nature that’s here in Isan. It looks like we have reached the steps to the final level. Enlightenment, here we come. Alright, and remember, we're at the top level now—this is the snake and monkey territory, so just be cautious. We got a little bit of a low bridge, and then a little bit of a bridge… bridge and another set of steps. I don’t know if we’re going in the right direction, but we are in a little forest on the top of the rock. Some bamboo. Oh, almost tripped there—that would have been bad. Another little climb around here, very narrow. Hope I can find my way out of here, or I'm going in the right direction, ’cause this is definitely kind of grown over. Nobody ever said enlightenment was easy. I’m stuck. Okay…oof, this is one of the hardest parts. Oh, I don’t know what that was. Yeah, wow, that drop is significant; it’s around 1,000 feet. I’m just going to try to focus on the trail right now because I do not like… look, there’s my foot, there’s the drop. Oh, I see a little clearing just ahead. I think we made it… we did! I see the flags. Yes! Woo, there are those beautiful flags—we made it. I am so proud of us. Thank you for being here, because that’s what makes this so special for me. I totally get why they call this the most dangerous temple in Thailand, because there were a few times where my heart was beating pretty hard, like when that board snapped under my feet, and some of those walkways had my knees shake. But it was totally worth it. I mean, look at this view. You can see that temple down there where we started today. We have come so far, but there is one more place that I want to take you to before we say goodbye, and that is Three Whales Rock, another hidden gem here in Isan. And it’s supposed to be wh beautiful. So I’m going to take a couple of minutes, catch my breath, enjoy the view, and then I'll see you when we get over there. Alright, we have arrived. I’m in the back of a pickup truck right now, and it is a little bit of a bumpy ride, but that’s okay because I’m not walking, and my dogs are barking right now from that climb. After we finished at the rock in the monastery, I actually stopped and had some lunch. Then I went and saw a beautiful local waterfall that was so worth going to. I arrived here and bought my ticket for 100 baht to enter, and then 500 baht for the ride in the pickup truck. And now we are heading up through the jungle. The temperature is so nice right now, this breeze, and I’m so glad I’m not walking uphill. Look at this—it’s just like up and up and up. I’ll see you when we get there. Three Rock wheel… three Rock wheel, the whale’s this way. Alright, we have arrived at the Three Rock Whales. I’m really excited, and just in case you didn’t know, this is a very steep drop-off, so they’ve been nice enough to put a little “Danger, Steep Cliff” sign, and I appreciate it. Let’s go. Wow, the view out here is absolutely killer; you can’t even begin to fathom it. I know that’s terrible, but what are you going to do? This place is just amazing. You can see trees and the Mekong River. As I’m walking out here, the wind is blowing so hard that it’s actually blowing me around. They have their safety; it’s these little yellow pieces of tape that just kind of like go out to the end of the rock, and if you stay on the inside, you’re safe, and if you go on the outside, you’re not safe. As I’m flying the drone around, it’s so stunning. It looks like three whales swimming in the green. And there’s a mama whale, a baby whale, and a daddy whale—that’s the one that we’re standing on right now. They even look like they have barnacles on them, that’s how whale-like they look. Sorry, I’m tired. It’s been a long day; we had a lot of great stuff. You can see the wind blowing me around. This place is 75 million years old, and there are some myths and mysteries surrounding it. Some people think that it was made by aliens as a landing pad for their ships. Science says that it was made by the tectonic plate shifting and then pushing these rocks up, which then were smoothed out by the rain. But I prefer the local legend, and that is that there were a family of whales swimming in an ancient sea that dried up, and they were trapped here and became stone. And they are forever swimming in this incredible ocean of green that is surrounding them, with a view that is just to die for… literally, if you go over the line, you will die for it. So stay inside, people. Alright, we are approaching the edge right now, and I’m going to be honest—I’m a little bit scared. Not as much as before when we were at the monastery, but this is pretty crazy. It literally just drops off. And look at that—right here is the safety, okay… not okay. I got out of the wind just next to the whales at this beautiful viewpoint with the sun setting here behind me. It’s also the Harry Potter broomstick jump photo stop. I actually got a really good one, so I’m pretty impressed. I love Hogwarts, and Gryffindor is my door right there, baby. Anyway, what a day. It was so beautiful. Climbing that temple this morning was really a test of faith; it was so hard but so worth it. The waterfall, the friendly monk, the friendly people—Isan is amazing. And then we got to end here with the whales in an ocean of green. It wasn’t easy to get here, it wasn’t easy to do these things, but I think that that is a great lesson. It’s the things that are hard, it’s the things that are not easy, that make us the best versions of ourselves and make the best adventures. So don’t shy away from the hard things, because they are what is going to be the best. If you enjoyed this video, please give me a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don't forget to DLING, DLING, DLING, DLING the whale. I'll see you next time. Kop Khun khap!