Viking Cave is one of the most popular stops during the Phi Phi Islands trip. It sits at the bottom of a high limestone cliff northeast of Koh Phi Phi Leh, only accessible by boat. This cave owes its name to the different paintings found on its walls, which represent various ships, sailors, and even elephants. Usually, speedboats that are on their way to the Maya Bay stop the boat’s march in front of this high cave in Koh Phi Phi Leh. Inside Viking Cave, you can also see the different sanctuaries or altars that Thai people built to honor the cave spirits.
Today, you can travel back in time to witness the Viking Cave from the boat, where swifts make delicate nests beside ancient wall paintings resembling fearsome Viking ships. A local legend says that a long time ago, some sailors got lost in their boat during a storm, and ran out of food. Finally, they reached a cave located on the island where there was a Swiftlet colony. Ultimately, these men survived by eating the nests, which gave them enough energy to survive.
Bird nests are very popular in Chinese culture and can cost thousands of dollars. Chinese believe that eating these edible nests are good for health, and especially for the skin. The harvest of these nests is quite a risky job, however, because the scaffolding is built with bamboo, and to reach them, you must climb in the dark. So there you go. You will certainly enjoy a quick stop at Viking Cave during a private boat tour with Islander.
