Viking Cave

Cave Thailand, Thailand

Viking cave is located on Phi Phi Leh island. The name of this cave comes from some paintings found inside, stylized drawings of some Viking ships. Inside the cave live 5 people in rotation, to preserve a particular species of swallow that produces a very valuable saliva.

Visiting Viking Cave also allows you to discover one of the most profitable local industries: the hunting/harvesting of swiftlet birds’ nests. Particularly prized in Chinese culture, these edible nests are believed to promote good health and to be specifically good for the skin. A local legend says that long time ago, sailors lost their boat during a storm and got stuck without food on one of the limestone islands lying in the mouth of the Phang Nga Bay. A cave located on this island was home to a colony of swiftlet, and the men could survive by eating their nests which gave them enough power to wait for rescue. The harvest of bird’s nests is rather a risky job: scaffolds are built with bamboo on which the hunters climb in the darkness to collect these precious items. Bird’s nests are sold, on average, for US$2,500 per kilo!