Phra Nang Cave (Princess Cave as it is sometimes shown on maps) is a sacred place and should be treated with respect by anybody visiting there. Fishermen and boatmen still make offerings in the form of incense and flowers to ensure a safe journey. More curious though, are the phallic symbols or lingams that are in prominence at the entrance to the cave.
Lingams are a symbol of the Hindu god Shiva and are associated with fertility and virility. In Thailand, Hindu and animist beliefs are incorporated alongside Buddhism. Over the centuries, Phra Nang cave has become associated with fertility and the lingams placed here take the form of carved wooden penises. Local folklore says that if somebody carves a wooden lingam and releases it at high tide anywhere along the Krabi coast, it will eventually end up in Phra Nang cave.
So who is Phra Nang? There are different theories about Phra Nang and how she came to be associated with this particular cave in Krabi. One legend says that an Indian princess was killed in a shipwreck offshore and her ghost occupied the cave. Another story says that Phra Nang was the wife of a local fisherman. One day her husband set out to sea but never returned. According to this story, the woman lived out the rest of her years living in the cave and looking out to sea waiting for her husband to come back.
Another version tells the story of a beautiful maiden who lived in Krabi centuries ago. Her captivating beauty attracted suitors from all around, but she rejected them all. One lovelorn individual reacted angrily when his marriage proposal was rejected and he tried to kidnap the lady, but she was rescued by a brave local man who came to her aid. In appreciation, the lady agreed to marry her rescuer. On the date of the wedding the groom arrived with the traditional dowry, but there would be no wedding. A group of jealous men were there to fight with the would-be-husband. In the fighting that ensued a hermit who had been living in a nearby cave appeared on the scene. His attempts to stop the violence were ignored and he utilized his magical powers to transform the scene into stone. The maiden became Phra Nang Cave. The groom became Chicken Island. Other men involved in the brawl were turned into the various nearby islands including Poda Island.