Located 3 hours outside of Bangkok, it is no easy drive.
The temple itself, is in fact a temple. Don't let all the green and yellow shirted pompous volunteers fool you. Being such, you need to dress appropriately. Which you should be doing anyways when around animals that can tear your flesh when they simply roll over. Being appropriately dressed means that you should be wearing a shirt that has sleeves, short or long it doesn't matter, and longer shorts. No daisy dukes or denim cut offs in church!
Once you have accomplished clothing yourself, you are ready to enter. There are guards that prohibit you from entering before that if you attire is inadequate. You wander through the scant area that they call wildlife, consisting of mostly deer and boar and make your way to 'Tiger Canyon'. A depression in the land where they have build a fake waterfall and scenic landscaping for photography with the tigers. Use the term scenic lightly. But you do get to touch them! They are so lethargic that they seem sedated. One or two seemed actively paying attention, but not bodily so. You are lead through one at a time, but a guide whose hand you hold the entire time except during the photos. They take you to 4 or 5 tigers with which you take photos. You will always be lead around to the back of the tiger where you will crouch and pose. If you are lucky you can take a picture with a tiger on a rock or if it is working, a waterfall. There is no real need to fear for your safety since the tigers are chained to their posts with enough distance from each other that they will not scamp. There are probably a total of 15 or so tigers.
The guides themselves are largely untalkative and very restrictive, but remember it's for your safety. That couple shot you wanted with you, the tiger, and your honey. Not happening.
After the little photo session you can move on to see tigers playing in the water on a good day. These tigers are young adults therefore think it is still fun so frolic, and therefore are too dangerous to let the public near. Therefore, it should be needless to say that these tigers are in an enclosure that is not open to the public except for viewing. All through out here and the rest of the park you will now find the wildlife again: deer, boars, and even horses. You will also find a tiger cub encampment. These little guys too are chained to the ground and are open season for cat lovers. You can pet them, take picture of them, bath them as much as you like with out a hovering guardian. That isn't to say there isn't a care taker nearby, there is, but there are perhaps 30 people to the one or two of them. The cubs too are tired and lethargic. Possibly they wear them out early in the day when the temple is closed ( it opens around one I think). Personally, I think it is a bit expensive to keep ordering tranquilizers to keep the animals so calm, but it is definitely a theory that is out there. But it you have ever had a dog (yes dog, not a cat) you know how to get an animal to respond. I got one the little cubs rolling over and snapping at me a bit, but the spirit was short lived as it returned to its sprawled rest.
The park advertises that you can feed and bath the little guys, but I had no such time. Also I am betting that these advertisements did not include the fee that I bet comes with them. Lastly there is one more thing you can do, which is to take a photo with a monk who feeds an adolescent tiger milk from a bottle. This tiger is very awake, upright, and active. And will adorable paw the monk to get a better angle on the bottle.
In my opinion the trip was totally worth it. How often will you get to pet a tiger after all? Well now I have pet 8. The entrance fee to the temple is 600Bhat and they will of course try to get 'donations' from you as well. If you are looking for a somewhat longer experience than a day trip. The temple seemingly has a plethora of volunteers and added help. I am not so sure how to go about getting such a position, but I know they can be acquired.
Lastly as a word of ...?
Don't touch the monks if you are a lady. Monks are not allowed to touch female flesh and took vows and such. Respect them and honor their wish.
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