Krabi

Krabi is the largest province on Thailand's Andaman coast and has become a symbol of the tropical south thanks to its vertical limestone cliffs, emerald sea and dozens of uninhabited islets. It is a calmer, less commercialised alternative to neighbouring Phuket, drawing people who come for beaches, climbing and nature.

The place and its geography

The administrative centre is the small town of Krabi (around 35,000 people), standing on the Krabi river where it enters the Andaman Sea. The province runs along the coast and takes in more than a hundred islands, most of them karst limestone. It is these cliffs, sometimes rising sheer out of the water, that form the region's recognisable landscape. The famous James Bond Island (Ko Tapu) actually lies in neighbouring Phang Nga province, though tours to it are sold from here as well.

The climate is tropical monsoon: the high season runs roughly from November to April (dry, with a calm sea), the low season from May to October, when rain and swell are likely and some boat excursions are restricted.

Main sights

• Railay — Krabi's calling card. The peninsula is cut off from the mainland by cliffs, so the only way in is by traditional longtail boat from Ao Nang or the town. It divides into West Railay (a broad sandy beach) and East Railay (mangrove, with cheap accommodation), with Phra Nang beach and its shrine cave between them. It is one of the world's leading rock-climbing centres, with hundreds of routes at every grade.
• Ao Nang — the main resort village and transport hub. Boats and ferries leave from here, and the restaurants, shops and accommodation across all price ranges are concentrated in it.
• The Four Islands tour — the classic day trip to the nearest islets: Poda, Chicken Island (with its distinctive rock), Tup, and Phra Nang headland. The sandbars that join the islands at low tide, and the snorkelling, make the route popular with families.
• The Hong Islands — a group with an enclosed heart-shaped lagoon, reachable when the tide comes in. Scenic bays and clear water.
• Phi Phi — an archipelago about two hours away by boat. Inhabited Phi Phi Don is known for Long Beach and a lively nightlife, while uninhabited Phi Phi Leh was made famous by the film The Beach. Maya Bay is now visited under a managed regime after the restoration of its ecosystem.
• The Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Sua) — a Buddhist complex in the cliffs. A stairway of more than 1,200 steps leads to the viewing platform with its golden stupa and a panorama of the valley.
• Thung Teao Forest Natural Park — jungle with the Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) and the Blue Pool (Sa Nam Phut), fed by mineral springs. The Klong Thom hot spring cascades are nearby.

Nature and activities

Beyond the sea, Krabi is valued for its jungle: walking trails, birdwatching and monkeys, and kayaking through the mangrove channels around the limestone islets. Rock climbing is the region's own speciality, with schools and instructors for beginners. Diving and snorkelling open up the underwater world around the reefs and the vertical island walls.

Food

The cooking is southern Thai, hotter and more intense than in the centre of the country. Try tom yum (hot and sour prawn soup), massaman curry with its Muslim influence, pad thai fried noodles, and the freshest seafood — crab, squid and grilled fish. Night markets and street kitchens offer affordable dishes, which makes the region friendly to a traveller's budget.

Practical advice

• Getting there: Krabi International Airport takes flights from Bangkok and several countries; there are well-developed bus and ferry links with Phuket, Ko Lanta and Phi Phi.
• Local transport: songthaews (pickup minibuses) and longtail boats run between the beaches; for trips inland, hiring a motorbike or a car with a driver is convenient.
• How much time to allow: about five days is optimal, enough for the boat tours, Railay, the temple and the natural parks without rushing.
• What to bear in mind: look after the marine parks, do not touch the coral, use reef-safe sunscreen, and check the tide tables when planning trips to the lagoons.

Around the province

For a more measured stay, travellers move on to the neighbouring island of Ko Lanta (about two hours by ferry), with its long, quiet beaches. Krabi combines easily with Phuket and Phang Nga Bay in a route along the whole Andaman coast.