Introduction
Krabi is about 900 km and 90 minutes by air from Bangkok. The province includes two major neighbouring islands, the developing resort destination of Koh Lanta and the thoroughly well (over) established Koh Phi Phi. There are also 100 other pristine and untouched islands of all shapes and sizes surrounding Krabi.

Phi Phi Islands

What draws people to Krabi is its natural beauty. The vivid presence of dramatic limestone karsts within the town and in the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea are majestic works of art by Mother Nature. The focus here is very much on the great outdoors. Whether it's a hike in the rain forest, island hopping, snorkeling, diving or kayaking, there's plenty to see and do.

About 10 minutes' drive from the airport lies Krabi Town, the provincial capital. It's mainly residential with the usual facilities like a police station, hospital and a few restaurants, shops and travel agencies - and not very much to attract tourists.

Ao Nang Beach is the main tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants and shops are located. Compared to Thailand's more boisterous beach destinations like Pattaya, Samui and Phuket, Ao Nang Beach is pretty low-key. That said, it is certainly geared up for its share of tourism and although developments are slow, they are steady and it will only be a matter of time before Krabi catches up.

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Beaches
Krabi's main beach is Ao Nang and for a city beach, it's actually not too bad. It's not one of the prettiest and the sand is not the finest but the limestone cliffs in the ocean provide a splendid backdrop and the beachfront is fairly clean and wide.

Pristine waters at Krabi

The other popular beach is Noppara Thara, about five minutes' drive from Ao Nang. It has the same scenic view as Ao Nang and is a favourite hang-out for the locals. The beach is pretty lively with a parade of vendors patrolling the beach with their baskets full of snacks.

For a little more privacy, Klong Muang Beach comes highly recommended. There are only a handful of hotels here that share the same seclusion, from the 3-star Andaman Holiday to the 5-star Sheraton Resort and the Nakamanda. It's a rather small beach surrounded by lush vegetations and has a quiet beachfront that sets the mood for a little bit of romance.

Just a little further on from Klong Muang is Tubkaak Beach. It is not a very developed area and there are only a few resorts here. The beach is scenic with a full frontal view of Koh Hong, an island highly regarded for its pristine waters, hidden cave and powder sand beaches.

Off the shores of Krabi about 15 minutes by long tail boat is the picturesque Railay Bay. The most hopped-on beach here is west of Railay - Phang Nga Cave Beach - which is also home to several resorts including the distinguished 5-star Rayavadee. Flanked by rugged limestone cliffs, fine white sands and crystal clear waters, it is a good looking beach. However, with its easy access, it has become a heavenly playground often packed with families, tourists and macho rock climbers.

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Other attractions
Very much the symbol of Krabi, the two towering peaks of Khao Khanap Nam near Krabi Town can be reached by a 15-minute long tail boat ride. There are caves on the hills containing stalactite and stalagmite formations.

Khao Khanap Nam

About 90 minutes' drive from the outskirts of Krabi is a natural hot water spring hidden in the rain forest. The walkways are well paved so there's no need to hike your way through the forest, instead it's more a stroll in the park. The water from the source, about 1,000 metres km away, is 100 degrees but by the time it trickles down to this idyllic spot, it's a comfortable 38 degrees. The small spring is surrounded by vast and thick vegetation.

From the Hot Spring, just a little over an hour of bumpy road leads to another rain forest and the cool waters of the Emerald Pond. Getting to the pond requires a good 30-minute trek and proper footwear will help to navigate through the muddy sections. The circular crystal clear pond has fairly shallow waters and is placid like a gigantic sheet of glass. Watch out for the slippery moss around the edges - the best way in is to sit by the bank and slowly inch your way down to the pond to avoid an ungraceful slip, slide and splash into the water.

Another one of Krabi's grand phenomena is the Fossil Shell Beach. The fossil shells are believed to be the remnants of 75 million years of evolution from some species of pond slugs. The slugs' cycle of life and death created layers upon layers of shell deposits and their final resting place lies just at the edge of the sea. The government has also developed the area as a sort of sanctuary to include some native plants and tropical trees.

For a more cultural and historical sight, Wat Tham Sua or Tiger Cave Temple is a combination of tourist attraction and pilgrimage. Many come to pay their respects to the lifelike wax figure of a revered monk who dreamt about a tiger in the hills. The small cave in the temple has a tiny window apparently made for the tiger to come inside. But other curious animals like snakes made their way through and the window was sealed off and locked with an iron gate.

Next to the temple is a flight of 1,237 steps that leads to the peak where there is an impressive Buddha image 9 metres wide and 6 metres tall watching over the spectacular panoramic coastal view of Krabi. The climb, up some narrow and steep steps, is no easy feat but you don't need iron-man qualities to scale the heights - a bit of endurance will go a long way. If that proves too much, a shorter flight of stairs to see the remains of a 1,000-year-old tree is much easier to handle.

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Entertainment and eating out
No holiday is complete without good food and Krabi has many restaurants although fine dining and sophisticated establishments are few and far between. Along Noppara Thara Beach there are several seafood restaurants to choose from and an excellent choice is Thara Seafood. The place is very simple but the seafood is very fresh. The spicy papaya salad (Som Tom) will get your appetite going and the fried pepper blue crabs (Poo Mah) are a must-try. If the delicious food isn't enough to convince you of a repeat visit, the bill at the end probably will!

A more scenic choice is the Sala Thai perched above Ao Nang Beach. Tucked near the end of a long alley full of seafood restaurants, it is a modest restaurant but a table overlooking the beach is the best spot and the grilled seafood is highly recommended.

If you're in the Krabi town area, head over to the Ko Tung, in front of the pier where boats leave for Koh Lanta and Phi Phi. The restaurant specializes in Thai Chinese cooking and is a local favourite.

Classy restaurants are hard to come by except in the 5-star hotels like Pavilion Queen's Bay which serves authentic and inexpensive Teppanyaki. The restaurants at the Sheraton Krabi Resort and Rayavadee are more extravagant but have great ambience.

If you're looking for a bustling night life, you're better off in Phuket as Krabi falls short. A few local bars and cafés along Ao Nang offer the only source of entertainment. Hotels don't provide much either so it's best to bring along plenty of books or some card games. However, chances are, you will be so tired out by the day's activities that bed is the only place you will want to head.

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Tourist Information Office
The Krabi Tourist Information Office is located on Uttarakit Road in Krabi Town. It is a little out of the way - the many travel agencies along Ao Nang Beach are just as good, although the information they provide may be a little biased. Get a few opinions to be sure.

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Shopping
As might be expected of a beach town, the shopping in Krabi is nothing to rave about. Most of the shops are located on Ao Nang Beach. Clothes-wise, most outlets sell the typical tourist fare and are adequate if you need something in a hurry. Just don't expect to be setting any trends.

There is small factory outlet mall where you can find brands like Cerruti and Warner Brothers for kids. Along the streets, you can also pick up some Thai souvenirs, pirated CDs and DVDs - all overpriced so be sure to bargain.

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Getting From A to B
Getting around Krabi is easy and fairly straightforward. The main transport is dubbed "the taxi" which unlike what you may think is actually made up of a motorcycle with a covered box compartment next to it. It can seat up to four persons and makes a great and breezy way to zip around. The fare to go around Ao Nang is about 20 baht for the locals and generally costs double for tourists.

Long-tail boats

For longer trips, there are proper taxis that would be more comfortable. These are actually privately owned cars and require some haggling to get the price right.

Many long tail boats tie up on the beach at Ao Nang and are the cheapest and most convenient way to go across to the nearby beaches and islands. Prices are about 50 baht per head each way and are generally fixed - however during low season, the boatmen are more willing to bargain.

Well-paved highways and clearly marked signage allows fast access to other southern destinations like Trang (three hours: 131 km) or Phang Nga (two hours: 86 km). Phuket is 176 km away and can be reached by land or boat transfer in roughly four hours.

From Bangkok there are several daily flights to Krabi with Thai Airways, Phuket Air and Bangkok Airways. Direct flights are also available from Singapore via Silk Air.

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Tours
With over a 100 islands spread throughout Krabi province, there's a lot of island hopping to do. The island tours are usually full day and will include a couple of island visits. Each beach has its own distinct character and landscape with perfect aqua green water for snorkeling.

Most trips will include Poda Island which is one of the largest and closest to Krabi, known for its stunning and unique bow-shaped beach. Not far from Poda are the Tup Islands - when the tide is low you can wade across a long sandy strip from one island to another. The next stop is the whimsical Chicken Island or Koh Kai. The island is named after an odd-looking rock formation that resembles a roosting chicken with a long neck and head.

Kayaking in Krabi

Further away, the vibrant Koh Phi Phi is on every travel agent's list. Phi Phi Don is the main island and the most populated beach there is Ton Sai. Cramped with hotels and tourists, you can't walk a minute without someone offering hotel accommodations, boat rides or island tours. The more secluded beaches are at the back, about 15 minutes' boat ride away where only a fortunate few hotels like Pee Pee Island Village and the Holiday Inn are privileged to have a little more privacy.
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The true gem of Phi Phi is the spectacular limestone landscape and the irresistible crystal clear turquoise waters flocked with a kaleidoscope of marine life. Needless to say the favourite pastime here is snorkeling and diving. In the smaller island of Koh Phi Phi Leh is the powdery white sand of Maya Beach. Made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie, The Beach, it has wowed many camera-wielding tourists eager for a snapshot of a Hollywood set.

A visit to Hong Island is another full-day affair. The entire island is shrouded by thick lush greenery amidst an imposing grandeur of mountainous limestone. Speedboats creep their way through a narrow passage inside the island's secret room or “hong” to emerge into a spectacular lagoon and skyscraping limestone outcrops.

About three hours' boat ride away is the seasonal resort destination of Koh Lanta. The island hosts a sleepy Muslim community and is not fully developed but has plenty of potential and shares similar landscapes to Krabi.

The beaches are just as pristine with dazzling white sands and broad beachfronts that stretch for miles. Most of the resorts and guesthouses are located along the beaches of Klong Dao, Phra Ae, Klong Nin.

An overnight stay is recommended as Lanta is great for island hopping and diving. A 90-minute boat ride leads to the Marine National Park of Koh Rok or over to the virgin islands of Trang Province and the captivating underwater worlds of Koh Ngai, Koh Chueak, Kho Muk, Koh Kradan and Koh Ma.

Mangroves caves are also part of Krabi's varied landscapes and the best way to experience them is by kayak. For first-timers, a quick five-minute lesson is all it takes before you head out into the open waters. The half day trip to Ao Thalan is a nice leisure paddle from one mangrove bay to another but the full day trip to Bor Thor covers more interesting sights. There are prehistoric paintings to discover, caves with a wall of impressive stalagmites and stalactites and a quick swim in the crystal clear waters of the Tha Pom mangrove pond.

There are more caves to explore at Than Bokkharani National Park but the main attraction here is the multi-tiered waterfall. Water from a cliff cascades down to a large lotus pond and continues to flow seamlessly down several small levels of ponds creating a curtain of water with each descent.

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Events
Krabi celebrates all of Thailand's major festivals, as well as its own homegrown Krabi Boek Fa Andaman. The event kicks off the start of the high season in November and usually lasts several days with parades, boat races and a host of fun and games.

Another event more significant to Koh Lanta is the Loi Ruea Chao Le Festival. Held during the full moon on the 6th and 11th of the lunar calendar, the Sea Gypsies (Chao Le) of Lanta celebrate with songs and dance as they float ceremonial boats into the sea as a mark of respect to the ocean.

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Images courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand

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