Krabi Province

Thaiwand Wall and Phra Nang Beach, Rai Leh Krabi Province is a popular beach destination at the Andaman Sea in Southern Thailand. Cities Krabi Town — the administrative capital and a common entry point into the region Ao Nang — Krabi's most developed beach, a long beach fringed by palm trees Had Yao (Long Beach) — the last untouched beach in Krabi Province, and perhaps the most spectacular with its views of Jum Mountain and Ao Nang's cliff walls Rai Leh — Thailand's rock climbing Mecca, a craggy peninsula with several small beaches Ton Sai — cheapest bungalows in the area, referred by backpackers away from the hordes of tourists and an easy walk to Rai Leh Other destinations Ko Jum — peace & quiet for those looking for solitude Ko Lanta — sleepy island, the new escape for those who find Ao Nang/Rai Leh too touristy Ko Ngai — part of Krabi Province, but easier to reach from Trang Ko Phi Phi — Thailand's largest Marine National Park and backpacker favorite where The Beach was filmed Ko Por — an ecotourism place near of the famous island of Ko Lanta, away from the hordes of tourists to find another kind of travel, to learn the true life of the Thai people and discover the nature Ko Siboya — rural Thailand with a difference Baan Ao Leuk - some caves here well worth a visit. Understand Krabi, a coastal province, abounds with countless natural attractions that never fail to impress tourists. Such attractions include white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, fascinating coral reefs, caves and waterfalls, as well as numerous islands. The distinguishing feature of both Krabi and neighboring Phang Nga is the massive limestone karsts, rising vertiginously out of the flat rice paddies on land and as islands from the sea. Add in some gorgeous beaches and excellent scuba diving and rock climbing, and it's little wonder that tourism in the area has been booming. While less commercialized than neighboring Phuket, Krabi Province cannot be described as undiscovered: it receives two million visitors a year, and the major tourist areas cater extensively for foreigners. History From archaeological discoveries, it is believed that Krabi was one of the oldest communities in Thailand dating back to the prehistoric period. It is believed that this town may have taken its name after the meaning of Krabi, which means sword. This may have stemmed from a legend that an ancient sword was unearthed prior to the city’s founding. 2004 tsunami Krabi Province was badly hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Several years later, signs of the damage are now hard to find in any places. Climate The best time to visit Krabi is between the months November to April when the area's climate is less hot than usual. During this period the island gets a lot of dry North Easterly winds, so giving dry blue skies and starry nights. Then, down on the beaches one can enjoy nice sea breezes. From June to November the area gets a lot of rainfall, more on average than the rest of the country. During this period the island gets a lot of moist South Westerly winds, so giving a mixture of dry days and wet ones. The sea stays at a warm 29°C all year round. Visitors however, coming in this period will find it cheaper. Geography Bordering the Andaman Sea, Krabi is located 814 kilometers south of Bangkok and covers an area of 4,708 square kilometers. Its mountainous physical geography is broken by highlands and plains, covering more than 130 large and small islands, and abounding with mangrove forests. The Krabi River flows 5 kilometers through the town and into the Andaman Sea at Tambon Pak Nam. There are also klongs (canals) such as Klong Pakasai, Klong Krabi Yai, and Klong Krabi Noi, which all originate from Krabi’s highest mountain Mount Phanom Bencha. North: borders with Phang-nga and Surat Thani South: borders with Trang and the Andaman Sea East: borders with Nakhon Si Thammarat West: borders with Phang-nga and the Andaman Sea Talk You can get around on English alone in the more touristic areas, although a few words of Thai will come in handy off the beaten track and will be much appreciated anywhere. A number of other European languages are spoken in dive shops Get in The most popular way to enter this province is via its capital, Krabi Town. By plane Krabi International Airport (KBV) is about 10 km from the city limits, 15 km from the city centre, 40km from Ao Nang and 23km from Had Yao. Thai Airways operates daily direct flights to/from Bangkok, likewise Air Asia from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Bangkok Airway flies to Ko Samui nearly every day of the week. Destination Air Shuttle, Thailand's only Seaplane service also routinely flies in and out of Krabi (Ko Lanta) from Phuket and to the numerous outer islands. For more information, contact: Thai Airways International Public Company Limited: Tel. 1566, 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000, 0 2356 1111, 0 7570 1591 – 93 or visit [1]. Krabi International Airport, Tel. 0 7563 6541- 2 Air Asia Airlines: Tel. 0 2515 9999 or visit www.airasia.com. Nok Air : Tel. 0 2627 2000 or 1318 or visit www.nokair.com, Also see Krabi International Airport By car Krabi is on Highway 4. Shared songthaews (pickup truck taxis) from Ao Nang to Krabi are frequent and cost Bt 40. Originating in Phang-nga province, Highway 4 links many of the province’s districts. Other main routes include: Highway 4035 to Plai Phraya district (Krabi) & Phra Saeng district (Surat Thani) Highway 4034 links Ao Nang and Nopparat beaches Highway 4037 to Khao Phanom district (towards Surat Thani) Highway 4038 links Klong Thom and Lam Thap districts Highway 4206 links Klong Thom to Koh Lanta From Bangkok: Proceed along Highway No. 4, passing Phetchaburi – Prachuap Khiri Khan – Chumphon – Ranong – Phang-nga, to Krabi. The total distance is 946 kilometers. Travel along Highway No. 4 onto Highway No. 41 at Chumphon via Amphoe Lang Suan and Amphoe Chaiya, Surat Thani. Proceed towards Amphoe Wiang Sa, change to Highway No. 4035 for Amphoe Ao Luek, and switch back to Highway No. 4 again to Krabi. This route is 814 kilometers. From Phuket: Proceed along Highways No. 402 and No. 4. The total distance is 176 kilometers. By bus There are regular direct bus services between Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal and Krabi (~ 500 baht), but probably the best option is to take a VIP bus, which for 250 baht more makes the 10 hour ride much more comfortable. Buses from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (tel. +66-24351199) to Krabi take about 12 hours and depart as follows: VIP bus - 07:20 - 1055 baht First class bus - 19:00 - 680 baht Second class bus - 07:30, 19:00, 19:30, 21:00 - 378 baht By train The nearest train stations are: Trang - 2-2.5 hours away from Krabi by bus The nearest train station to Krabi is in Trang province just south of Krabi. From there, there are trains to and from Bangkok. Distances From Bangkok The distance from Bangkok to Krabi is approx 950 km or about 12 hrs by car. Route 1: Phetburi - Prachuabkirikhan - Chumporn - Phang Nga - Krabi = 946 km. Route 2: Phetburi - Prachuabkirikhan - Chumporn (Highway No 41) to Chaiya (Suratthani) - Krabi (Viangsra) - Highway No 4035 - Krabi (Ao Luk) and along Highway 4 again = 814 km. Surat Thani - 3-4 hours away from Krabi by bus Get around Long-tail boats, Ao Nang Songthaew (public passenger pick-up vehicles) Various tourist attractions can be conveniently reached by local Songthaew. Such attractions include Ban Huai To, Ban Nong Thale, Ban Khao Thong, Hat Noppharat Thara, Susan Hoi, Ao Nang, Ban Khlong Muang, Ban Nai Sa, Amphoe Khao Phanom, Amphoe Nuea Khlong, Amphoe Khlong Thom, Ban Bo Muang, Ban Hua Hin, Ban Khlong Phon, Amphoe Lam Thap, Amphoe Ao Luek, and Amphoe Plai Phraya. The local Songthaews depart from the Vogue Department Store on Maha Rat Road. Trips to other destinations can be made by taxi and rental car. By boat Krabi is mostly coast and islands, so you'll be spending quite some time on boats when getting around. The most common boat type for shorter hops is the long-tail boat (reua hang yao), which true to the name has the propeller at the end of a long 'tail' stretching from the boat. This makes them supremely manoeuvrable even in shallow waters, but they're a little underpowered for longer trips and you'll get wet if it's even a little choppy. See Baan Ao Leuk - some 50Km north of Krabi Town on the way to Phang Nga. Several interesting caves worth looking at here. Do Rock climbing. Krabi is a world class rock-climbing destination, with the distinctive limestone karst formations offer a wide variety of climbs Diving. Krabi rivals Ko Tao on Thailand's east coast as a centre for diving, with a number of renowned dive sites in the Andaman sea, with many dive shops in Ko Phi Phi and Ko Lanta in particular set up to cater for them. Boat Trips. Boat travel is one of the major ways to visit some of the more secluded beaches on the Krabi mainland, as well as the many islands and islets dotting the Andaman sea. A wide variety of options to suit different budgets is available, from distinctive longtail boats used by the locals to speedboats and cruise ships. Boat Charter Thailand, ☎ +66(0)884907290, [2]. Sailing Yachts, Motor Boats, Bareboat or Crewed, Luxury Charters, Fishing Trips, Traditional Boat Tours. Buy Eat Perhaps unsurprisingly for a coastal region, seafood features prominently on the menu. Traditional southern Thai food includes milder coconut-milk based curries popularly associated with Thailand: the dry, Malaysian-influenced Panaeng curry and Indian-influenced Massaman (Muslim) curry with potatoes and nuts. A wide variety of international cuisines is available in the many resort towns, visited by millions of overseas tourists every year and home to many expats. Tourism has also brought migrants from other parts of Thailand, and their food with them. Drink Sleep Swallow Guesthouse, 31 Maharat Soi 4 (Ask or look for 'Sawang Optical' with the HUGE sign - they're right next door). One of the longest running guesthouses in Krabi, right in town, minutes from all markets, shopping, etc. Tickets and tours for all area destinations and beyond. Very clean fan rooms only and friendly service. Free in-room Wi-Fi up to 6 mbit from 1 Dec 2010. 200-350 baht [2011-12]. Krabi City Seaview Hotel, [3]. Situated right in the center of Krabi Town, the hotel provides easy access to shopping centers, bars and restaurants, banks, and Krabi’s famous beaches. it offers different type of rooms such as Standard Lower Floor, Standard Higher Floor and Deluxe Seaview, all equipped with Air-conditioning, Cable TV, Mini-bar, Private toilet and bath and Telephone. Some of its facilities and services are Restaurant, High-speed Internet access, Laundry service etc. Further, Krabi City Seaview Hotel offers scenic views of the Krabi River. It is just 15-minute drive from Krabi Airport and a short walk to the Krabi Pier. While you are in Krabi, Thailand take time to visit these key places of interest such as Koh Lanta Marine Park, Thai Cooking School, Phi Phi Island, Wat Khlong Thom Museum, Than Bokkharani National Park. From ?. Contact Krabi's more well developed tourist centres offer internet cafes and international calling cards. Free wi-fi is increasingly available in bars and restaraunts. Get out Phang Nga - yet more beaches and strange limestone formations Phuket - the original southern Thai beach resort island, just two hours away Ko Samui - the paradise islands on the gulf coast, about 6 hours away by bus+ferry Surat Thani - main land of tourist islands, wet forest and Srivijaya Empire. 3 hours by bus. This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!