Tham Lot
Tham Lot can be reached by boat from Bo Tho Pier. The pier is located 2 kilometres from Amphoe Ao Luek on the way to Laem Sak. Ride a long-tail boat along a canal passing through mangrove forests for 15 minutes. Tham Lot is a tunnel under a limestone mountain where a natural stream runs through a small tunnel and charming stalactite and stalagmite formations are found. The cave can be visited only during low tide.
Tham Phi Hua To
Tham Phi Hua To is 500 metres from Tham Lot and can be visited by boat from Bo Tho Pier. The cave is in Phi Hua To Mountain which is surrounded by mangrove swamps. There are 2 split paths inside the cave. On the left lies the shortcut the back of the cave where sunbeams can shine through, and on the right is a path to a natural hall believed to have been once a shelter for prehistoric people. The prehistoric paintings of men, animals and human organs including numerous seashells, can be seen in the cave. Big human skulls had been discovered in the cave, thus giving the cave its present name.
Than Bok Khorani National Park
Than Bok Khorani National Park The park office is situated 46 kilometres from town or 1 kilometre from Ao Luek Nuea Market. Near the park office there are several natural ponds of emerald water in a shady forested area. Tourists can enjoy swimming in these ponds.
Admission is 200 baht per person. Camping in the park can be done but tourists have to bring their own tents.Other attractions in the park include several caves in limestone mountains, verdant mangrove forests, and beautiful islands which can be reached only by boat.
Amphoe Khao Phanom
Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
Khao Phanom Bencha National Park The park office is at Ban Huai To, 20 kilometres from town. The park covers a total area of 50 square kilometres with high mountains and thick forests. Its marvellous scenery is enhanced by streams, waterfall, and wild animals.
Namtok Huai To
Namtok Huai To is some 500 meters from the park's office. The waterfall itself runs down over rocks into 11 huge pools, each with their own name, such as Wang Thewada, Wang Sok, and Wang Chan. Another waterfall is called Namtok Huai Sa-de. The waterfall has 3 tiers and is 300 metres from the park office.
Trekking to the peak of the Phanom Bencha Mountain, 1,397 metres high, is an interesting activity for adventurous tourists. Trekking takes at least 3 days, passing streams, waterfalls, caves and view points on high cliffs.
Admission is 200 baht per person. A tent can be rented at 50 baht per person per day. Contact the headquarters of Phanom Bencha National Park, P.O. Box 26 Amphoe Mueang, Krabi 81000, Tel: 0-7662-9013.
Amphoe Khlong Thom
Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary
Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary This is located at Ban Bang Tiao,18 kilometres from Amphoe Khlong Thom. There is a 2.7 kilometre nature trails through a lowland forest with the Emerald Pool and a variety of natural habiats. The forest is home to rare birds like Gurney's Pitta, Rufous-coloured Kingfisher and Black Hornbill, and various kinds of plants. Visitors are allowed to stay overnight but they have to bring their own tents.
Namtok Hin Phoeng
Namtok Hin Phoeng This waterfall is situated 25 kilometres from Khlong Thom District . Drive along Highway No. 4 (Krabi-Trang), turn left for 8 kilometres at Khlong Phon Market. On arrival to a lower basin, visitors must walk along the edge of a mountain for 400 metres to see the waterfall on a steep cliff.
Namtok Ron Khlong Thom
Namtok Ron Khlong Thom This is situated at Ban Bang Khram. Travel some 45 kilometres from town to Amphoe Khlong Thom, then take Sukhaphiban 2 Road for 12 kilometres. The area is full of hot springs in a shady forest. The temperature is not too hot at 40-50 degrees Celsius. The hot springs and cool streams converges on a slope to form lovely cascades with warm water. Admission is 10 baht per person.
Wat Khlong Thom Museum
Wat Khlong Thom Museum This local museum in a temple compound is located 1 kilometre from Khlong Thom District Office, between Km. 71 and Km. 72 of Highway No. 4. The museum features various kinds of artefacts that were discovered during the excavations within an archaeological site called" Khuan Luk Pat" or a bead mound behind the temple. The discoveries include stone tools, stone and earthen ornaments in the shapes of animals. The beads, in particular, are about 5,000 years old.
Amphoe Ko Lanta
Hin Daeng
Hin Daeng is a rock that is a hazard to ships. It is on the outer edge of the Andaman Sea. It offers various kinds of coral reefs, so it is a superb diving spot.
Ko Ha
Ko Ha is an archipelago of five islands. Ko Ha Yai is where coral reefs are found in shallow water.
Ko Lanta
Ko Lanta Ko Lanta consists of two adjacent islands: Ko Lanta Yai and Ko Lanta Noi.
Ko Lanta Yai is full of tourist facilities while Ko Lanta Noi is the location of the district office. Most of the beaches on Ko Lanta Yai lie in the west and offer a wide range of accommodation. These beaches include Kho Kwang, Khlong Dao, Phra Ae, Khlong Khong, Khlong Nin and Ba Kan Tiang, all can be reached by road.
Sala Dan Pier in the north is where tour operators, shops and banks are situated. At the south end of the island is the headquarters of Mu Ko Lanta National Park which offer a camping ground and beautiful views. Travelling to the east of the island, visitors can see an old community of Ko Lanta and a sea gypsy village. Some guesthouses are available. Motorbikes can be rented at Sala Dan to explore the island. The peak season lasts from November to April.
Ko Ngai or Ko Hai
Ko Ngai or Ko Hai is a small island that has a long sandy beach in the east and unspoiled coral reefs in shallow water at the beachfront. The island is accessible by taking a ferry and a chartered boat from Pak Meng Pier, Trang province.
Ko Rok
Ko Rok comprises two islands: Ko Rok Nai and Ko Rok Nok. Ko Rok Nai is an island that is mostly steep cliffs. It offers a superb beach and unspoiled coral reefs among rocks. Ko Rok Nok is full of soft white sandy beaches and coral reefs in shallow water in the southeast and the south. Hat Thalu and Ao Man Sai are situated at the end of the island. Tourists can contact tour operators, resorts and bungalows on Ko Lanta Yai for an excursion to Ko Rok by speedboat. The trip by long-tail boat is not recommended.
Ko Talabeng
Ko Talabeng is a limestone island that is similar to Ko Phi Phi Le. It consists of small lovely beaches. During low tide, the cave is clearly visible. Some swallows can be seen on the island.
Mu Ko Lanta National Park
Mu Ko Lanta National Park The park has an office at the southend of Lanta Yai Island. The park covers an area of 152 square kilometres and occupies many islands including parts of Ko Lanta Yai, Ko Lanta Noi, Ko Ta Leng Beng, Ko Ha, Ko Rok, and Ko Ngai. Camping is allowed near the park office with advance notice. Ko Rok also provides tents for tourists. Please contact Mu Ko Lanta National Park, No.5, Tambon Ko Lanta Yai, Amphoe Ko Lanta, Krabi 81150, Tel. 0-7562-9018-9.
Amphoe Muang
Ao Nang
Ao Nang This bay is situated some 20 kilometres from town. Its white sandy beach stretches to the foot of a conspicuously prominent limestone range. Accommodation is available along the beachfront. Other facilities include diving shops, boats for rent and sightseeing by canoe. From Ao Nang, tourists may hire boats to visit nearby attractions such as Hat Rai Le, Tham Phra Nang located on the land to the east of Ao Nang, as well as other offshore isles such as Ko Poda, Ko Kai, Ko Mo and Ko Thap.
Hat Noppharat Thara
Hat Noppharat Thara This is a 3-kilometre long sandy beach located 6 kilometres from Ao Nang. The beach, paved with tiny seashells, was formerly called "Hat Khlong Haeng" by locals, which means dried canal beach. The canal will dry up during low tide and the area turns into a long beach. The headquarters of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park are situated here. The park covers a large area both onshore and offshore.
Hat Rai Le
Hat Rai Le This beach is generally divided into two sections, east and west. West Rai Le offers a broad sandy beach. Although it has less facilities to offer than Ao Nang, West Rai Le is quieter and more peaceful.
Across the peninsula from West Rai Le is East Rai Le, which varies from the other beaches in the area. It could actually be classified as a mud flat, especially during low tide. Even so, it does offer some rather remarkable views. One end of the beach is covered with mangroves.
Hat Tham Phra Nang
Hat Tham Phra Nang Accessible only by boat, this sweeping beach offers fine-grained white sand and crystalline waters, as well as magnificent jagged karsts. Although visitors flock to this beach year-round, it is still extremely pristine, and considered to be the most attractive in the area.
The Inner and Outer Phra Nang Caves, and Phra Nang Lagoon are close by, and offer some truly spectacular views. Accommodation is available over a wide price range. Despite the fact that it is reachable only by boat, this area offers plenty of recreational activities.
Khao Khanap Nam
Khao Khanap Nam Khao Khanap Nam is regarded as the symbol of Krabi. It sits before the city and can be visited by long tail boat from Chao Fa Pier. Travel time is about 15 minutes. From the boat, one climbs a staircase to see caves with stalactites and stalagmites. A boat can be rented at 300 baht per trip to visit Khao Khanap Nam, mangrove forests and Ko Klang fishery village.
Krabi Horticultural Centre
Krabi Horticultural Centre This agrotourism attraction, supported by the Department of Agricultural Exension, is some 20 kilometres from Krabi on the way to Amphoe Ao Luek. The centre covers a large area with a collection of local fruits, flowers and economic plants.
Mu Ko Phi Phi
Mu Ko Phi Phi Phi Phi Islands are located at an equal distance from both Krabi and Phuket, about 40 kilometres. Made up of six small and large isles, the main features are sheer limestone cliff and rock. Some offer beautiful beaches and coral reefs. The best time for a visit is between November and April.
Ko Phi Phi Don covers an area of 28 square kilometres. Laem Tong in the north offers beautiful marine nature. Diving can be done as well at Laem Hua Raket, Hat Yao and Hin Phae. A number of accommodations are available at Ao Ton Sai , and Ao Lo Da Lam .
Ko Phi Phi Le is a lovely island that covers an area of only 6.6 square kilometres. It is surrounded by limestone mountains and high hills with jutting cliffs. The sea is 20 metres deep and the deepest point in the south of the island is around 34 metres. Ko Phi Phi Le offers superb scenic bays such as Ao Pi Le, Ao Maya, and Ao Lo Sa Ma. In the northeast of the island is a large cave called Tham Viking. The cave was renamed "Tham Phaya Nak" or Serpent Cave by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej because of a stone resembling the mythical creature, which His Majesty saw when he paid a visit here in 1972.
The cave is considered sacred to locals who come here to collect swallow nests. Inside the eastern and southern parts of the cave are ancient colour paintings of elephants and various types of boats, including an Arabian sailboat, a European sailboat, a sampan, a Chinese junk, and a steamboat. It is believed the paintings were the works of sea merchants or pirates because the study of west-to-east ship routes indicates that this area may have been a stopover for boats seeking shelter from storms, transferring cargo or making repairs.
Ko Yung is north of Ko Phi Phi Don. The island has a stone beach in the east and small sandy beaches amid valleys. It is teeming with various kinds of colourful coral reefs.
Ko Phai is north of Ko Phi Phi Don and not far from Ko Yung. Marvellous beaches are in the north and east of the island. The bank of coral reefs with antler corals, in particular, stretches from north to south of the island. The best time to visit Phi Phi Island is during the monsoon-free season, which is from November to April.
Susan Hoi or Fossils Shell Beach
Susan Hoi or Fossils Shell Beach Situated at Ban Laem Pho, 17 kilometres from town. The area was once a large freshwater swamp, home to a kind of snail. Over eons dating from the Tertiary Age, about 40 million years ago, these snails lived and died by the million. Eventually, weather changes caused the swamp's disappearance, but by then the layer of fossilised snail shells was forty centimeters thick, resting on ten centimeters of lignite below which is the subsoil. Because of geographic upheaval, the fossilised shells are now distributed in great broken sheets of impressive magnitude on the seashore at Laem Pho.
Tham Sadet
Tham Sadet This cave is at Ban Nong Ngok, 7 kilometres from Krabi town. The villagers named it to mark the visit of King Rama IV (before he ascended to the throne). The cave features marvellous stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Wat Tham Suea
Wat Tham Suea This temple, also known as "tiger cave," is 9 kilometres north of Krabi Town. The inside of this cave features tiger prints captured in stone, and is in the middle of a lush forest, with enormous, ancient trees. As well as serving as a temple, this site is also very significant archaeologically, as many artifacts have been found on the premises, including tools, pottery, and the mold for the Buddha's footprint. In addition, there are several other caves in the surrounding hills.
Plai Phraya 66 kilometres
Khao Phanom 39 kilometres
Khlong Thom 42 kilometres
Ko Lanta 103 kilometres
Lam Thap 67 kilometres
Nuea Khlong 17 kilometres
Distances from Phuket to Neighbouring Provinces
Phang-nga 86 kilometres
Phuket 176 kilometres
Trang 131 kilometres
Phatthalung 193 kilometres
Surat Thani 211 kilometres
Nakhon Si Thammarat 233 kilometres
Satun 276 kilometres
Car
From Bangkok, drive on Highway No.4, passing Phetchaburi-Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon-Ranong-Phang-nga-Krabi. The route is 946 kilometres from Bangkok;
From Bangkok, drive on Highway No. 4, at Chumphon travel onwards on Highway No. 41, passing Amphoe Lang Suan, Surat Thani to Amphoe Wiang Sa, and then drive on Highway No. 4035 to Amphoe Ao Luek, and drive back to Highway No. 4 to Krabi. This route is 814 kilometres from Bangkok;
From Phuket, drive on Highway No. 402 and No.4. The distance from Phuket is 185 kilometres or 4 hours.
Bus
Non-air-conditioned buses and air-conditioned coaches leave for Krabi daily from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal. Air-conditioned buses, varying in 3 types, depart from Bangkok at the following times:
VIP Bus – 6 p.m. and 6.30 p.m.
Standard 1 Bus – 7.30 a.m., 7 p.m., 7.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Standard 2 Bus – 7.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The schedule mentioned above may be changed. Please check a current schedule from the Southern Bus Terminal at tel: 0 2435 1199-200, Krabi Bus Station at tel: 0 7561 1804.
Rail
There is no direct train from Bangkok to Krabi. Visitors may take a train from Bangkok Railway Station to Trang or Thung Song, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and then ride a bus or a taxi to Krabi. For more information on trains, contact the State Railways of Thailand at tel. 1690, 223 7010, 223 7020 or visit www.srt.motc.go.th.
Air
Thai Airways operates daily services to Krabi. For more information, contact tel. 1566, 280 0060, 628 2000, Krabi Office tel: 0 7563 6543 or www.thaiair.com.
P.B. Air also flies to Krabi. For more information, contact P.B. Air Bangkok Office at tel. 0 2261 0220-5, Krabi Office tel: 0 7569 1942 or visit www.pbair.com.
