Susan Hoi (Fossil Shell Beach)

The shell graveyard at Ban Laem Pho 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, to the extent that the dead snails formed a layer upon which existed the living. Eventually, weather changes precipitated the swamp’s disappearance, but by then the layer of fossilized snail shells was forty centimeters thick, resting on ten centimeters of lignite below which is the subsoil. Because of geographic upheaval, this Shelly limestone is now distributed in great broken sheets of impressive magnitude on the seashore at Laem Pho.

Than Bokkhorani National Park

Than Bokkhorani National Park covers 37.5 rai (1 rai = 160 square meters) in Tambon Ao Leuk Tai, one kilometer from the Tambon Ao Leuk Neua Market intersection on the Ao Luk Sak road. The park is shady and forested by many different species of trees growing around the attractive pool after which the park is named, the Sa Bokkhorani. Species include the wild gardenia, asoka, and Apocynaceae. The Sah Bohk Koranii flows through a winding passage in the mountain. At the north end of the pool is a footprint of the Buddha carved in wood and a shrine of Chao PhoTo Yuan – To Chong.

Tham Phet

Tham Phet is 3 kilometers from the intersection at Ao Luk Nua market. In front is enshrined an image of Buddha. The name of this cave “Phet” means diamond, and indeed sparking stone casts beautiful reflections on the cave wall. The best way to get there is to first contact the National Park Office at Than Bokkhorani for guide.

Tham Phi Hua To or Tham Hua Kalok

Tham Phi Hua To is located in Amphoe Ao Luk on Phi Hua To Mountains, which are surrounded by mangrove swamps. The cave is accessible by the same route as Tham Lod Tai with its entrance not far beyond the canel to Tham Lod Tai. From the entrance, the cave divides into 2 routes, the left one leading to a vast chamber pierced by a shaft of light, while the right routeleads to a hall believed by archaeologists to have been once a shelter for prehistoric people. Rock paintings can be seen within the cave. The paintings, 70 of them, are painted in red and black and portray people as well as animals. The cave was named Phi Hua To or Big-headed Ghost owing to the unusually large skulls discovered there. A large pile of shells were also found in the cave.

Kao Phanom Bencha National Park

Kao Phanom Bencha National Park is 20 kilometers from Krabi along Talat Kao-Ban Huai To Road. It covers a total area of 50 square kilometers including some parts of Amphoe Ao Luk, Amphoe Khao Phanom , and Amphoe Muang. Khao Phanom Bencha National Park had thick forest on its highest peaks. Its marvellous scenery is enhanced by strems, waterfalls, and wild animals. The park’s major attractions are follows :

Namtok Huai To is located some 500 meters from the park’s office, has as its source Phanhom Bencha Mountains. The waterfall itself runs down over rocks onto 11 huge pools, each with its own name such as Wang Thewada, Wang Sok, Wang Chan etc.

Namtok Huai Sa-de runs down over a high cliff. The waterfall is about 1.2 kilometers from the park’s office.

Tham Khao Phung (Khao Phung Cave) is located some 3 kilometers from the park’s office. Another 5 caves are in the area nearby. The cave’s beauty is enhanced by countless stalagmites and stalactites of various shapes. Some are like mushrooms, other pagodas and curtains. The walls are white and glitter brightly.

Namtok Khlong Haeng is about 500 meters high and springs from Khao Thep Bencha which is the tallest mountain in Krabi and is 10 kilometers from Amphoe Khao Phanom. For accommodation within the park please contact the Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, Tambon Thap Prik, Amphoe Muang, Krabi 81000.

You should also wake up early one morning and visit the colourful local market between Phruksauthit Road and Maharaj Road, where every day the stalls are pilled high with all the fresh produce the sea and countryside around Krabi can produce.
It is a real pleasure to wander among the stalls, sampling the different and often unusual tastes and smells but go early to see all the wares piled at their highest and to feel the manic energy of this place, by 10 O’Clock it has begun to slow down, the day’s dealing done.

There are also two popular night markets one on Maharaj Soi 8 just around the corner from Thaimit Tours and the other on the river front at Khongkha Road.

These are the best places to sample many sweet and strange new fruits including the (in)famous Durian or practice your new language skills ordering tasty and cheap Thai dishes, deserts and drinks .

 Ao Nang offers many of the same shopping and eating facilities as Krabi though it is perhaps, a little more familiar to tourists. 

This resort town has a wide range of shops, many right behind the beach and perfect for those beach essentials that you always seem to have forgotton or just run out of. For more ‘serious shopping’, about a kilometre out of town, on the way to Haad Nopparattara Beach, is “The Beach Plaza”. 

This is a modern shopping centre perfect for buying electronics and brand name clothing and toiletries. In fact, every imaginable shopping needs is catered for here under one roof, plus a large choice of eating options from Thai rice and noodles to Western fast food, and everything in between.

By Car

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From Bangkok : take Route 4, passing Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khirikhan, Chumphon, Ranong, and Phang-nga Provinces before reaching Krabi a total distance of 946 kilometers. An alternate route is to take route 4 to Chumphon and then turn onto Route41. This leads through Lang Suan and Chaiya Districts of Chumphon to Wieng Sa District of Surat Thani from there follow Route 4035, passing Ao Luk District of Krabi, back onto Route 4, and down to Krabi Town. This shortcut is just 814 kilometers, and is followed by the bus services.

From Phuket : take Route 402 to Route 4 and pass Tambon Kokkloy of Takua Thung District in Phang-nga Thap Pud District, Phang-nga and enter Ao Luk District of Krabi the total distance is 185 kilometers. Regarding bus transport from Phuket, contact, Tel. (076) 211480

By Bus

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Buses leave Bangkok for Krabi daily in the evening. The journey takes about 12 hours. The fare for 24 seats air-coditioned bus is 655 Baht, and 446 and 421 Baht for 40 seat air-conditioned bus 234 Baht for non air-conditioned bus. Contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Borommarat Chonnani Road) at Tel. (02) 435-1199, 435-5061 (air-conditioned bus) and (02) 4345557 (non air-conditioned bus).

By Train

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From Bangkok Railway Station take the train to one of the following stations : Trang, Phun Pin in Surat Thani Province, or Thung Song in Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province. From any of these places a bus may be taken onward to Krabi. Regarding train schedules and costs, contact Bangkok Railway Tel. (02) 223-7010 , 223-7020

By Air

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Details about flights to and from Krabi Airport can be obtained from Thai International Airways Ltd., in Bangkok Tel. (02) 280-0070

Mu Koh Phi Phi

An archipelago of six islands consists of Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le as the major islands. The superb scenery of the islands includes high hills with jutting clifts surrounded by marvelous beaches and emerald sea, hiding underneath a bank of coral reefs and colorful marine life. Places to visit of Mu Ko Phi Phi include:

Koh Phi Phi Don covers a total area of 28 square kilometers. An outstanding attraction is Ao Ton Sai, a vast bay with a curving white sandy beach stretching to a mountain range which reaches into the sea. Beside Ao Ton Sai, there are also othe scenic beaches and bays around the island which can be reached by boat. At the north end of the island is Laem Tong where a sea gypsy village is located and which is renowned for its underwater natural beauty. Day trip around the island by boat is recommended.

Koh Phi Phi Le is an island of steep cliffs, covers a total area of 6.6 square kilometers. Phi Phi Le has several beautiful bays such as Pi Le which reaches into a valley and gives a lake-like scenery. This part of the sea is almost encircled by steep cliffs. To the south of Pi Le is a small bay called Lo Sa Ma which hides in a fold of a steep rock and provides a good spot for snorkeling. Another attraction is Tham Viking, a huge vast and airy cave which is home to a large number of swallows. On the cave wall are ancient paintings of sailing ships similar to those used by ancient Vikings. It takes about 30 minutes to get to Phi Phi Le by boat from Phi Phi Don.

Mu Koh Lanta National Park

Mu Ko Lanta National Park comprises of many different-sized is lands, some of which are surround by beautiful coral reefs such as Ko Ha, Ko Rok and Ko Hai. The main island in the park is Ko Lanta Yai, where both the District Headquarters and National Park Office are located. The island itself is generally rugged and mountainous. There are beaches both gravelly and sandy toward the south. The suitable time to visit Ko Lanta is from November to April.

Koh Lanta Yai

Ko Lanta Yaiis also home to “Chao Le” or sea gypsies. They still maintain their old way of life and have peculiar traditions, such as setting a boat a drift to drive out evil and bring good luck. This is done during the full moon in June and in November.

Travel to Koh Lanta
Boats depart from downtown Krabi to Ko Lanta Yai daily. The journey takes two and a half hours. Boat tickets are available at Chaofa Pier. Tourist may a minibus from Krabi Town to Bo Muang Pier in Amphoe Khlong Thom, 80 kilometres away. Few boats depart from Bo Muang Pier to Ko Phi Phi daily. The trip take about 45 minutes. Contact TAT Krabi Office (Tel: (075) 612740) for current information.

Mu Koh Hong

Mu Koh Hong comprises a number of large and small limestone islands. Ko Hong itself is the largest island. These limestone island have a beach and coral reefs in both deep and shallow water levels. Boats leave for Ko Hong from Ao Nang and the trip takes about one hour. A canoe trip to Ko Hong organised by some travel agents at Ao Nang is a popular activity among tourists.

Koh Phai

Ko Phai lies to the north of Phi Phi Don. There are lovely beaches on the north and east sides, and coral gardens spreading to the south.

Koh Yung

Ko Yung also lies to the north of Phi Phi Don. There is a rocky beach on the eastern side, a small beach in a fold of the hill and perfectly preserved coral gardens.

Krabi has many cliffs and caves where ancient colour paintings, stone tools, beads, pottery and skeletal remains have been found.
It is believed that Krabi has been home to homosapiens since the period 25,000- 35,000 B.C. In recorded time,it was called “Ban Thai Samor”,and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, c. 1200 A.D., Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsular’s east coast better known today as Nakorn Sri Thammarat. 

 At the start of the Rattanakosin period, about 200 years ago, when the capital was finally settled at Bangkok, and elephant kraal was established in Krabi by order of Jao Praya Nakorn (Noy),the Rajah of Nakorn Sri Thammarat, which was by then a part of the Thai Kingdom. He sent his vizier, the Pra Palad to oversee this task, which was to ensure a regular supply of elephants for the larger town. So many emigrated in the steps of the Pra Palad that soon Krabi had a large community in three different boroughs : Pakasai, Klong Pon, and Pak Lao.

In 1872, King Chulalongkorn graciously elevated these to town status, called Krabi, a word that preserves in its meaning the monkey symbolism of the old standard. The town’s first governor was Luang Tehp Sena, though it continued a while as a dependency of Nakorn Sri Thammarat. This was changed in 1875, when Krabi was raised to a fourth level town in the old system of Thai government. Administrators then reported directly to the central government in Bangkok, and Krabi’s history as a unique entity, separate from the other provinces, had begun.

During the present reign, the corps of civil servants, the merchants, and the population generally of Krabi and nearby provinces have tegether organized construction of a royal residence at Laem Hahng Nak Cape for presentation to Her Majesty the Queen. This lies thirty kilometers to the west of Krabi town on the Andaman coast.

The mountainous geography, broken by highlands and plains on the mainland, and 130 big and small islands in the Andaman Sea make Krabi a perfect place for recreation

The famous “Phi Phi islands”, named “Paradise on Earth” , has never lessened in its amazing beauty which includes beaches, limestone sea cliffs and . “Lanta islands” which lies to the South of Krabi Town includes stretches of mangrove with breaks of coral rimmed beaches with rugged hills caused in exotic forest. There is lillte development on Lanta Islands. “Ao Nang” and “Rai Ley Bay” are uniquely beautiful by their nice sand beaches and lime-stone steep sided mountains and cliffs that attract rock climbers from around the world. Other Islands and shore beaches are never the same in their beauty.

Nataural forest cover is chiefy mangrove and Cassia trees. Krabi’s sandy clay soil conditions are perfect for a variety of agricultural products, including: Rubbles trees, Palms, Oranges, Coconuts and coffee.

The Krabi river flows 5 kilometers throngh the city and flows into the Andaman Sea at Tambon PAK NAM .This river has its source the Panom Benja Mountains

Temperrature for the year range between 16.9 and 37.3 degrees Celsius; yearly rainfall averages 2,568.5 millimeters

Krabi is a southern province on Thailand’s Andaman seaboard with perhaps the country’s oldest history of continued settlement. After dating stone tools, ancient coloured pictures, beads, pottery and skeletal remains found in the province’s many cliffs and caves, it is thought that Krabi has been home to homo sapiens since the period 25,000 – 35,000 B.C.

In recorded times it was called the ‘Ban Thai Samor’, and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, 1200 A.D., Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsula’s east coast better known today as Nakhon Si Thammarat.