Gorgeous Krabi province, an introduction

The Thai province of Krabi features the most awesome seascapes you are likely to see anywhere. Krabi offers a more down-to-earth holiday spot than the nearby island of Phuket, with the principal attraction being the stunning natural beauty of the mysterious limestone karst formations rising out of the blue ocean, adding ambience to the beach areas at Railay and Ao Nang, and the world-renowned Phi Phi archipelago.

Although you will certainly find a superb selection of tourist services and accommodation, Krabi province is less spoilt by mass tourism and provides more of a family holiday destination than other resorts in the kingdom. The nightlife is rather limited, with the destination’s spa facilities being a more popular feature. Krabi is favoured by visiting tourists coming from continental Europe and Scandinavia.

The entire Andaman Sea area is blessed with breathtakingly beautiful and photogenic karst formations which jut up out of the sparkling blue waters. Sometimes covered with forest and at times stark, these natural rocky creations are everywhere. From Ao Nang you may be impressed by the majestic views of the numerous tiny islands and outcroppings, enticing curious day-trippers and rock climbers.

Krabi travel facts 

A tiny resort in Krabi

Located on the awesome Tha Lane Bay in Krabi, Le Passe-Temps is a gorgeous small resort offering only eight charming wooden bungalows, which are positioned around the establishment’s superb swimming pool. The beach is just a stone’s throw away and the on-site restaurant serves a wide range of popular Thai dishes with a French touch.

Le Passe-Temps has only room for 14 guests at a time, which means that relaxedness and calmness are guaranteed here! You can book a single guestroom for 2,000 baht while the daily rate for a fully-equipped suit is 6,000 baht.

Krabi hotel discounts

Superb Ao Nang lodging

Holidaymakers wishing to spend their vacation in a first-class boutique hotel and appreciate eye-pleasing designs, a full set of guest facilities, mouth-watering cuisine, entertainment and great relaxation options, should pack their bags and head to Ao Nang in Krabi.

The Vogue Resort & Spa Ao Nang offers the finest accommodation set amidst gorgeous natural landscapes and boasting a superb outdoor swimming pool. This is probably the best what Ao Nang has on offer and throughout the year this hotel receives many international visitors who especially arrive here to enjoy the outstanding spa treatments.

 Ao Nang Beach Krabi, the perfect holiday retreat

Vogue Resort & Spa Ao Nang is positioned about 11 miles from the town, while the airport is 21 miles away. The property beautifully blends with the surrounding lush tropic garden providing guests an intimate ambience while they may enjoy the unbeatable panoramic views. Guide to Ao Nang   Recreational activities nearby this resort include: Lanta and Phi Phi daytrips, four-island tours (Railay Beach, Tab Island, Chicken Island and Koh Poda), sea kayaking, trekking, scuba diving, snorkelling and rock climbing.  Ao Nang Beach tourist guide
 
The famous and majestic Ao Nang Beach can easily be reached within a five-minute walk. On this popular beach visitors will find a great selection of bars, restaurants and shops. Krabi Town is less than 30 minutes away from Ao Nang Beach.
Vogue Resort & Spa Ao Nang offers lucrative discounts on hotel rates to those who book their guestroom in advance. Saving precious time is another benefit only provided by pre-booking online. The Vogue Resort & Spa Ao Nang online booking service. 

Sports and activities in Krabi

Holidaymakers in Krabi will appreciate the numerous sports and activities, from which many are suitable for young and old that Krabi has on offer. The majority of the available activities are outdoor pursuits including: snorkelling, rock climbing, golfing, sea kayaking, diving and swimming. A rewarding option is to explore some of Krabi’s areas boasting exceptional natural beauty, by canoeing, jungle trekking, elephant rides or cycling.

Krabi Golf Course
The Pakasai Country Club is Krabi’s single golf course. This outstanding course is situated about seven miles from Krabi Airport and about 19 miles from the reputed Emerald Garden Resort in the province’s Neua Klong District. Emerald Garden organises golf package trips, which usually include visiting other interesting spots. A round here will cost around 1,200 baht. This price includes caddy and green fees as well as the rent for the necessary equipment. The true golfing enthusiasts also have the option travelling to Phuket (two hours by road) where they might play on several world-class courses.
 
Krabi Rock Climbing
Both Krabi and Ao Nang attract many international rock climbers. These destinations provide a world-renowned playground for advanced and beginning climbers alike. Courses are offered by a number of schools. The numerous formations of limestone cliffs contribute to the outstanding quality of the climbing routes.

Krabi Scuba Diving
Krabi’s islands such as the world-famous Phi Phi archipelago offer some of the world’s finest dive sites. Other popular activities here are exciting reef diving as well as superb snorkelling. Several of Ao Nang’s dive schools run advanced courses, Open Water 1 PADI courses. Additionally, they organise boat trips to some of the area’s spectacular reefs and ship wrecks.

Krabi Fitness
The well-established resorts in Krabi are facilitated with a fully equipped fitness centre, Jacuzzi, massage service and tennis courts. With exception of the months during the high season, non-resort guests are allowed to use these recreational facilities at a small fee. 

Krabi Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaks offer an unforgettable experience exploring many of the paradise-like isles jutting out of Krabi’s shoreline along with the mysterious caves and tropic lagoons. There are several majestic locations, which only can be accessed by kayak! Several agencies operate daily kayak adventures.

Krabi Trekking
The lush rain forests in Krabi province provide great playgrounds for rewarding walking adventures. Huay Toh National Park houses some excellent trails, following a route across the forest continuing its way going uphill to a stunning waterfall. The awesome Khao Pra Bang Khram reserve offers spectacular nature trails as well. Other fascinating environments include: the Tha Pom mangrove river and Tarnbok Khoranee National Park. In each of these parks you can find clean, refreshing swimming spots.

Krabi Fishing
Fishing ranks among Krabi’s most popular recreational activities. Angling enthusiasts will find it rather difficult not to catch some fish. The fishing trip operators even advertise with slogans like “No Catch, No Pay!” Day fishing trips are most common but you also have the option chartering a boat and sail away at night or before dawn.

Online resource to activities in Krabi          
       

Krabi, Thailand’s laid-back holiday destination

Boasting mysterious cave formations, areas of stunning natural beauty, forested green hills, idyllic palm and rubber plantations, immaculate beach areas, and a comprehensive tourist infra structure, Krabi has become one of Thailand’s most visited tourist hot spots.

Many international tourists visiting Thailand, particularly Scandinavian, spend most of their holiday in Krabi. Huge crowds of Europeans escape the winter by staying in warm and sunny Krabi. Krabi seasonal weather

Several of the kingdom’s finest beaches are located in Krabi. Two very popular beaches are Railay with its superb rock climbing options and Ao Nang, which provide an excellent playground for the beginning as well as the advanced water sports enthusiast.
 
For romantic Krabi dining and wining or relaxing strolls, tourists should go to Muang Beach, while Pra Nang Beach is a superb canoeing and snorkelling spot. Probably the finest picnics might be experienced at the picturesque Nopparat Thara Beach.

In addition, Krabi province houses over 200 tropic islands. Two of the most famous isle groups include: the Phi Phi Islands and the Lanta Islands (Mu Koh Lanta National Park).

Some of Krabi’s most fascinating attractions of natural interest are the Tiger Cave, featuring remarkable stalactites and stalagmites (see picture) and the stunning Kho Phanom Bencha National Park in Krabi’s Khao Phanom district.

Krabi’s increasing popularity as a tourist destination has resulted in the construction of many different types of accommodation establishments. There are plentiful three and five-star rated hotels as well as a good selection of budget-friendly guesthouses.

Spotting one of the most fascinating creatures in Krabi’s waters

The sparkling blue Andaman Sea’s gateway in the southern part of Thailand, Krabi welcomes a steady influx of international water sport enthusiasts, especially when the winter takes place in the western countries. Highly acclaimed for its waters’ outstanding visibility and the great selection of different dive sites, which offer terrain suitable for both beginning and advanced scuba divers, Krabi is truly a nature buffs’ must-see destination.

There are plenty of reputed dive centres in Krabi organising unforgettable trips. One of the most fascinating creatures you may spot while experiencing your underwater adventure are the amazing seahorses. With their heads up and tails down in an upright position gently moving through the mind-boggling underwater world these wonderfully shaped creatures use their backs swimming forward and steering is controlled by their pectoral fins. Unique are the tiny gill openings in their toothless, tube-shaped mouths and their prehensile tails. Each of their eyes is able to independently move from the other. The Pacific Seahorse is the biggest type.

Small crustaceans provide the seahorses’ food. While not moving they patiently wait till their next meal comes within reach and then catch them by snapping the crustaceans up. A vacuum is created by their tube-shaped mouth making it possible to suck their catch in and swallow the prey entirely. These creatures are in several ways remarkable. They live a monogamous life and maintain long relationships with their partners. The longer a pair of seahorses stay together, the better the production of newborn species will be. Especially among fish monogamy is very rare.

Spotting a seahorse, a diver’s dream come true!

The males are the ones carrying the eggs in their belly’s pouches! Inside the pouch the eggs will get fertilised and incubation takes place between two to four weeks before the creatures hatch. The males give birth to tiny but entirely developed seahorses. Nothing is known yet about the seahorses’ natural lifespan. Scientists assume the smaller species live about one year and the bigger ones five years.

It is quite hard to find a seahorse in moving water and therefore spotting one is each diver’s wish. However, divers who really try hard might probably manage to spot one or several of these magnificent animals and Krabi is the perfect destination to do so. Should you be successful, drop a line here!

Full Krabi activities guide

Holidaying in the stunning province of Krabi in southern Thailand (part 2)

Diving off Krabi’s mainland is a very rewarding experience as the waters here provide several world-class dive playgrounds. Scuba diving has become one of the most popular activities and many diving enthusiasts from each part of the globe flock to Krabi for their water sports holiday.

There are plenty of diving schools and centres operating boat trips between Phuket and Phi Phi Don, which is the largest island of the Phi Phi group. Several of the most renowned diving sites are positioned in the waters surrounding the Phi Phi Islands as well as famed the King Cruiser shipwreck.

Amazing Krabi

On Phi Phi Don, holidaymakers have the option to hire a little boat, which will take them to some of the nearby situated excellent dive spots. The Bida and Ha Islands are also spots, much appreciated by underwater adventurers. The Phi Phi Archipelago contains Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island destinations.

The Phi Phi Islands’ territory belongs since 1983 to a National Park, which includes the Yung and Phai Isles, Bidah Nok, Bidah Nai, Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don. The nautical distance travellers will have to cover reaching Phi Phi from Krabi mainland is approximately 26 miles.

The main Lanta Islands can be accessed by boat departing from both Phi Phi and Krabi beach. Ao Nang is undoubtedly a must-see as well as this destination is blessed with exceptional natural beauty and superb beaches from which some of the most famous include: Nam Mao, Rai Ley and Tham Pra Nang Beach. Complete Southern Thailand travel guide 

Definitely one of Krabi’s most enchanting island destinations is Lanta. The Lanta Islands are positioned in the province’s southern part. The locals use to call the isles “Poo-Lao-Sa-Tak”, which in English translates as the long-beached islands. The islands of Lanta Yai, Rok Nai, Rok Nok and Ngai are some of the most stunning destinations. Lanta represents sufficient different types of accommodation as well. 

Visiting the enchanting province of Krabi in southern Thailand (part 1)

Wonderfully located in the southern part of Thailand, the province of Krabi boasts superb exotic beaches along its coastline along with plenty of paradisiacal islands, which make it hard to imagine how wonderful they are. Boasting unbeatable natural beauty, the renowned and photogenic Phi Phi Islands are definitely some of the most popular daytrip destinations in Krabi province. Travellers simply shouldn’t miss visiting the stunning Phi Phi archipelago. 

Krabi is blessed with a highly pleasurable year-round climate. Only two seasons take place in this Thai region, which compared with other Thai regions result in different seasonal weather conditions. Lasting from January to April is the summer season while from May to December the rainy season takes place. The average year-round temperature is ideal between 17 and 37 degree Celsius.

 Krabi’s natural beauty is truly jaw-dropping

Reaching the province of Krabi is possible by air as well as by road.  Departing from Bangkok you should drive along motorway 4, following its way going through many other provinces. The distance between the Thai capital and Krabi is approximately 587 miles. Arriving from Phuket you should take motorway 402, which at the province of Pangnga, links with motorway 4 leading to Krabi. The travel distance is about 115 miles. Full info on transport to Krabi  Public bus transport operators run air-conditioned coaches, which depart daily from Phuket as well as Bangkok. The duration of the domestic flight service between Bangkok and Krabi is about 90 minutes. Stay tuned for part 2 !   

A genuine gem in the Andaman Sea

The Krabi coastline is definitely one of the most stunning in the entire Andaman and tours of Krabi are highly recommended. However, another great destination in the Andaman Sea and unfortunately often overlooked by travellers is the awesome Mook Island which is located in Trang province at an off the beaten track position.

Travellers taking the time trekking to this gorgeous destination won’t regret their effort. Surrounded by the ocean’s turquoise waters, Koh Mook boasts charming accommodation, jaw-dropping scenery, fine sandy sun-soaked beaches and mouth-watering seafood cuisine. One of the tropical destination’s highlights is the nearby positioned Emerald Cave.

On Koh Mook visitors have no problems with the limited modern tourist facilities. On the contrary! It is this rare, unique and rustic ambience what attracts most of the travellers in the first place. Probably this gorgeous island isn’t spacious enough to construct large-scale tourist projects on it, but in Thailand you never know and if you have the opportunity, it might be wise to visit now. After your visit you will be able saying: “I’ve experienced the island’s tranquil atmosphere when…” in case several bulldozers appear here any time in the near future.

Koh Mook, a paradisiacal island destination

In Trang it isn’t difficult to hop from one isle to another. Travellers who choose Koh Mook as their base generally navigate to nearby pretty islands of Koh Waen, Koh Cheuk and Koh Kradan. There’s also the option to nip over to Koh Sukorn, Koh Lao Liang and Koh Libing just a few nautical miles to the south. Rent a little long-tail boat including the navigator for a day and just let the experienced captain know where you wish to sail to.

The first activity on your itinerary list should be a boat (day) trip around Mook Island and next head for Koh Rok National Marine Park. The island of Koh Rok features a few tranquil and soothing stretches of sand along with several lodging facilities, with the highest rated rooms comparable in rate to mid-range resort or hotels in Krabi or Phuket. Travellers will experience the wonderful feeling of staying on a peaceful natural world without the pressures of daily modern life. That is if they can do without shops, internet café’s and a wide choice of restaurants. Trang Online

Here you can absorb the laid-back island atmosphere and observe the scene of the local’s daily social and labouring life in the quaint fishing village on the island’s eastern part. Besides catching fish the Islamic villagers work on the rubber and coconut plantations, Trang’s third biggest island is filled with.

Koh Mook in Thai language means “Pearl Island”, but this doesn’t mean that many locals still dive to find the valuable pearls. There probably aren’t more than ten pearl hunters left on the island. Along the way riding by motorcycle to the small fishing village, I was waved down by an elderly islander, who proudly showed me something after he had dug it up out of his pocket. Resting in the palm of his wrinkled hand was this little cream-coloured pearl. I don’t know anything about pearls but I was pleased to conclude that diving for them was still practiced on “Pearl Island”. However, one of the finest pearls in the Andaman is the island itself. Guide to Krabi Andaman coastline

Two daily express services depart from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok to Trang. It takes the train about 15 hours (540 miles) to reach the rail station in Trang. Trains leave at 17:05 and 18:20.

A flight service operated by Nok Air, connect Trang once daily with Bangkok.

From the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok daily buses follow a route to Trang with a travel time of about 12 hours. Once passengers arrive in Trang Town they should travel a little further to Kuan Tung Gu Pier. At the pier boats can be rented for transportation to Koh Mook (5.6 miles) 
     

Amazing Krabi

The gorgeous province of Krabi is positioned in the southern part of Thailand. Tourists mainly travel to Krabi because its appealing environment represents superb beach areas and numerous paradisiacal island destinations. The Phi Phi Islands are probably the most famous and should absolutely not be missed when staying in Krabi.

The Krabi province enjoys a highly pleasurable climate, which is different compared with other regions in Thailand. There are just two seasons here. From May to December the rainy season takes place while the summer season takes place from January to April. The year-round average temperature is around 37 degree Celsius.

Krabi can be accessed by air as well as by road. Leaving from Bangkok you should take motorway 4, which follows a scenic route across many provinces. The distance between Bangkok and Krabi is approximately 587 miles.

If leaving from Phuket you should drive along motorway 402 linked to motorway 4 via Phangan and Krabi province. The distance between Phuket and Krabi is about 115 miles. Travellers also have the option using the transport service operated by the air-conditioned VIP couches. A domestic flight from Bangkok to Krabi lasts about 90 minutes.

Krabi’s waters provide excellent playgrounds for divers. Especially, scuba diving is incredibly popular among tourists. The most stunning dive spots are located around the King Cruiser shipwreck and the Phi Phi Islands. Maya Beach, Nui Beach and an area filled with sea caves are just a few of the spectacular dive sites around Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don. At Phi Phi Don you can hire a small boat and navigate yourself to these fantastic locations.

Phi Phi is undoubtedly one of Thailand’s most renowned island travel destination. Since 1983 the island is part of the Nopparatthara - Phi Phi Islands National Park. Six islands belong to this protected territory; Bidah Nay, Bidah Nok, Phi Phi Leh, Phi Phi Don and the Phay and Yung isles. About 27 miles is the distance between Phi Phi and Krabi Beach.

Probably one of Krabi’s most stunning destinations is Lanta. Located in the province’s southern part the Lanta island group, among others, include: the famous Lanta Yai and the isles of Ngai, Rok Nok and Rok Nai. Most of the Lanta Islands can be accessed from both Phi Phi and Krabi Beach. More on what to see in Krabi

Ao Nang boasts some jaw-dropping scenery including immaculate beaches such as Rai Le, Tam Pra Nang and Nam Mao.

 Ao Nang boasts unbeatable scenery

You can reach thesethree, wonderfully by mountains surrounded, beach areas by sea from Ao Nang.