INTRODUCING KRABI
Facing to the east of Andaman Sea, Krabi is one of
the most renowned beach attractions in Southern Thailand,
alongside with Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Lanta Island and Khao
Lak. It is an ideal getaway destination teeming with
natural attractions including white sandy beaches, fascinating coral
reefs, numerous large and small islands and verdant forests with
caves and waterfalls.
Krabi is located approximately 814 kilometers from Bangkok is Krabi Province,
and encompass an
area of 4,708 square kilometers; the western border of Krabi is the
Andaman Sea, the northern borders are Surat Thani and Phang-nga
Provinces, the southern borders are Trang Province and the Andaman
Sea and the eastern borders are Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang
Provinces. It is mostly mountains and highlands separated by
plains in some parts. Flowing through Krabi City to the Andaman Sea
at Pak Nam is Krabi River which is 5 kilometers in
length. There are several canals originating from the
province's highest mountain range, Khao Phanom Bencha including
Khlong Pakasai, Khlong Krabi Yai and Khlong Krabi Noi. Lush mangrove
forests line the canals and the banks of Maenam Krabi particularly
before it empties into the Andaman Sea. The provinces sandy soil
conditions are suitable for growing various agricultural products,
particularly rubber trees, palms, coconuts, cashew nuts and coffee.
There are only two
seasons in Krabi; the hot season from January to April and the rainy
season from May to December. Temperatures range between 17
°C and 37 °C due to tropical season of monsoon.
| Krabi hosted two world class beaches Ao
Nang and Railay Beach which offer numerous diving trips,
restaurants, shops etc. Additional attractions in the province are
stunning limestone cliffs and rock formations which make it a heaven
for rock climbers and a National Park located approximately 40
kilometers outside of town with lakes, caves and spectacular natural
scenery. |
Ao Nang BeachesLocated approximately 6
kilometers from Hat Noppharat Thara
and 20 kilometer from
the town of Krabi. A large bay with scenic
beaches and 83
small islands, Ao Nang has several famous
beaches which
include East Rai Le, West Rai Le and Tham Phra Nang (cave)
which stretches to the foot of a prominent limestone range.
A boat from Ao Nang Village can be hired for sightseeing
excursions around Ao Nang, Hat Tham Phra Nang and Hat Nam
Mao, all of which are only accessible by foot. Other
offshore isles such as Ko Poda, Ko Kai, Ko Mo and Ko Thap,
are popular destinations that can be reached by a rented
boat from Ao Nang.
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Recommended Resorts on Ao Nang:
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Ao Nang Beach Resort - Ao Nang Beach Resort is a
comfortable resort situated on heart of Ao Nang Beach. All
rooms are equipped with air-conditioned, hot and cold
showers with bathtub, Mini Bar, private balconies and
satellite TV channels. |
Railay Beach
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Generally divided into two sections, east and west. West
Rai Le provides visitors with peace and quiet as it is a
broad sandy beach with fewer facilities than Ao Nang. East
Rai Le which lies across the peninsula from West Rai Le is
different from other beaches in the area as it could
actually be classified as a mud flat, especially during low
tide. In addition to remarkable views and mangrove forests
to the north of the beach, the main attraction for visitors
to Hat Rai Le is the adrenaline pumping activity of cliff
climbing. The limestone cliffs on the huge headland between
Hat Rai La East and Tham Phra Nang, as well as other nearby
islands provide world-class rock climbing facilities against
a stunning backdrop of the sea with approximately 700 sport
routes of mid to high difficulty ratings. |
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Recommended Resorts on Railay:
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Sunrise Tropical Resort - Sunrise Tropical 's Villas are
single - storey, Thai - style structures based on a theme of
simple elegance and utility. Sixteen structures are single
units and six structures are duplex units. |
Phranang Bay
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Located 6 km. from Noppharat Thara Beach, this is a large
bay with several scenic beaches and 83 islands of various
sizes and shapes. Due to its unspoilt natural beauty both on
land and in the surrounding waters and easy accessibility,
Au Nang has gradually developed to be Krabi's most popular
tourist attraction after Phi Phi Islands, with a growing
number of accommodations and tour operators. Some famous
beaches in the area are Tham Phra Nang, East Rai Le, West
Rai Le, and Ton Sai. |
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Interesting Tips |
According to archaeological evidence, the area
that is now called "Krabi" province had been a
community since prehistoric period, yet there
was no documentary evidence about this.
During King Rama V's reign (1868-1910), this
land was called Pakasai sub-county under the
direct jurisdiction of Nakhon Si Thammarat
province. After the governor of the province
sent his officials to catch elephants here, many
more people from Nakhon Si Thammarat province
immigrated to settle down in the area.
Around 1872, King Rama V elevated Pakasai
sub-county to be Krabi province with the
provincial administration office situated at
Krabi-yai sub-county (in Muang district at
present). But it was still subjected to Nakhon
Si Thammarat's control. At present, the office
is located near the estuary at Pak Nam
sub-district. Its first governor was Laung Thep
Sena. In 1875, Rama V had an order to separate
Krabi from Nakhon Si Thammarat and to have it
ruled by Bangkok.
There are two legends mentioning the meaning of
"Krabi". The first had it that villagers
presented a large ancient sword (krabi in Thai)
they discovered by chance to the governor. They
also did the same thing when a smaller one was
found later. Regarded as sacred and auspicious,
the governor would like to keep them in the
province. But the provincial establishment was
still in progress, so they were placed crossing
each other in the cave named Khao Khanap Nam.
This was the origin of the province's emblem.
The second legend had it that "Krabi" was
derived from a name of local tree "Lumphi". The
Malay and Chinese merchants made its
pronunciation slightly corrupted and became "Ka-lu-bi"
or "Kho-lo-bi", which finally turned to "Krabi"
(sword). |
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