Krabi, Thailand: all about the province, attractions, photos

Krabi - a province in Thailand popular among tourists, is located opposite Phuket, namely in the opposite part of Phang Nga Bay. Cliffs, beaches, uninhabited islands attract tourists every year. In Krabi, Thailand, nature and infrastructure are conducive to travel. Most uninhabited islands run local boats, modern boats. In addition, there are many attractions in Krabi, so the options for spending holidays are almost unlimited.

Photo: Krabi Province.

General information

Krabi Province is considered the most beautiful in Thailand. The resort is located near the Malaysian border, on the shores of the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. This picturesque coast will surely appeal to tourists who like to discover corners of nature that have not yet been touched by man.

Krabi Province in Thailand - this is more than three dozen beaches, more than two hundred islands, exotic vegetation in the tropics, mountains, waterfalls and caves. Want to plunge into the local flavor - get a trip on a wooden boat. Prefer comfort - take a trip on a modern boat or ferry. The shallow water off the coast of Krabi is a suitable place for snorkeling, and kayaking is offered to tourists on bays and lagoons. The caves are filled with stalactites, stalagmites, which have been formed over the centuries.

Interesting fact! It is in the province of Krabi that the oldest limestone deposit is located - the cemetery of shells - scientists believe that the age of the natural landmark is more than 75 million years.

The population of Krabi is 360 thousand inhabitants and less and less time is devoted to fishing, and more is invested in tourism. Hotels are being built, coconut oil is being produced, infrastructure is being developed. And in Krabi you must visit the local markets - day and night. The region is a place with unusual memorable landscapes and comfortable beaches.

Holidays in the province of Krabi

For several decades, the province's infrastructure in Thailand has been actively developing, so here you can find housing for every taste and budget. Of course, the cost of living in hotels of different categories is significantly different.

Accommodation

If you are interested in budget accommodation, pay attention to hotels where the price of a room per night varies from 500 to 900 baht. The price includes a clean, fairly comfortable room, furniture, a bathroom, air conditioning.

K.L. Boutique hotel

It is important! The closer to the center of the resorts and further from the coastline, the cheaper the room rental.

Purin resort & restaurant

Accommodation in a hotel of category 3 and 4 stars on the first line will cost 2500 baht per day. The cost of apartments in a five-star hotel from 3,500 baht.

Many tourists plan a long vacation in Krabi - a month or longer. In this case, booking a hotel room will not be financially profitable. It is better to rent an apartment, bungalow or private house with local residents or. The cost of a house of 80 m2 with two bedrooms and two bathrooms will be from 15 thousand baht per month. A small one-bedroom house will cost from 10 thousand baht per month.

It's important to know! It is better to book accommodation in Thailand in advance, since prices depend on the season. In the dry season, prices are maximum, and in the rainy season they decrease by 1.5-2 times.

Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this formFood

Food prices depend on where you prefer to eat and which cuisine you prefer. The minimum cost of lunch in the city of Krabi is 80 baht, the cheapest way is to eat at the mackerel or street Thai eatery. The average cost of a dish here is about 60 baht.

In Ao Nang, where the majority of vacationers come, prices are slightly higher (in Thai baht):

Soup Tom Yam - 150
Pad Thai - 100
Steak - 400
Fruit Shake - 70-100
Local beer 0.5 - 120
Chicken Curry - 120.

Krabi city

Krabi Town in Thailand is the main tourist center of the Thai province. A distinctive feature of the city is inexpensive hotels and a large selection of guesthouses - the average cost of living is 200 baht. Krabi Town is chosen by tourists who are fed up with European cities that have lost their color and want to plunge into the authenticity of Thailand. It should be noted that there is no beach in the city, but you can rent transport and get to the nearest beaches of Ao Nang.

Ao Nang

If you are interested in a resort that is best suited for a comfortable European holiday, choose Ao Nang, located two dozen kilometers from Krabi Town - the provincial administrative center. The main attraction is Ao Nang Beach with excellent conditions for diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, numerous cafes and restaurants. The beauty of this resort can be judged by the numerous photos of tourists.

Detailed information about the resort with a photo is presented in this article.

Krabi beaches

Krabi beaches in Thailand are located east of Phuket, tourists are attracted by picturesque cliffs, soft, fine sand and solitude. This part of the country is perfect for tourists who relax on their own and seek silence, young couples who are attracted to romance, as well as for families with children.

The main advantage of Krabi beaches in easy accessibility is that you can go around the entire coast and make your personal rating of places for relaxation or outdoor activities. The coastline of Krabi is diverse. Many travelers mistakenly believe that we are talking about islands, but in fact it is the mainland of Thailand, the province also includes picturesque uninhabited islands. Most beaches are located on the mainland.

Good to know! You can go to any of the islands on your own or get an excursion. Since the islands are uninhabited, there is no infrastructure there, so staying for a long period will not work.

The Krabi coastline stretches for 15 km, there are many beaches, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that some can only be reached by water.

The most populated coast with a developed infrastructure is located next to Ao Nang. Here you can eat, buy drinks. East of Ao Nang, the coastline is more focused on visitors to expensive hotels. The Railay Peninsula is separated from the roads by high cliffs and can only be reached by water.

Another distinctive feature of a beach holiday in Krabi in Thailand is the lack of a lot of entertainment. There are no jet skis and parachutes, bananas. Krabi beaches can not be called fully equipped - there is no abundance of sun loungers and umbrellas. Such a decision was made by the locals deliberately in order to keep the nature untouched as much as possible. In fact, the absence of umbrellas and sun loungers is easily solved with a blanket or mattress, as well as the shadow of palm trees.

Ebbs and flows

In the province of Krabi, ebbs and flows are very pronounced. In order not to be in an unpleasant situation and not come ashore when the water goes several hundred meters, you need to study the table of natural phenomena. There is a lot of such information on the Internet.

Good to know! During the full moon, the tides are more pronounced, and during the waning moon become less noticeable.

At low tide, the water goes so far that it becomes simply impossible to swim, and at high tide the water off the coast becomes somewhat muddy and turbulent. The most comfortable swim in the days when the difference between the ebb and flow is minimal. As a rule, this period coincides with the high tourist season. But in the summer, the differences between the tides become too sharp.

Attractions of the province of Krabi

Krabi Province is not only famous for its comfortable beaches, it also has natural, historical and architectural attractions. If you are bored of relaxing on the beach, you can always make a trip to the nearby islands, visit temples, waterfalls and caves.

Peninsula Railay

Traveling to the peninsula will be a memorable holiday event in Thailand. Millions of tourists from all over the world celebrate the white sand on the shore, and elaborate cliffs give this place a special charm. Be sure to visit the Diamond Landmark - a cave located in the eastern part of the peninsula, its length is 180 m.

Good to know! You can only get to Railay by water; boats regularly depart from the cities of Krabi and Ao Nang. There is no need to pay for visiting the peninsula. You can purchase a guided tour for two days and spend the night at Railay.

More detailed information about the peninsula, all its beaches and attractions are collected here.

Phi Phi Don Island

This is the only island of Phi Phi where there is a port and hotels are built. Its dimensions are 3.5 km to 8 km. The eastern part is more comfortable and suitable for tourist vacations, and the western part is covered with rocks. The coastline is very diverse - there are places with developed infrastructure, mainly near Ton Sai Village, and you can find a secluded part of the coast. Be prepared for the fact that most roads are not designed for long walks in the dark. It is most convenient to inspect natural beauty, moving through the water.

On Phi Phi Don there are six large beaches with a length of half a kilometer to 700 meters and about ten small ones - no more than 50 m.

The Pi-Pi-Don island is described in detail on this page.

Phi Phi Lei Island and Maya Bay

An island of 6.6 square meters. km consists of rocks 100 m high, as well as picturesque bays. Phi Phi Lei is uninhabited, but it is its solitude that attracts thousands of tourists. Most travelers settle here, and go to Phi Phi Lei with a guided tour to see natural attractions.

The main interest is in Maya Bay, which became known thanks to the film "Beach". The attraction is a coast covered with white sand and surrounded by stone cliffs and picturesque coral reefs.

Good to know! Today, this part of the province in Thailand can hardly be called deserted and uninhabited, because hundreds of travelers come here every day. If you want to enjoy peace and quiet, come to Phi Phi Lei no later than seven in the morning or after five in the evening.

Viking cave

Things to do:

snorkeling
visit the Viking cave;
try swallow nests.

How to get to Pi-Pi-Lei, for useful tips on visiting and photos, see this article.

Bambu island

This Krabi attraction in Thailand is on the list of places to visit when traveling around the province. The nearest resort is Phi Phi Don, just 5 km away and Krabi Town is 32 km away. An easy way to visit the attraction is to buy a sightseeing tour in Krabi or Phi Phi Don. You can rent a boat and make an independent trip.

Good to know! Bambu is part of the national reserve, so all travelers are charged 400 baht for an adult and 200 baht for a child.

People come here for the sake of picturesque nature, exotic vegetation and the cleanest sea. Least of all tourists in the early morning - up to 7-8 hours. There are no sunbeds and umbrellas on the island, but you can rent bedding and a life jacket. Be sure to bring a mask with you to watch the life of a coral reef.

All details about visiting the Bamboo Island can be found on this page.

Tiger Temple

The attraction is 13 km from Krabi Town. This is a Buddhist complex, where many religious symbols and statues are represented. The journey begins in a cave with statues of panthers and a tiger. The goal of visitors is the observation deck, which offers an excellent view of the entire province. The road to the observation deck is more than 1237 steps.

Good to know! On the way tourists are accompanied by wild monkeys. Entrance to the attraction is free, you can visit it during daylight hours.

More detailed information about the temple is presented here.

Poda Island

Are you bored of lying on the shore, and you do not know what to see in Krabi (Thailand)? Pay attention to the picturesque landmark with an area of 10 km to 6 km, located 5 km from the coast, opposite the Pra Nang beach. A distinctive feature of the island of Poda - geographical location - in shallow water. At low tide, between the small islands, a sand spit appears, on it you can travel and admire the landscape beauties. In the shade of the trees, well-fed macaques are hiding, who watch tourists with interest and boldly take refreshments directly and people's hands.

Good to know! Trip to Poda is the most popular sea voyage in Krabi province. The attraction attracts tourists all year round, visiting is paid, since Poda is part of the National Park.

The most famous entertainment - Deep Water Solo - everyone is taken to the sea, right from the boat you need to climb a rock and jump into the water.

Another feature is the lack of infrastructure - there are no hotels, shops, local authorities managed to save the impenetrable jungle. For tourists, several gazebos, bars, toilets, places for changing clothes are organized.

Beaches Poda

There is only one beach on the island, divided into two parts - northern and southern.

The northern part - boats moor here, the wide coastline allows you to choose a secluded place to relax, the main attraction is the rock. The entrance to the water is gentle and gentle.
The southern part is less comfortable, there are a lot of stones, the descent into the sea is also rocky, and nature is not so picturesque.

Good to know! The best time to visit is before 12-00 or after 16-00. At other times, there are many tourists.

Before going to Poda, stock up on food and drinks, there is a bar on the shore, but it can be closed, the price of refreshments in it is several times higher than in other institutions of the province. Fresh, soft drinks and traditional Thai food are regularly brought to holidaymakers.

Photo: Krabi, Thailand.

How to get there

There are several ways to get to the sights:

sightseeing tour, in which you can visit the four islands, the cost depends on transport and what is included in the tour;
rent a motor boat on Ao Nang;
rent a private boat - this option is more suitable for large companies.

Blue Lake

When relaxing on Krabi in Thailand, be sure to visit the Khao Pra Bang Khram Nature Reserve, where there are picturesque lakes filled with clear water. You can see the Blue and Emerald Lakes during the tour or on your own. The main feature of the reserve is untouched nature, fresh air and exotic jungle.

Be sure to get a map of the sights where hiking trails are marked. The Emerald Lake is the first on the way, it is better to go along a long route to it - this road is more picturesque. There are signs on the routes.

Good to know! The descent to the lake is slippery, care must be taken. Swimming is recommended no longer than a quarter of an hour. Water temperature is about +25 degrees.

About 600 m from the Emerald is another attraction - Blue Lake. The reservoir delights tourists with its amazing blue color due to the large accumulation of minerals at the bottom. Swimming in a pond is prohibited, so local authorities try to preserve the natural beauty of the sights.

Interesting fact! Go to the shore and clap your hands - air bubbles will appear on the surface of the water. This phenomenon is still unexplainable.

Entrance to the attraction:

for adults - 200 baht;
for children - 100 baht.

The schedule of the park is from 7-30 to 17-30. Plan your trip on a weekday.

If you are driving on your own, follow highway 4, turn onto highway 4021. The road takes a little less than an hour. Parking at the entrance to the park is paid.

All prices and timetables on the page are for November 2018.

Weather and climate

Krabi province is influenced by monsoons, it is they who form the climatic conditions and weather, as well as the amount of rainfall. There are three seasons in the province:

hot (from early April to late May);
cool (lasts from November to the end of March);
rainy (from June to October).

The best time to travel to Thailand is the cool season, when the average air temperature in the daytime is + 30-31 ° C, and at night it drops to + 23-25 ° C.

On the territory of Krabi on the coast of the Andaman Sea there are monsoons of two types:

southwest - brings rains and thunderstorms, lasts from mid-summer to mid-autumn;
northeastern - brings the long-awaited coolness, begins in November and lasts until March.

In the off-season - the period between the monsoons - the weather is hot, the air warms up strongly - up to 33 ° C during the day and 26-27 ° C at night.

The water temperature in the sea is in the range of + 28-30 ° C throughout the year.

Good to know! When is the best time to relax on Krabi in Thailand? Plan your trip from November to March. If you want to celebrate the New Year in Thailand, book a hotel room in a few months.

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Transport connection

Krabi Airport

Not far from Krabi Town is the airport, which accepts domestic and international flights. The length of the runway is 3 km, and the terminals serve about 700 thousand passengers a year. The airport cooperates with numerous airlines, so getting to the province of Krabi is not difficult.

Good to know! There are two terminals in the airport building - for servicing domestic flights and for servicing international and charter flights.

The airport is small, but there is everything necessary for the comfort of travelers.

How to get around the city

Songteo is a pickup truck. The fare depends on the color of the transport and the length of the route - the most budget option will cost 20 baht (brown songteo), the most expensive - 60 baht (blue transport). Songteo blue and red offer a trip for 40 baht.
Taxis and mototaxis. Taxi - red transport, prices, as elsewhere in Thailand, are negotiable. Mototaxi is a rather rare form of transport for a large city - a passenger is offered a ride in the back seat of a motorcycle. A trip costs an average of 150 baht.
Knock Knock. The transport resembles a songteo. The most common way to travel in Thailand.

Good to know! As a rule, local drivers do not understand English well, so it is better to show the route on a map.

Krabi Province (Thailand) is undoubtedly the best choice if you want to relax on the beach and enjoy the many attractions. This part of the country is not yet sufficiently promoted, the more attractive the landscapes look and the travel experience will be brighter.