Krabi is a coastal province in the south west of Thailand, around 800 kilometers by road from the capital, Bangkok. It is bounded by Phang Nga to the north, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani to the east; and Trang to the south. The popular tourist destination of Phuket lies only 3 hours across the water, and two hours by road
The geography of Krabi is quite unique, featuring the distinctive rocky outcrops, known as limestone karts, as well as pristine tropical rain forest (the province is located only 8 degrees above the equator), mangroves and a geological curiosity in the form of a 40 million year old fossilised 'shell cemetery'.
Travel in Krabi is popular. 132 islands offshore in the Andaman Sea also fall under the province's jurisdiction, several of which, such as Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Lanta, are inhabited. Most of the other tropical islands belong to the Marine National Park and are protected areas.
The recent discovery of the remains of one of our humanoid ancestors in a rock shelter in Neua Klong district makes Krabi the place with the longest known history of continuous human settlement in Thailand. Bits of broken pottery, beads and coins from as far afield as the Middle East and China have been found on archaeological digs here, suggesting that the area was once a thriving port of call on the ancient trade routes across Asia.
The town of Krabi itself was founded in the 13th century, as a dependency of the powerful city of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Some two hundred years ago, the Prince of the city founded an elephant camp in Krabi. The animals - the symbol of Thailand - roamed wild in those days and they were rounded up and taken to work in Nakhon.
Now Krabi Town is a bustling fishing port, on the mouth of the Krabi River. There are no beaches in the town itself, however, which mean most tourists make the short journey to the beaches of Ao Nang, Railay and Klong Muang, or take a boat to the islands of Ko Phi Phi and Ko Lanta, some one-and-a-half hours away. Travel and tourism is now the main industry in Krabi.
The temperature in Krabi is usually in the range of 27°C/80°F to 35°C/95°F during the day. The hottest months are February - April. At night the temperature usually falls around 5° to 10°. During heavy rain storms in the monsoon months (May to September), the temperature may drop temporarily to as low as 18°C. Humidity is fairly high all year round, from 75 to 100%.
Weather in Krabi
The weather in Krabi is dominated by two tropical monsoons; one bringing winds from the northeast, the other from the southwest. Typically this translates as two distinct seasons: hot and dry from November to April and, when the wind changes, cool and wet from May to October.
But the weather in Krabi is never that well-behaved! There can be rain during the ‘dry’ season, particularly at the start in November or December, as well gloriously sunny spells, sometimes for weeks at a time, during the ‘rainy’ season. The only thing that can be predicted with any degree of certainty is that it will be very, very hot in March and April (up to 37°C/99°F) and that the most rain will fall in September.
This means that the ideal time to visit the region is in January or February, when the weather in Krabi is nearly perfect - not too hot and with a only a slim chance of a downpour. This is, naturally, the peak tourist season, so you may find hotels and beaches full. Some people prefer to visit Krabi in the ‘rainy’ season, despite the risk of showers, as it is cooler, cheaper and less crowded - you can often have a whole island to yourself!
Booking a holiday between May and October remains, however, a gamble: while the typical rainy season pattern is of sunny days punctuated by a short, heavy afternoon shower, you could just as easily end up with ten days of straight rain - or sun! It’s hard to give concrete advice on weather in the Krabi area at this time, so we’ll just remind you that Krabi is beautiful whatever the weather.
The temperature in Krabi averages around 28° to 32° Celsius (82° to 90°F) during the day. In March and April, this can climb to 37°C/99°F); while during heavy rain storms, the temperature may drop temporarily to as low as 18°C/64°F. At night the temperature usually falls around 5° to 10° C and it is advisable to pack a light, non-woolly sweater for the evening, especially if you have been out in the sun all day. Humidity is fairly high throughout the year, from 75 to 100 Thousands of people every year are discovering the charm of Krabi - and coming back for more. This laidback corner of Thailand is one of the kingdom's most beautiful, offering plenty in the way of natural attractions for the tourism.
If you’re a fan of the outdoor life, then Krabi could be your dream destination. The ruggedly beautiful landscape offers plenty of adventure in the form of rock climbing, trekking and sea-kayaking, while the rich marine life of the Andaman Sea makes the province a must on any diver’s or snorkeler’s itinerary. Even if you’ve never tried any of these activities before, experienced instructors are on hand to guide you through.
Alternatively you can spend your days cruising the many islands that dot the coastline, or simply lounging on one of the many stretches of pristine white sand that Krabi has to offer. Beaches and islands are truly something special here and one of the reason most people visit the area.
All the beaches developed for tourism in Krabi have good infrastructure; it is easy to find a tour agent to provide info on any type of activity or sight-seeing. There are numerous free maps you can pick up if you would like to rent a car and explore the countryside; also look out for Flyer, a free monthly magazine which is full of tourism info on Krabi.
The local people are surely among the friendliest in Thailand and are genuinely proud to welcome visitors to their home. If you need any tourism info about Krabi simply ask one of the locals at the many tour agents everywhere.
====================================================================Population:
approx. 350,000, with around 60% Buddhist and 40% Muslim
Area:
4709 square kilometers
Economy:
Agriculture (rubber, palm oil, pineapples, prawns); fishing; tourism
Administration:
Split into eight districts (called Ampur in Thai): Ao Luk; Plai Praya; Muang; Neua Klong; Klong Thom; Khao Phanom; Klong Pon; and Ko Lanta.
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Krabi sight seeing
One of the most pleasurable things to do in Krabi is hop on a boat and set off on a cruise around the myriad islands of the Andaman Sea. Krabi boasts 132 of these under its jurisdiction, from dramatic rocky outcrops to picture postcard deserted islands.
When sightseeing in Krabi, popular trips from Ao Nang and Railay include the four-island tour, which take in the local islands - Chicken, Poda and Tub - visible from the shore, or the five-island Hong Island tour, which visits four beautiful islands in a pristine part of the Tharnbok Khoranee National Marine Park. You can also make day trips to the Phi Phi Islands from here, a highly recommended excursion. From Ko Lanta, you can visit the islands of Koh Rok, with their astonishingly clear water and memorable snorkeling.
Trips can be made by long tail boat or by speedboat. Long tail boats have the advantage of being quite cheap and easy to charter, meaning you don’t have to join in with a tour and can set your own itinerary. They are also more traditional and less reliable, but can be slower and often wetter rides. Speedboat tours are the way to go if you want to cut your traveling time; they are definitely recommended for trips further afield, such as Koh Phi Phi. However, they do make for a bumpy ride, especially if there are big waves. Krabi booking hotel online.All sightseeing tours on Krabi will include snorkeling and beach stops (with equipment provided), soft drinks and lunch. If you charter a long tail boat, you will have to bring your own food, drink and snorkeling equipment. One of the most memorable full day trips is to Pha Nga Bay, northwest of Krabi. Made famous in the Bond movie, the Man with the Golden Gun, this fantastic theater of karst pillars and cliffs is pure eye-candy and includes excellent kayaking, and lunch on the water gypsy village of Koh Phan Yee.
If you prefer to spend a day on dry land, there are many sight-seeing activities on the mainland. A day wandering around Krabi Town is a great way to get an insight into Thai culture, with its bustling morning market - the biggest in southern Thailand, pretty riverside walk and hundreds of little shops. This is also the place to come if you want to sample some authentic southern cuisine.
Further inland, a popular sightseeing tour is to Tiger Cave Temple, a forest meditation center. Here, you can follow a nature trail around a secluded green valley, where the monks come to meditate; visit shrines in caves set in the rock and - if you feel brave enough - climb the 1237 steps to the mountain-top statue of the Buddha. As well as being an impressive sight in itself, you’ll also be rewarded with an unparalleled view of the Krabi countryside. On a clear day, you can see right out to the islands, around 50kms away.
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