Krabi sightseeing guide - Thailand
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 snorkelling.
Trips can be made by longtail boat or by speedboat. Longtail 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 travelling 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. Full list of attractions in the area.
All sightseeing tours on Krabi will include snorkelling and beach stops (with equipment provided), soft drinks and lunch. If you charter a longtail boat, you will have to bring your own food, drink and snorkelling 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 theatre 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 centre. 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.
The tour to Tiger Cave Temple is usually combined in the afternoon with a trip to the Hot Springs, some 40km further south. These entirely natural outdoor jacuzzis have been carved into the rock by the action of thermal spring water, which comes from a source nearby. By the time the water reaches the Hot Springs site, it has cooled to a pleasant 35C, so you can lounge in your ‘tub’ in the middle of the forest while the fast-flowing mineral water pummels your body into relaxation. Read information about some of Krabi's best kept secrets on our forum.
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