Krabi tours – krabi coastline
The Krabi coastline is one of the most spectacular in the whole Andaman and tours of Krabi are highly recommended. In fact, the province is best seen from the water, from where you can visit the world famous Phi Phi island group as well as several smaller and equally intriguing islands closer to the shore. Then there is the imposing karst scenery of Pha Nga bay to the north of Krabi.
Tours of Krabi are numerous and can be arranged at any of the tour agencies found in Ao Nang and the resorts of the area. The most typical of these is the Four Island and Five Island full and half day tours of the Krabi coast near Ao Nang. These tours depart at about 9am from the beachfront and take you to the small islands not far off shore. The most spectacular of these is Hong Island, a small national park with a beautiful beach in a sheltered bay. Most of the island is sheer karst rock, but there is a picnic spot and small nature trail away from the beach. Usually you will be left here for a couple of hours to enjoy this lovely beach but you’ll have to share it with quite a few longtail boatloads of people. The most impressive attraction of this island is the enclosed lagoon which can only be reached via a cave tunnel when the tide is right, and a quick whirl around inside is a highlight. These tours then take you on to several other smaller islands with similarly secluded beaches and the option of snorkelling. The whole day out is certainly worth the 700 baht – with a modest packed lunch included.
By chartering a private longtail boat (prices negotiable depending on the numbers) you can visit the islands of the area by yourself and escape the hordes on other popular tours. North of Ao Nang there are several deserted tidal beaches, such as Haad Noppharat Thara which you can have all to yourself (its also ideal for early morning jogs and you can run there easily from Ao Nang). South of Ao Nang is the Phra Nang cape (where Railay beach is located) and once rounding this you enter Nam Mao bay. It doesn’t boast the brilliant beaches of Railay but it is the site of a rather curious attraction; the Su San Hoi or Shell cemetery – a graveyard for 75,000 year old fossilised shells that have formed peculiar massive slabs that jut out of the sea. By approaching from the sea you might escape the unnecessary 200 baht national park entrance fee which visitors from the coastal access road are charged.
To visit Phi Phi there are tours from Krabi, costing about 1200 baht and these include an early start in a modern speed boat, visits to the pretty Maya bay and the smaller inaccessible parts of the island chain and lunch at the main Phi Phi Don. There’s also plenty of time to relax on the beaches, swim and do some snorkelling. These tours are the best way to see Phi Phi if you don’t intend staying overnight on Phi Phi Don. Making your own way to Phi Phi Don by regular ferry for the day is impractical as the ferry is slow and the return times inconvenient.
From Krabi town tours of the Krabi river estuary are popular and offer a different side to the usual towering landscapes that are typical of this region. There is a surprising amount of interesting flora and fauna found here and the tidal changes offer different perspectives. Early morning or sunset tours on longtail boats from the city waterfront pier are best. If you’ve rented a bike for the day you might wish to leave the coast altogether and seek out the unusual Wat Tam Sueu (Tiger Cave temple) which is south of Krabi town and includes a caved sanctuary at the base of a towering karst pillar and chedis and Buddhas on the top – with an exhausting 1200-step climb but rewarding views. It is an active and famous forest retreat temple, and home to a troupe of monkeys. Also worth visiting on land is Than Bokkharani National Park which is 20 minutes drive north of Ao Nang in the Ao Luek area. It’s a delightful fairy-tale landscape of emerald pools cascading into streams, along with plenty of caves and karst topography.
Finally, no visit to Krabi is complete without tours to Pha Nga bay, which is in a province of its own an hour north of Krabi by boat. Tours are available from any of the travel agents and are a popular trip to admire this enormous panorama of karst pillars and landscapes, including the famous James Bond Island and ‘water village’ of Koh Phan Yee. More on Pha Nga bay.
