Now, mention Krabi, what it is famed for? Definitely it’s picturesque, scenic and beautiful beaches. Ask anyone who has been there, that’s the exact portrayal of Krabi which situated in the west coast of Southern Thailand facing the Andaman Sea. It consist over 80 smaller islands with crystal clear shoreline and the only way to explore the islands is by longtail boat or speed boat from Ao Nang beach. There are few types of island-hopping tour packages available, either you can purchase at the hotel (inclusive of two way transportation) or at Ao Nang beach itself.
We booked the 4 islands package by longtail boat (inclusive of lunch, fruit, drinking water, safety jacket and snorkeling equipment) which consists of Chicken Island, Tup Island, Poda Island and Pranang Cave. A private passenger van picked us from our hotel by 8.00am and arrived at Ao Nang beach half an hour later. Unlike the town itself, the atmosphere here in Ao Nang is way much lively, full of characters and a place where foreign tourist exceeds the locals.
Rows and rows of shops lines up along the stretch. Foods, clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, swim wears/gears, tour operators, massage parlors, tattoo parlors, beauty salons, souvenirs, antiques and home deco stuffs, local crafts – you name it, it’s all on hand but guess what? It’s not a place to get away with a satisfactory bargain. Adjoining the shops are luxury resorts, chalets and bungalow stays. Walk further up away from the beach, you could come across few budget stays sandwiched between shops (on a strict note- never walk into those without any prior reservations especially during peak season).
With approximately 30 vacationers onboard along with three guides, a man and two girls and a boat navigator, we started on our island hopping journey at 9 am.
It took approximately half an hour before we reach the first stop. An amazing transparent shoreline with white sandy linkage between Tup Island and Chicken Island.
Lunch provided
View of Pranang beach from Pranang cave, the final stop before heading
back.
Well known for its exceptional natural beauty, one is for sure to leave Krabi with picture perfect memories.
A desperate needing for a short break....the bf and I spontaneously decided to go to Krabi, Thailand. Putting aside the comfort of flying, we set off by road instead, which turn out to be a terrific choice, not only the place but the journey itself was a pleasurable one. The roads were in top condition and what I loved most was the-almost no vehicle- highway. Yes, there was barely any motor vehicle on the road throughout the journey. It was a smooth 4 hours drive from Haadyai. Thanks to the bf’s memory, he managed to locate the same hotel (City Hotel) where he stayed during his last trip here few years ago and checked in without any prior booking. Krabi town, relatively a small township located by the bank of river Chao Fa. It is said to exist since the period 25,000 - 35,000 B.C and home to Homo Sepians. Some dating stone tools, pottery and skeletal remains were found in the province.
It is best to walk about the town and take in the rather quiet surroundings and people, so were we out strolling around when we came across Chao Fa river cruise within few minutes walking distance from the centre of town. Since no plans made for rest of the day, we decided to take the cruise but not before our hunger fulfilled. Once done, we headed again to Chao Fa pier and hopped in a wooden long boat for an hour cruise along the river. Unfortunately, it was just after rain (actually it was still drizzly) and part of the river was muddy.
There was a small fisherman settlement, a restaurant and fish farm by the north river where we stopped for some refreshment. To our delight, the moment we step on the landing wooden jetty, a bubbly guide led us to the fish farm where he effortlessly picked up a buffer fish and box fish merely for snapshots and escorted us all through our walk around the- tiny island- village.
We ended with a cup of coffee at the seafood restaurant by the river before heading back to the pier. Overall it was not a remarkable sightseeing, but rather worthwhile to simply spend the day.
Later that evening, in search for the delicious local food, we once again wandered the town aimlessly when we spotted some street food stalls by the Chao Fa pier. The food here is wonderfully delicious and reasonably priced. We ended up eating there the following three evenings.
Where to stay: At Krabi town if on budget trip or to avoid the costly and touristy atmosphere at Ao Nang beach
Where to eat: Food stalls at Chao Fa pier ( 5pm onwards) Krabi town (recommended). Evening market at the back of City Hotel and Day fruit market across City Hotel. Chill out at local pubs (plenty).
What to do/see: ChaoKo Phi Phi Island, Kaewkorawaram temple, simply walk around and pamper yourself with a relaxing massage at the end of the day. Lots of massage/reflexology parlors here, way much cheaper than at Ao Nang.
