Krabi Province is on the west coast
of Southern Thailand, and shares borders with Nakhon
Si Thammarat Province, Phang Nga Province, Satun
Province and Surat Thani Province, as well as the
Andaman Sea.
The distinguishing feature of both Krabi and neighboring
Phang Nga is the massive limestone karsts, rising
vertiginously out of the flat rice paddies on land
and as islands from the sea. Add in some gorgeous
beaches and excellent scuba diving and rock climbing,
and it's little wonder that tourism in the area
has been booming.
While less commercialized than neighboring Phuket,
Krabi Province cannot be described as undiscovered:
it receives two million visitors a year, and the
major tourist areas cater extensively for foreigners.
Climate
Krabi is hot and humid all year round, with peak
temperatures around April. The rainy season arrives
in the fall and drizzles until about November, during
which time many hotels and bars close, and the sea
can get rough and some ferries (including those
to Ko Lanta) stop running. High season is November-April
inclusive, when it's a little cooler; the peak tourism
period spans Christmas and New Year.
Talk You can get around on English alone in the more
touristic areas, although a few words of Thai will
come in handy off the beaten track and will be much
appreciated anywhere.
Scuba diving
Krabi Province and the Andaman Sea have a number
of excellent dive sites. You can find dive resorts
at almost every coastal destination in the region
and on the islands that tourists visit. Dive resorts
on Phuket will visit some of these sites too. Most
will offer a selection of dives at the following
sites:
Hin Bida (near Ko Bida) - a submerged
rock best known for its leopard sharks
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang (55km south
of Phi Phi) - the region's most famous dive sites,
offering steep deep wall diving and, thanks to
their position in the open sea, spectacular marine
life; usually approached from Ko Lanta, occasionally
by overnight trip from Phuket
King Cruiser - a car ferry that
sank in 1997, providing the area with its only
wreck, located at 30 meters; unfortunately its
condition is deteriorating fairly fast in the
warm waters
Ko Haa (Five Islands, south of Ko
Phi Phi) - has excellent coral dives between 15m
and 25m and some cavern dives including one that
allows you to surface in the center of one of
the islands
About Krabi Thailand
