Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [577]
Sea Kayak Krabi (0 7563 0270; www.seakayak-krabi.com; 40 Th Ruen Rudee) offers a wide variety of sea-kayaking tours, including to Ao Thalane (half/full day 800/1400B), which has looming sea cliffs; Ko Hong (full day 1500B), famed for its emerald lagoon; and Ban Bho Tho (full day 1500B), which has sea caves with 2000- to 3000-year-old cave paintings. All rates include guides, lunch, fruit and drinking water.
Tours
Chen Phen Tour (0 7561 2004; Th Utarakit) and others offer birdwatching tours in the mangroves around Krabi for about 600B per boat per hour (early morning is best); alternatively, you can hire a boat at the main pier for around 350B per hour. Keep an eye out for fiddler crabs and mudskippers on the exposed mud.
Various companies offer day trips to Khlong Thom, about 45km southeast of Krabi on Hwy 4, taking in some nearby hot springs and freshwater pools. Expect to pay around 950B to 1100B, including transport, lunch and beverages; bring a swimsuit and good walking shoes. Various other ‘jungle tour’ itineraries are available.
Sleeping
New guesthouses are appearing all over Krabi and most offer large, clean, tiled rooms with windows and shared bathrooms.
KR Mansion (0 7561 2761; krmansion@yahoo.com; 52/1 Th Chao Fah; r 300-600B; ) There’s a great funky rooftop beer garden with panoramic views over Krabi, just perfect for a sundowner. The rooms in this bright-pink building are quite comfortable.
Chan Cha Lay (0 7562 0952; www.geocities.com/chan_cha_lay; 55 Th Utarakit; r 300-650B; ) This place has very helpful staff, and its relaxing white and baby-blue decor has an appealing Mediterranean feel. The tiled rooms are immaculate and the cafe has dainty trimmings, artistic photos and other bits of art on the walls. It’s a great place to stay.
Eating & Drinking
Some might say the town’s less than appetising, but they don’t say the same about the food. Krabi offers a number of quality venues.
Night Market (Th Khong Kha; meals 20-50B; dinner) Found near the Khong Kha pier, this is one of the best places to eat. The menus are in English but the food is authentic and excellent. Stalls here sell papaya salad, fried noodles, ôm yam gûng (prawn and lemon-grass soup with mushrooms), fresh seafood and all manner of things on satay sticks, plus sweet milky Thai desserts. There’s a similar night market just north on Th Sukhon, near the intersection with Th Phruksauthit.
Ruan Pae (0 7561 1956; Th Utarakit; dishes 60-150B; lunch & dinner) This old-fashioned floating restaurant is a fine place to watch the evening mist gather around the mangroves, though the atmosphere is sometimes better than the food. Mosquitoes can be a problem in the evening.
Old West Bar (Th Chao Fah; 1pm-2am) Bamboo and wood inside and out, this Wild West–themed bar booms music nightly and is one popular place for a tipple. There’s a lively scene most nights and the cocktail list is long enough to keep you sampling for a while.
Getting There & Away
AIR
Most domestic carriers offer service between Bangkok and Krabi International Airport (one way around 2400B to 3100B, 1¼ hours). Bangkok Air (www.bangkokair.com) has daily service to Ko Samui for around the same price. Discounts can be hunted down at local travel agencies and online. See www.domesticflightsthailand.com for more information.
BOAT
Boats to Ko Lanta and Ko Phi-Phi leave from the passenger pier at Khlong Chilat, about 5km north of Krabi. Travel agencies will arrange free transfers when you buy a boat ticket with them.
The largest boat operator is PP Family Co (0 7561 2463; Th Khong Kha), which has a ticket office right beside the pier in town. In the high season there are boats to Ko Phi-Phi (450B to 490B, 1½ hours) at 9am, 10.30am and 2.30pm. In the low season, boats run at 9am and 2.30pm only.
From September to May, there are boats to Ko Lanta (450B, 1½ hours) leaving Krabi at 10.30am and 1.30pm. These can also stop at Ko Jam (one hour), where long-tails will shuttle you to shore (though you’ll pay the full 450B fare). During the off season, boats to