Krabi and Phi Phi Island
What can you say about Krabi other than it is a truly magnificent part of Thailand. The beaches in this part of the country are exactly what your mind conjures up when day dreaming about tropical holidays. Warm, crystal clear water, golden sand, caves, coves and beautiful fauna - Krabi is the perfect base to enjoy all of this.
Whether you want a quiet, peaceful and relaxing holiday, or something a bit livelier, Krabi has got it all to offer. You can fly direct to Krabi Town from Bangkok with Thai airways or one of the budget airlines such as Thai Air Asia. There are also direct flights from other countries including Malaysia as well as chartered flights bringing in tourists on a package holiday.
You can get from the airport to your final destination by bus at a very reasonable price. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi or arrange for your hotel to collect you.
Krabi Town
Krabi Town is not really geared up for tourists but nonetheless it is a very welcoming and friendly place with a good selection of hotels and guest houses to choose from. Most are down by the river, which is also home to the night market with an array of street vendors selling traditional Thai food and Beer Singha at very good prices. There is also a good selection of bars and restaurants in town, all within easy walking distance of the main hotels and guest houses. The pier on the river is also the place to catch a boat going to the many islands in the Andaman Sea, including the world famous Phi Phi Island and "James Bond" Island. You can also catch a boat to Railay Beach here. There are regular buses to Ao Nang Beach, which is also easily reachable by motor bike in 30 minutes.
Ao Nang Beach
Ao Nang Beach is about 30 minutes drive from Krabi Town. There is a good bus service from Krabi airport to Ao Nang. Ao Nang is probably the fastest growing resort in the south of Thailand and is not dissimilar to what you would find in some of Spain's coastal resorts in the Costa Del Sol. There is a long stretch of beach at Ao Nang as well as a built up area with lots of bars, restaurants and shops. This includes some of 'hostess' style bars that Thailand is famous for, though not too much yet. Ao Nang is also a good place for gay couples to holiday though there is not really any bars tailored specifically for gay men or lesbians.
You can book many excursions at Ao Nang, including day trips such as kayaking at sea, snorkelling at Chicken Island, a boat trip to Railay Beach, day trip to Phi Phi Island and much more. The roads are reasonably quiet here and hiring a motor bike or scooter might be a good option.
Railay Beach
Railay beach is on the mainland, but only reachable by boat. There are lots of boats going to the beach with the fare usually somewhere between 40-60 baht per person. Coming back from the beach can be different, with the boat men requiring you to pay around 600 baht - or wait until there are lots of people wanting to leave at the same time as you. If you are staying at a hotel at Railay beach then they will likely have a ferry boat service for you.
Railay Beach is a wonderful destination which will relax you as soon as you step off the boat onto the white sand. The two beaches are truly beautiful, made even better by the warm sea water, which feels more like a hot spring than the slightly chilled waters you are more used to in places like the Mediterranean. Take plenty of sun block with you as well as your hat as you are guaranteed to want to sit on the beach for the entire day, soaking up the joy of Railay beach as well as the hot southern sun.
There are several hotel resorts on Railay Bech which are worth investigating if you want to get away to it all!
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta has only really appeared on the Thai tourist trail within the last 10 years. Prior to this, it was relatively cut off from the mainland with no real infrastructure on the island. Today you will find that just about every beach on the island has hotels and guest houses available with the two main beaches - Klong Dao and Long Beach - having a good selection of hotels and entertainment. Koh Lanta is easily reached by boat from Krabi Town. There are also boats directly from Trang.
Koh Jum
If you are looking for a holiday where you really can switch off and take things real slow then Koh Jum may be just what you are looking for. When we say 'switch off' we are not taking about the light switch. Koh Jum has still to get regular electricity and the use of oil lamps and candles adds to the sensuality you get from being on a remote tropical island. You are not going to find any luxury resorts on Koh Jum and if you are one of those people who cannot function without your air conditioning then this place is probably not for you!
Wooden bungalows lining the beach is what you will find on this island. If you are seeking two weeks where your home is nestled amongst the palm trees then this is surely the place for you. There still remains only a small number of places for you to stay on Koh Jum. If you are lucky enough to find accommodation then you will discover that the people living on this island are amongst the friendliest that you will come across in Thailand. There is no big business here trying to make a fortune out of a tourist invasion. Joh Jum is one of those places where you have to switch off completely from the outside world and just go with it!
Koh Phi Phi (Phi Phi Island)
Surely the jewel in the crown of the Andaman Sea, Koh Phi Phi consists of two island, Phi-Phi Don and Phi-Phi Ley. For me, this is what Thailand is all about. When you arrive here, you immediately start to question why it is that you don't just jack in your job and hang about Phi Phi for a year or two. The beaches here are just amazing and well worth the boat trip from Krabi or Phuket. You can get the ferry or come by speed boat.
Phi Phi has a wide selection of activities to do, including rock climbing, snorkelling, swimming with sharks, scuba diving and of course, sitting on some of the best beaches that Thailand has to offer. The sea is warm and clear. Phi Phi did suffer very badly in the 2005 tsunami but there is little trace of that now other than the damage done to some of the coral.
There are other islands nearby with excursions offered from Phi-Phi as well as Krabi Town. These include Chicken Island (with a rock head shaped like a chicken) and the famous "James Bond" island which was used as a setting for the movie "The Man with the Golden Gun".
Many people choose to visit Phi Phi Island as a day trip from Krabi or Phuket. You set off early in the morning and are herded like cattle onto a ferry, depending upon which tour you booked. Whilst this can be enjoyable, there are regular daily ferries between Phi Phi and Krabi and we suggest that you will really enjoy spending 2 or 3 nights on Phi Phi Island in one of the many hotel resorts that are there. There are hotels to suit every budget spread around the island.