Just across Phangnga Bay, in the shadow of Phuket Island, lies another southern Thai jewel, the peacful and relatively unspoilt paradise of Krabi. Known as the "Emerald of the Andaman," for its brilliant white beaches, myriad small islands dotted along its coast, and the fabled Phi Phi island group. A mecca for sun worshippers and divers.

Emerald Pool

This hot spring originates from a warm stream in the lowland forest of Khao Nor Juji which is supposedly Thailand's last piece of virgin and fertile forest. The intensity of the pools turquoise colored water varies according to the light and time of the day so visitors determined to see the real emerald color should plan to visit at dawn or early in the morning. The pool, which can be visited all year round, charges and entrance fee of 20 baht. To get there, take Highway No. 4 to Khlong Thom District, then turn left to Route No. 4038 to Lam Hap Sub-district. The Emerald pool is located along the way, with clear signs posted.

Hin Daeng

Despite being a hazard to ships this submerged open water reef on the outer edge of the Andaman Sea is a superb diving spot featuring diverse colorful corals.

Hot Springs

The waterfall, located quite near to the Emerald pool, is in a shady forest area with numerous hot springs. The hot springs and cool streams converge on a slope to form lovely cascades of warm water with a temperature of 40-50 degrees Celsius. The best time to visit is from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. To reach the waterfall visitors should travel 45 kilometers from town to Amphoe Khlong Thom, then take Sukhaphiban 2 Road for another 12 kilometers. The admission fee is 10 baht per person.

Huay Toh Waterfall

Located approximately 500 meters from the Park's office, this waterfall flows over rocks into 11 huge pools, each with their own name, such as Wang Thewada, Wang Sok, and Wang Chan. Another 3-tiered waterfall originating from a high-altitude cliff called Namtok Huai Sa-de is located some 1.2 kilometers from the Parks office. Apart from visiting waterfalls, adventurous visitors can trek to the peak of the Phanom Bencha Mountain, which is 1,397 meters high. This challenging and memorable activity takes at least 3 days and passes streams, waterfalls, caves and view points on high cliffs.

Khao Khanap Nam

Regarded as the symbol of Krabi, Khao Khanap Nam are two mountains that are roughly 100 meters tall, separated by Maenam Krabi and located at the entrance to Krabi city. Khao Khanap Nam has beautiful caves with amazing stalactites and stalagmites worth exploring. In addition to natural attractions, a large number of human skeletons have been found here. It is theorized that they are the remains of people who came and established a home at Kanab Nam, but were cut off by an inundation and quickly perished. The mountains can be reached by taking a 15-minute long tail boat ride from Chao Fa Pier. For visitors interested in a more extensive excursion, it is possible to tent a boat can be rented at 300 baht per trip to visit Khao Khanap Nam, mangrove forests and Ko Klang fishing village.

Khao Phanom Bencha National Park

Located 20 kilometers from Krabi along Talat Kao-Ban Huai To Road, the Park covers a total area of 50 square kilometers including some parts of Amphoe Ao Luk, Amphoe Khao Phanom, and Amphoe Mueang. Khao Phanom Bencha National Park has pristine, lush forest on its highest peaks. Admission is 200 baht per person. A tent can be rented at the rate of 50 baht per person per day. For additional information contact Phanom Bencha National Park headquarters at P.O. Box 26 Amphoe Mueang, Krabi 81000 or tel: 0-7662-9013.

Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary

Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Ban Bang Tiao, 18 kilometers from Amphoe Khlong Thom. Major attractions in this Sanctuary include a 2.7-kilometer nature trail through lowland forests, the Emerald Pool and a variety of natural habitats. The forest is home to rare birds like Gurney's Pitta, Rufus-colored Kingfisher, Black Hornbill, and various kinds of plants. Visitors are allowed to stay overnight but they have to bring their own tents.

Mu Koh Lanta National Park

Covering an area of 152 square kilometers, the Park is comprised of many different-sized islands, some of which are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs such as Ko Ha, Ko Rok and Ko Hai. The Parks main island is Ko Lanta Yai, where both the Headquarters and National Park Office are located. The island itself is generally rugged and mountainous with gravelly and sandy beaches to the south. The most suitable time to visit Ko Lanta is from November to April. For more information please contact Mu Ko Lanta National Park, No.5, Tambon Ko Lanta Yai, Amphoe Ko Lanta, Krabi 81150, Tel. 0-7562-9018-9. Travel to Ko Lanta Boat departs from downtown Krabi to Ko Lanta Yai daily. The journey takes 2.5 hours

Nopparat Thara Beach - Phi Phi Islands National Park

This lies in Tambon Nong Talay, Tambon Sai Thai, Tambon Ao Nang, and Tambon Park Nam, with many interesting places to see. Among which are:

Nopparat Thara Beach
In times past village in the area called this three kilometers long beach Haht Klong Haeng, meaning Dry Stream Beach, because when the tide ebbs the northern mountains almost disappears, so that the beach has no shore and stretches all the way to Koh Kao Pak Klong Island. In the vicinty of the beach, There are many places to stay serving tourists. Details and further information may be obtained by writing to Nopparat Thara Beach National Park, P.O. Box 23 , Muang district, Krabi 81000, Tel. 075-637463 or call National Park Headquarters. The Royal Forestry Dept., Tel. 02-5790529

Phi Phi Islands
The name is derived from Malay, and the original was Pulao Pi Ah Pi, where in pulao is the Malay word for island, and Pi, pronounced with only a half p sound, was very close in pronunciation to the English word be; the ah was eventually dropped, so the name was said something like Bi Bi. Later the p was pronoundced with a stronger aspiration and the name became the Pi Pi we know today. The name refers to the mangrove wood found there. Six Islands are in the group; Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Lay, Biddah Nok, Biddah Nai, Yung, and Pai; total area is about 35 square kilometers, They were incorporated into the national park in 1983. Some of the interesting places to visit include.

Susan Hoi or Fossils Shell Beach

Susan Hoi features a slab formed from a huge number of embedded various types of mollusks which can be dated to approximately 40 million years ago. This shell graveyard at Ban Laem Pho was once a large freshwater swamp, the habitat of diverse mollusks. With changes on the surface of the earth, seawater flooded the freshwater swamp and the limestone elements in the seawater enveloped the submerged mollusks resulting in a homogenous layer of fossilized mollusk shells forty centimeters thick known as Shelley Limestone. With geographical upheavals, the limestone layer is now distributed in great broken sheets of impressive magnitude on the seashore. The site is located 17 kilometers from the town.

Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam

Tha Pom (also written Tat Pom) is the name of a canal famous for its crystal clear waters. Also known as Klong Song Nam, which translated means "canal of two waters", Tha Pom is 34 km from the provincial capital of Krabi Town.

Thale Waek (Separated Sea)

One of Thailand's unseen highlights, Thale Waek is situated along Ko Dam Khwan. As the tide recedes, the sea is gradually separated by the white sand and limestone beach that will appear to amazingly connect the two islands at low tide. The best time to visit Thale Waek is 5 days before and after the full moon from December to beginning of May. To visit Thale Waek, proceed on Highway No. 4034 from the city, then turn left and follow Highway No. 4202 to Ao Nang.

Tham Khao Phueng (Bee's Cave)

This group of 5 caves, which is approximately 3 kilometers from the park's office, has sparkling white walls and countless stalagmites and stalactites of various shapes resembling mushrooms, pagodas and curtains.

Tham Lot Nuea and Tham Lot Tai

To visit these two caves take the Ao Luk-Laem Sak route for approximately two kilometers and then take a right turn to the Bo Tho Pier. From the pier, hire a rental boat and travel along the Tha Prang Canal for approximately 15 minutes. After passing a mangrove swamp, you will see Tham Lot Tai a cave beneath a limestone hill with a stream flowing through narrow passages. The main attractions are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Tham Lot Nuea is a large cavern with meandering passages longer than those of the Tham Lot Tai, which are navigable only during low tide.

Tham Phet

The name of this cave "Phet", which means diamonds, is derived from the sparkling stone inside the cave that produces beautiful reflections on the cave wall just like glittering diamonds. Another attraction is a Buddha image is enshrined in front of the cave. This cave is 3 kilometers from the Ao Luk Nua market intersection, however, the best way to get there is to contact the National Park Office at Than Bok Khorani and ask for a local guide.

Tham Phi Hua To

Tham Phi Hua To Located just 500 meters from Tham Lot, the cave can only be visited by boat from Bo Tho Pier. The cave is in Phi Hua To Mountain which is surrounded by mangrove swamps. There are 2 different paths inside the cave.

Tham Prah (Prah Cave)

Is the site of Kao Phah Suhn Yah Tah Rahm Meditation Centre.It is about 2 Kilometers distant from the district offices of Ao Luk.Inside the cave is a Buddhist effigy of great antiquity.This has two other statues of equal size flanking it placed at later.

Tham Sadet

This beautiful cave adorned with stalactites and stalagmites is located at Ban Nong Kok, Tambon Sai Thai, 7 kilometers from town on Highway No. 4034. "Sadet" means visit, and the use of the term in the name of the cave refers to the royal visit to the site in 1909 by the King Rama VI (at that time that Crown Prince).

Than Bok Khorani National Park

The National Park covers an area of 37.5 rai of land in Tambon Ao Leuk Tai. Its headquarters is located just one kilometer from Tambon Ao Leuk Neua Market intersection on the Ao Luk Sak road. The Park is covered by a canopy of diverse species of trees such as wild gardenia, asoka, and Apocynaceae that are scattered around Sa Bok Khorani, an attractive emerald pond after which the park is named where visitors can swim.At the north end of Sa Bohk Korani, which flows through a winding passage in the mountain, is a wood carving of a footprint of the Lord Buddha and a shrine of Chao Pho To Yuan - To Chong. Other attractions in the park include several limestone mountain caves, verdant mangrove forests and beautiful islands which can be reached only by boat Admission fee is 200 baht per person. The Park does not provide accommodations, but camping in the park is allowed although tourists have to bring their own tents.

Tung Tiao

This is one of only a few lowland forest in Southern Thailand. The nature trail begin about 800 meters before reaching the Kao Nor Ju Ji Park Office within the Restricted Hunting Area of Kao Pra Bang Kram. It passes through both secondary forest, now in the process of development and growth and primary forest containing very large, ancient trees. The trail climbs into the limestone foothills, passing a pool of startling clearity and beauty. After that it enters an area open and spacious before returning to the park office. Many animals and plant species in the lowland forest are extremely rare, some are close to extinction. Of particular note is the colourful Pitta Gurney bird, or Nohk Taew Laew Tong Dahm in Thai, which was long thought wiped out but has recently been redis-covered living in Tung Tiao.

Wat Khlong Thom Museum

The Museum exhibits various artifacts discovered during excavations of an area called "Khuan Luk Pat" or a bead mound behind Wat Khlong Thom. Unearthed artifacts include stone tools, bronze implements, metal coins, pottery shards, ceramic and stone decorative art and colored beads that are over 5,000 years old. This Museum is situated within the compound of Wat Khlong Thom between Kilometer marker 69-70 on Phetchakasem Highway, one kilometer from the District office.

Wat Tham Suea

Wat Tham Suea, which literally means tiger cave temple, is located in the Khiriwong Valley amidst lush forests and mountains with large trees over a hundred years old approximately 9 kilometers northeast of Krabi Town. Aside from being the site of a meditation center, the compound is also a place of archaeological and historical interest as excavations have uncovered stone tools, pottery remains and Buddha footprint crafting molds. In addition, a cave in the compound has what appears to be tiger paw prints in the stone.