What you need to know

Krabi is the main town in the province of Krabi (thesaban mueang) on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phang Nga Bay. As of 2010 the town had a population of 52,867. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi District. Tourism is an important industry. Krabi is 783 km south of Bangkok by road.

Krabi is a southern province on Thailand’s Andaman seaboard with perhaps the country’s oldest history of continued settlement. After dating stone tools, ancient colored pictures, beads, pottery, and skeletal remains found in the province’s many cliffs and caves, it is thought that Krabi has been home to Homo sapiens since c. 25,000–35,000 BCE. In recorded times it was called the “Ban Thai Samor”, and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, c. 1200 CE, Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsula’s east coast better known today as Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Population: 456,811(2014)
Area: 1,818 mi²

Currency

The Thai baht (BHT) is the local currency and it is easy to change money in Krabi, with countless ATMs, money changers and currency exchange booths found throughout the province. The airport, large hotels and banks are the most costly places to change foreign moneys, with local shopping malls proving cheaper.

Climate

Rain or shine, it is hot year round in Krabi Krabi is in a tropical climate zone, only 8 degrees above the equator. … The only weather that can be almost guaranteed during the year is a dry heatwave in March and April (up to 37C) and prolonged rainy spells in late September and October. The best time to visit Krabi is from November to April when the area’s climate is not as hot. During this period the island gets a lot of dry northeasterly winds, giving dry blue skies and starry nights. Then, down on the beaches one can enjoy nice sea breezes. From June to November the area gets a lot of rainfall, more on average than the rest of the country. During this period the islands get a lot of moist southwesterly winds, which give a mixture of dry days and wet ones. The sea stays a warm 29°C all year round.

Language

Thai language is spoken in Krabi. It is very heavily accented compared to standard Thai. English is also widely spoken by the people.

Tourism 

Much of the province has been given over to several national parks. Top destinations are Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Ao Nang, Railay, and Ko Phi Phi. The province includes over 80 smaller islands such as Ko Lanta and Phi Phi, well-known to adventurers, yachtsmen, scuba-divers, snorkelers, and day-trippers from Phuket. Krabi’s beaches attract both native Thai people and foreigners alike.
Ko Lanta National Park, also in Krabi Province, includes several coral-fringed islands with well-known diving sites. The largest island, Ko Lanta Yai, is the site of park headquarters, and is also home to “Chao Le”, or sea gypsies, who sustain themselves largely through fishing. The islands are best visited during the drier months of October through April.
Kayaking, sailing, bird watching, snorkeling are also among top activities. In the interior, two predominantly mainland national parks, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park and Than Bokkhorani, offer inland scenic attractions including waterfalls and caves, and opportunities for trekking, bird watching, and eco-tours.
The rock faces at Railay Beach near Ao Nang have attracted climbers from all over the world and each year are the venue for the Rock and Fire Festival. There are several rock climbing schools at Railay Beach. The rock is limestone and has characteristic pockets, overhangs and faces. Railay has numerous multi-pitch areas most of which start from the beach itself. A famous example is “Humanality”. In addition, deep water soloing is popular on the numerous nearby rocky islands accessible by long-tail boat.

Economy

Agriculture, tourism, and, to a lesser extent, fisheries, form the backbone of Krabi’s economy.Rubber is the primary cash crop of the province, followed by palm oil. Thailand’s largest producer of palm oil products, Univanich Palm Oil PCL, is headquartered in Krabi. It employs 1,000 persons directly and purchases feed stock from 2,000 small and medium-sized Krabi growers.

Getting Around

Thai language is spoken in Krabi. It is very heavily accented compared to standard Thai. English is also widely spoken by the people.
Krabi roads are not as crowded as other Thai provinces and cities and driving here is a cost effective and convenient way to get around, especially if you are staying away from Ao Nang and want to go into town to go to markets, eat at restaurants, etc. All major car rental agencies have desks in Krabi airport and cars are reasonably priced when compared to the taxi fares to and from Ao Nang.