Nopparat Thara Beach - Phi Phi Island National Park
This lies in Tambon Nong Talay, Tambon Sai Thai, Tambon Ao Nang, and Tambon Pak
Nam, with many interesting places to see. Among which are:
Nopparat Thara Beach
In
times past villagers in the area called this three kilometer long beach Haht
Klong haeng, meaning Dry Stream Beach, because when the tide ebbs the stream
flowing from 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 vicinity 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.
Khao Khanap Nam
These two hills, roughly 100 meters high, flank the Krabi River running between
them to form a distinctive Vista and the town's most prominent landmark. To
visit them, take a longtail boat from Jao Fah Pier; travel time is just 15
minutes. From there take stairs leading up to caves with statagmites and
statactites. A large number of human skeletons have been found here. It is
theorized that they are the remains of peple who came and established a home at
Kanab Nam, but were cut off by an inundation and quickly perished.
Tham Sadet
is located at Ban Nong Kok, Tambon Sai Thai, 7 kilometres from the town on
Highway No. 4034. It is a beautiful cave with stalactites and stalagmites. In
1909 the future King Rama VI visited the cave here, earning it the title "Sadet"
indicating the presence of royalty.
Tham Seua Kao Kaew Ao Luk Tanu Monastery
lies
in Ban Tam Sua of Tambon Krabi Noy, 9 kilometers from Krabi Town. Tam Sua means
Tiger Cave, and the reason for this name is that an especially large tiger once
live there. It roamed the foothills of the Ao Luk Tanu Mountains, also called
Kao Kaew. Inside the cave are natural rock impressions of tiger paws.
Outside, the forest has great trees hundreds of years old growing in a fold of
Kao Kiriwohng Mountains that surround the monastery. Among the best known are Ko
Tan (Heavenly Musicians), Lod (Passing Through), Chang Kaeo (Crystal Elephant),
Luk Tanu (Arrow), and Pra (Monk's). Aside from the monastery itself, this area
has another aspect of interest, especially to archaeologists : Many stone tools,
pottery shards, and unfired clay holy images have been found, dating from
prehistoric into historic times.
Susan Hoi (Fossil Shell Beach)
The shell graveyard at Ban Laem Pho was once a large freshwater swamp, home to a
kind of snail. Over eons dating from the Tertiary Age, about 40 millions years
ago, these snails lived and died by the million, to the extent that the dead
snails formed a layer upon which existed the living. Eventually, weather changes
precipitated the swamp's disappearance, but by then the layer of fossilized
snail shells was forty centimeters thick, resting on ten centimeters of lignite
below which is the subsoil. Because of geographic upheaval, this Shelly
limestone is now distributed in great broken sheets of impressive magnitude on
the seashore at Laem Poh.
Phi Phi Island
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 pronounced
with a stronger aspiration and the name became the Pi Pi we know today (the h
with which it is usually spelled is confusing and superfluous). The name refers
to the mangrove wood found there. Six islands are in the group; Phi Phi Don, Phi
Phi Ley, 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.
Ao Nang
This
bay is beautiful and at the same time very strange to the eye because of its
limestone mountains. Its famous beaches include Rai Ley, Tam Pra Nang (where the
tam or cave, is sacred to local villagers) and Nam Mao; none of these can e
reached by road. However, boats leave regularly from the accessible part of Ao
Nang to take visitors to them.
There are also other islands to visit as well :
Kai Island. Tap Island, Mor Island, and Padah Island, where there are clean
sandy beaches, clear water and schools of colorful fishes in abundance perfect
for diving, snorkeling, or swimming. Boats to the islands are boarded at Ao Nang.
Sa Kaew
8 natural springs large and small, the crystal clarity of which gives this place
its name, Crystal Springs. They are in Tambon Kao Tong on the Krabi-Nai Sa road,
and each has a name : Nam Lod (Water Passing Through), Cherng Kao (Vallery),
Jorakeh Kao (White Crocodile), Nam Tip (Heavenly Waters), Nam Krahm (Indigo
Water), Morakot (Emerald), Hun Kaeo (Barking Deer) and Noy (Small)
Huay Toh Waterfall
This waterfall has eleven levels and springs from the Kao Panom Mountains in
Tambon Tap Prik, Kao Panom Mountains in Tambon Tap Prik, on the Sri Trang -
Pracha - utit road. Each level contains behind its falls a pool of naturally
clear, clean water 4 - 5 meters in diameter. The pools are named, and the best
known are : Wang Tewada (Angel's), Wang Sok (Year's) and Wang Jan (Platter).

