What are the best things to do at that time of the year Andrea December is the best time to be in Krabi

What are the best things to do at that time of the year? Andrea

December is the best time to be in Krabi and there are plenty of places to visit and things to do. The most popular area to stay is Railey, with its limestone karsts and rock climbing. You need to get there by long-tail boat, either from Krabi town or Ao Nang. There is a range of accommodation in Railey but everything is busy December, when prices also peak. If you can’t find a room in your price range, you can easily take a day trip. Ao Nang is much closer to Railey than Krabi town, but it also gets busy in the high season.

You can rent a boat for a day to visit the four spots - Tup Island, Chicken Island, Poda Island and Phra Nang Cave. I'd suggest you visit Phi Phi island too and perhaps spend a few days there. Make time to kayak out to the hidden lagoon of Hong island, located 25km northwest of Ao Nang.

In Krabi town, I recommend you to go to the Tiger Cave Temple, located only five kilometres from the town centre. You will get a rewarding view after climbing 1,200 steps to a pagoda on the hilltop. The temple is popular for meditation retreat.

Other highlights include the emerald pool at Thanbok Khoranee National Park, hot springs and waterfalls at Khao Pra-Bang Khram Nature Reserve and ancient painting at Ao Luek. You can also visit Koh Lanta and explore this large and largely unspoilt island and perhaps stay there too.

Diving is also great in December and there are plenty of good dive operators to choose from. Hope you enjoy your holiday.



My wife and I will be driving from Bangkok to the North for a couple of weeks. We are thinking about stopping in Tak and visit Umphang’s Ti Lor Su Waterfall on the way up to Chiang Mai. Is it possible to go camping at the waterfall area? Should we pack our tent? Thanks for your reply. Ross

Ti Lor Su Waterfall is located at the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a strictly protected area. A parking lot and campsite is provided and run by the wildlife sanctuary office. Cars are allowed to enter the area only in the dry season from November to April. However, only pick-up trucks and 4WDrive vehicles are allowed as far as the campsite. There is spacious parking and toilet facilities, and it can get very busy during the New Year holidays. Outside the peak holidays, there will be very limited food or any other supplies, so you have to bring your own. Otherwise you will end up eating only instant noodles. From the campsite, there is a 1.5 kilometres trail to walk to the Ti Lor Su Waterfall.

Those without a 4W drive prefer to stay in Umphang town centre, and take a tour from the hotels or travel agencies in town. You can easily opt for a two-day and one-night package, where everything is arranged for you including a boat to the waterfall, food, tent and a guide.

You may already know about the road to Umphang, but let me give you information again. Once you arrive in Tak along highway 1, you have to head to Mae Sot using highway 5. The distance is 86 kilometres. From Mae Sot to Umphang on highway 1090 will be the hardest part of your trip with 1,219 curves over 169 kilometres. Don't dream of a relaxed drive: you will need to be alert for the next sharp bend all the time. There is a rest area on km.84 to stop and stretch your legs and get some refreshments. The trip from Bangkok to Umphang would take you at least five hours.

But once there, I guarantee you will be astonished by this great waterfall.

Article soure : http://www.nationmultimedia.com

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The Big (Headed Ghost Cave) Part II

ถ้ำผีหัวโต หรือกระโหลกผี

ตั้งอยู่ในเขตหมู่ที่ 2 บ้านบ่อท่อ อำเภออ่าวลึก จังหวัดกระบี่ ชาวบ้านเรียกว่าถ้ำหัวกระโหลด เพราะว่า พบกระโหลกศรีษะมนุษย์ภายในถ้ำ เมื่อปี พ.ศ.2497

The Big - headed Ghost
The Big - headed Ghost or the Skull Cave is located in Moo 2, Ban Bo Tho, Krabi Province's Ao-luk District.  The villagers here call it the Skull Cave because in 2497 H.E. skulls were found in the cave.

ภายในถ้ำเป็นภูเขาหินปูน มีหินงอกหินย้อย บริเวณที่พบภาพเขียนสี ส่วนใหญ่จะอยู่ตามเพดานถ้ำ และผนังถ้ำ เป็นแหล่งที่พบภาพเขียนสีมากที่สุดในภาคใต้ ซึ่งแบ่งได้เป็น 3 ลักษณะ คือ 1.  รูปร่างคน  2.  ไม่เป็นรูปร่างคน  สัตว์  3.  ลักษณะพิเศษเป็นรูปมือเท้า  สีที่ใช้มีหลากสี ได้แก่ สีแดง ดำ เหลือง และน้ำตาล

It is a Iaimestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites, Cave paintings are also found on the roof and the walls of the cave.  Compared to other caves in the south of Thailand, this cave is believed to have the largest number of mural paintings.  The painted murals in the cave can be divided into three main categories.  Those in the shape of human beings and animals, nonhuman being and those shaped like a hand and foot, a variety of colours was used in painting such as red, black, yellow and brown.

ภาพเขียนสีเหล่านี้ เป็นหลักฐานสำคัญทางโบราณคดี  ที่แสดงให้เห็นว่าเมื่อประมาณ 3,000 ปีมาแล้ว แถบชายฝั่งทะเลอันดามัน มีชุมชนสมัยก่อนประวัติศาสตร์ ที่ว่าคงชีวิตอยู่ด้วยการอาศัยทรัพยากรตามชายฝั่ง และในทะเลเป็นแหล่งอาหารและที่อยู่อาศัย

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Wat Tham Suea, Krabi

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.

credit : tourismthailand.org

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Laem Pho Mollusc Fossil, Krabi

Laem Pho Mollusc Fossil, Krabi

Mollusc fussil site are exposed at Laem Pho, Tambon Sai Thai, Muang District, Krabi Province, in the vicinity of Hat Noppharat Thara Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.

Laem Pho site 1
Located West of visitor center, crops out as a rock beach and can be clearly seen during miximum low tide. The pan shaped outcrop is resulted from sinking of underlying claystone beds. The fossil bed consists of stubby shaped gastropods (Family Viviparidae) ranging in size 1-2 cm.

Laem Pho site 2
Located at visitor centre is exposed as a 1-2 m think limestone bed. This limestone bed contains millions of compacted gastropods and is underlain by 20-40 cm. thick lignite and claystone beds. These beds are easily eroded by wave actions resulting in collapsing of gastropod beds.

Laem Pho site 3
Located approximately 1,000 m. east of visitor centre. The site can be accessed along the track during low tide. Mollusc beds at this site are approximately 3 m. thick, consisting of gastropods and bivalves. However, gastropod fossils from this site range in size from 1-2 cm. with study and long shaped forms, respectively long shaped gastropods are found only at Laem Pho site 3
Credit : Department of Mineral Resources sign board

75 million years shell cemetery

Is a form of limestone layers measured at full tide about 200 meters long 50 meters wide. It is composed of dead shells known in geology as “Fossil”. Most of these dead shells are of the species of snails, round in shafe, about 2 cm. long. The shells have piled up on top of one another and were cemented together by silicic matter, which turned the pile into a structure of rock about 40 cm. thick. The layer of rock below it became a type of coal called Lignite, and is about 10 cm. thick. Below the Lignite is a layer of shale. The nature of the rock and its formation it is possible to calculate that it way formed about 75 million year ago. During that period the region of the Ban Laem Pho used to be swamp area, with a mass of dead foliage consolidated into a type of coal called lignite. In later periods many species of shells appeared and occupied the swamp, breeding into millions, it would appear that occupied the swamp, breeding into millions, it would appear that certain change occurred in this region later, and the swamp area was submerged in the sea water killing the shell population. Silicic matter form the sea water cemented them together forming a structure of rock. Another evolution developed on the earth pushing portions of this rock formation above the sea level, hence the present phenomenon occurred. Accouring to available information there are only three of this type of shell cemeteries in the world on in The State of Chicago, U.S.A., one in Japan and this one in Ban Laempomin, Thailand.

Strata at these three sites are interpreted as having been deposited in fresh water lakes during 35 million years ago. Depositional events are summarized as follows

1. Sediments were accumulated into the basins as clay mixed with plant remains and gastropod fragments. This indicates the presence of plants and animals in the lakes.

2. Plant remains were then accumulated upon clay layers and became peat and lignite.

3. In the final stage, clayey sediments were mixed with calcareous components and abundant shell fragments. This is due to huge population of gastropods living in fresh water lakes. Changes in paleoenvironments and fluctuations of water level resulted in increasing and decreaising numbers of gastropod population as recorded in fossil beds.

4. The presence of laterie, lateritic soil, river and beach sands. Overlying molluse beds indicates that fresh water lakes became a landmass prior to 200,000 years.
Credit : Laem Pho Molluse Fossil sign board

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