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In the friendly town of Krabi,
there are hotels, shops and restaurants, and yet it still retains
its natural charm.
The two mountains which straddle the Krabi River, in the town of
Khao Khanap Nam, are a stunning example of stalagmites and stalactites.
At Sah Bok Khorani, one of the eight big ponds nestling in a shady
forested area, lays a replica of the Lord Buddha's footprint carved
from wood.
A small waterfall, running down from the mountain in steps, creates
a magical emerald tinge to the big pond.
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 million years ago, these snails lived and died by
the million.
Eventually, weather changes caused 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, the fossilized shells are now distributed
in great broken sheets of impressive magnitude on the seashore at
Laem Pho. Read More...
 Thung
Teao Forest, Amphoe Klong Thom |
Located in the Khao Pra-Bang Khram no-hunting
zone, next to the Bang Teao Village, 18 km from Amphoe Khlong Thom.
This is a virgin forest with natural ponds, rare flora and species
of birds. A 2.7-km nature trail offers opportunities to study the
environment. Information can be obtained from the no-huntg zone
office at Baan Bang Teao.
| Krabi
Caves |
Tham Phi Hua To or Tham Hua
Kalok, Amphoe Ao Luk
 Located
in Amphoe Ao Luk on Phi Hua To Mountains, which are surrounded by
mangrove swamps, this cave is accessible by the same route as Tham
Lod Tai with its entrance not far beyond the canel to Tham Lod Tai.
From the entrance, the cave divides into 2 routes, the left one
leading to a vast chamber pierced by a shaft of light, while the
right route leads to a hall believed by archaeologists to have been
once a shelter for prehistoric people. Rock paintings can be seen
within the cave. The paintings, 70 of them, are painted in red and
black and portray people as well as animals. The cave was named
Phi Hua To or Big-headed Ghost owing to the unusually large skulls
discovered there. A large pile of shells were also found in the
cave.
 Tham
Chao Le, Amphoe Ao Luk
A beautiful cave on the west side of Laem Sak. Inside, there are
stalactites and stalagmites as well as prehistoric cave paintings
of people, animals and various geometrical shapes.
Tham Khao Phung (Khao Phung Cave), Amphoe Khao
Phanom
Located some 3 kilometers from the park's office, with another
5 caves in the area nearby. This cave's beauty is enhanced by countless
stalagmites and stalactites of various shapes. Some are like mushrooms,
others resemble pagodas and curtains. The walls are white and glitter
brightly.
 Tham
Lod Nua - Tham Lod Tai, Amphoe Ao Luk
The main attractions are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.
The Tham Lod Nua is a large cavern with meandering passages longer
than at the Tham Lod Tai. They are navigable only during low tide.
How to get there: You can reach the caves by taking the Ao Luk-Laem
Sak route for about two kilometers. Then take a right turn to the
Bo Tho Pier, transfer to a rental boat along the Ta Prang Canel.
About ten minutes after passing a mangrove swamp sits Tham Lod Tai,
a cave beneath a limestone hill with a stream flowing through narrow
passages.
 Tham
Phet, Amphoe Ao Luk
In front of the cave an image of Buddha is enshrined. The name
of this cave, "Phet," means diamond, and indeed sparking
stone casts beautiful reflections on the cave wall.
How to get there: 3 km from the intersection at Ao Luk Nua market.
The best way to get there is to first contact the National Park
Office at Than Bokkhorani for a guide.
Tham Sadet, Amphoe Muang
Located at Ban Nong Kok, Tambon Sai Thai, 7 kilometres from the
town on Highway No. 4034. This is a beautiful cave with stalactites
and stalagmites.
In 1909 the future King Rama VI visited this cave, earning it the
title "Sadet" indicating the presence of royalty.
Tham Sua or "Tiger Cave," Amphoe Muang
 Located
about 3 kilometres from Krabi Town. Inside the cave there are what
appear to be tiger paw prints in the stone. The surrounding area
is covered with large trees, hundreds of years old, particularly
in the Khiriwong Valley.
Mountains are on all sides and there are smallers caves in great
number. Aside from being the site of a meditation center, it is
also a place of archaeological and historical interest.
Stone tools, pottery remains, and the mold for making Buddha footprints
have been found in excavations.
| Krabi
Mountains |
 Kao
Phanom Bencha National Park, Amphoe Khao Phanom
20 kilometers from Krabi along Talat Kao-Ban Huai To Road, and
covering a total area of 50 square km, including some parts of Amphoe
Ao Luk, Amphoe Khao Phanom, and Amphoe Muang. Khao Phanom Bencha
National Park had thick forest on its highest peaks. Its marvellous
scenery is enhanced by streams, waterfalls, and wild animals.
The park's major attractions are Huai To and Huai Sa-de waterfalls.
| Krabi
Waterfalls |
Than Bokkhorani National Park,
Amphoe Ao Luk
 Covering
37.5 rai (1 rai = 160 square meters) in Tambon Ao Leuk Tai, 1 km
from the Tambon Ao Leuk Neua Market intersection on the Ao Luk Sak
road, the park is shady and forested. Among the many different species
of trees in the park are wild gardenia, asoka, and Apocynaceae.
The Sah Bok Khorani - after which the park is named - flows through
a winding passage in the mountains. At the north end of the pool
is a footprint of the Buddha carved in wood and a shrine to Chao
PhoTo Yuan-To Chong.
 Namtok
Hin Phoeng, Amphoe Klong Thom
Located at Mu 8, Ban Hin Phoeng, Tambon Khlong Phon, a distance
of 25 km from the District Office, this waterfall is accessible
via Phetchakasem Highway, (Krabi-Trang route) turning left at Khlong
Phon and travelling a further 8 km.
To reach the waterfall, which runs down over a steep rock, one
has to take a 400-meter walk along the hillside.
Namtok Huai Sa-de, Khao Phanom Bencha National
Park
Running down over a high cliff, this waterfall is about 1.2 km
from the park's office.
 Namtok
Huai To, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
Some 500 meters from the park's office, these falls' source is
in Phanhom Bencha Mountains. The waterfall itself runs down over
rocks into 11 huge pools, each with their own name, such as Wang
Thewada, Wang Sok, and Wang Chan.
Namtok Khlong Haeng, Amphoe Khao Phanom
About 500 meters high and this fall springs from Khao Thep Bencha
which is the tallest mountain in Krabi and is 10 km from Amphoe
Khao Phanom.
For accommodation within the park please contact the Khao Phanom
Bencha National Park, Tambon Thap Prik, Amphoe Muang, Krabi 81000.
Namtok Ron, Amphoe Klong Thom
Located in the forest within Tambon Khlong Tom Nua, about 12 kilometres
from the district town.
The fall is heated by an underground thermal spring.
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