When you’re traveling abroad, you want to make sure you see as much of what the country has to offer as you can. Sure, you could visit all the touristy places, but is it really the best use of your time? Hitting the hot tourist spots is not always the best way to travel, as you will be missing out on a ton of opportunities to truly explore that country and see it through the eyes of the locals. Whenever people come to Krabi, Thailand, they can only usually think about the same places – Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, and some other rock climbing sites. However, these are far from being the only things that this wonderful province has to offer. With that said, here are five non-touristy places to travel to in Krabi:
Koh Klang is a small island off the shore of Krabi, and although it’s not incredibly far from the mainland, it doesn’t see a lot of visitors. Most of the residents here are Muslims, and they are highly welcoming to tourists. You can see the well-preserved traditional Thai islander lifestyle, as most of the people on the island are farmers and fishermen. They grow their own crops and rice, fishing their own food. Many still live in the traditional wooden homes that have existed for hundreds of years. You can enjoy the unique scenery of the island as you ride by on your scooter. Who knows? This may very well be the most memorable experience you have in Krabi.
Ao Thalane is one of the most popular day trip travel destinations in the country, but surprisingly, there aren’t that many international tourists there. The bay is famous for its kayaking courses as well as its unique flora and fauna; some can only be found in the mangroves in the area, and nowhere else in the world! If you come here early in the morning, you can walk on the wooden walkway that takes you all over the mangrove. Here, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot a few of the birds and animals that live in the area.
If you want to help the local community, consider volunteering at Lanta Animal Welfare center for a day. This place isn’t like other “animal sanctuaries” in the country that takes money from concerned tourists, doing absolutely nothing for the animals with it. This place takes in stray cats and dogs, doing their best to give them a permanent home. You can hang out with a bunch of friendly dogs and cats while giving them a better life at the same time
If you’re done with crowded beaches and loud city life, hop over to Tub Kaek Beach where you can enjoy a peaceful and picturesque beach all for yourself. All you need is a beach towel, some sunscreen, a pair of shades, and your favorite book, and you can easily lose track of time here. What’s more is that this is one of the best spots to enjoy the sunset, so don’t hurry on home before you get to see it!
Laem Chamuk Khwai, translated as “Buffalo Nose Peak,” is sometimes referred to as the Secret Beach of Krabi. The stone formation that extends into the water resembles a buffalo head, and if you angle your camera just right, you can get a picture of the sun setting just under the rock formation. You can show your friend this photo and tell them that you took it from a secret location in Krabi, and that will make a great story for when you go back home.
