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Krabi is famed for the extraordinary beauty
of its beaches, yet few people realise that in fact there
are only three spectacular beaches on the famous peninsula
that attracts so many people each year.
The great majority of the Krabi coastline
stretches north into Phang Nga Bay or south behind Koh Lanta
and is dominated by muddy shores and mangrove swamps. The
other note-worthy beaches of Krabi, numbering less than a
half dozen, are all on off-shore islands. Without counting
the Phi Phi islands – which, despite the distance off
the coast, are also a part of Krabi province – there
are three groups of islands in Krabi.
The first group is seen offshore from the
main tourist centres at Ao Nang and Phra Nang. This is called
the Koh Dam group after its two large members, Koh
(island) Dam Hok and Koh Dam Kwan. These two, each
of which offers one spectacular beach, are surrounded by about
ten smaller, all-rock islands that have no real beaches. During
the tourist season longtail boats run hundreds of tourists
from the mainland to these islands each day in a 30-minute
sprint. Despite that they are not lonely get-aways, they are
still worth seeing for the unusual shape of both beaches creates
a special beauty here.
The second island group, Koh Hong,
is to the north and further afield, taking more than an hour
by longtail. There is only one beach on the main island, and
this too is stunningly beautiful. Koh Hong is named after
the ‘hong’, Thai for room, in the middle of the
island. This began as a cave system that collapsed inwards
and eroded to sea level, leaving only a large lake with a
small passage to the sea. At high tide longtails can enter
this strange rocky arena, and one can swim in water a metre
or more deep.
The last group of Krabi islands is a gathering
of towering, rocky sea mountains that afford little space
for beaches as their vertical rock walls drop into the sea.
These are a little north of Koh Hong, and again can be toured
by longtail in a day trip from Krabi. They are generally referred
to by the name of the most interesting island here, Koh
Pak Bia, which sports an unusual mini-beach.
Amongst all of these islands there is only
one with accommodation, Koh Dam Hok. The bungalows here, which
are set back against the karst mountain cannot be seen from
the beach, are of a good standard. They are run by Krabi Resort
at Ao Nang, from where bookings can be made. There is a restaurant
here that is also open to day visitors.
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