I have to say that of all islands and beaches in Thailand, I have a little secret affair with Krabi. Although I’m not a nature type of travellers, but I have to admit that I’m always thrilled by its landscape composed of limestone mountains, mangrove forests, beaches and rivers. The vibes are also limited to some areas: tourists flock to Ao Nang Beach and Railay, while locals stay in town. Yes, we can see small hotels have started mushrooming the downtown area, but you still find the authentic Southern ambiance.
I’ve been to Krabi many times, but this is the first time I had a chance to explore its cultural side. Its local museums, the Andaman Bead Museum and Andaman Art Museum, were interesting enough to visit if you like art and are interested in the region’s civilizations (Krabi and many Southern cities are believed to be the ancient cities of beads). We also dropped by at a traditional Batik workshop that still uses traditional techniques, and past many sculptural pieces scattered around the town. For years, the city of Krabi has tried to promote itself as an art city. So the art pieces are everywhere (even on traffic lights lol). There’s still another contemporary art museum on its way, so I’m sure this is gonna be very interesting.
Apart from culture, I’m still in love with Ao Nang. After many years, the place has changed a lot, but many things remain the same. We still find delicious roti in front of Ao Nang Mosque, just like the old times, and Ao Nang is still one of the most beautiful sunset spots in Thailand.
