Fossilized
Shell Cemetery : A unique and unusual place off
the Krabi's coast is Susaan Hoi or Fossilized Shell
Cemetery. Situated about seventeen kilometres west of
Krabi, this wonderful shell cemetery consists of fossilized
shells dating back to approximately seventy-five million
years that have formed great stone slabs projecting
in the sea.
Wat Sai Thai :
Home to a fifteenmetre reclining Buddha image shielded
by an overhanging limestone cliff, Wat Sai Thai is
once an active monastery. Nowadays, only a handful
of monks resides here. The bell tower and some foundations
still remain. But the highlight of this temple is
the gigantic Buddha image.
Wat Tham Suea :
Located around ten kilometres northeast of Krabi,
Wat Tham Suea or the temple of the tiger cave, one
of southern Thailand's most popular temples, is built
into a cave set in a limestone cliff. There are two
separate stairways leading to a Kuan Yin image (the
Mahayana version of Avalokiteshvara who is known as
the Chinese Goddess Of Mercy) and to a Lord Buddha's
footprint sat on a gilded platform and locked behind
the gate. The first arduous stairway consists of 1,272.
Up there one can get the real fresh air and is fascinated
with the panoramic scenery. The second stairway leads
over a gap in the ridge and into the valley of tall
trees and limestone caves. Exploring into the caves
on your left is real fun. Look for light switches
on the walls to light your way chamber by chamber
through the meandering path until you rejoin the path
on the other side. At the back of the main cave there
is a marble staircase leading to the Tiger Cave.
National
Parks
Khao Phanom Bencha
National park : This five-hundred square kilometre
park centres around the 1,350 metres high Khao Phanom
Bencha, which is the primary tropical rainforest.
This national park is home to a wide variety of wildlife,
including nearly two hundred species of birds and
more than thirty mammals including the Asiaic black
bear, the Malaysian sun bear and even the clouded
leopard. The park also offers two refreshing waterfalls,
Huai To and Huai Sadeh Falls.
Than Bok Koranee
National Park : Established in 1991, this park
consists of several limestone caves, evergreen forest,
mangrove forest, sea, islands, beautiful waterfalls
and a botanical garden. Its park office is located
at Ao Leuk district.
The best time to visit
is after the monsoon when the water levels go down.
At the height of the cool season, emerald waters flow
out of a narrow cave into a large pond and then into
a wide stream, subdividing into many smaller streams
in several stages. At each stage, there is a small
pool and little waterfall encompassed with the gigantic
trees thriving around the area and providing endless
cool shade.
