Krabi province
Template:Infobox Thai Province
Krabi (Thai: กระบี่) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, at the shore of the Andaman Sea.
Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang. The Phuket province to the west is also neighboring, but without any land boundary. The capital of the region is the city of Krabi.
Geography
The province is located at the shore to the Andaman Sea. Most notable are the solitary limestone hills, both on the land and in the sea as islands. Rock climbers from all over the world travel to Railay Beach to climb. Of about 130 islands belonging to the province, Ko Phi Phi Lee is perhaps the most famous, as it was the set of the movie The Beach. The coast of the province was badly damaged by the tsunami on December 26 2004.
Other islands include: Ko Phi Phi Don, part of the Phi Phi Islands, and Ko Lanta, a larger island to the south.
The limestone hills contain many caves, most having beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Tham Chao Le and Tham Phi Hua To, both in Ao Luek district, contain prehistoric rock-painting depicting humans, animals as well as geometrical shapes. In Lang Rong Rien cave in 1986 archaeologists found 40,000 year old human artifacts - stone tools, pottery as well as bones. It is one of the oldest traces of human occupation in all South-East Asia. The caves of Krabi are also one of the main sources of nests of the Edible-nest Swiftlet, used to create bird's nest soup.
History
The first human remains in the province date back to 25,000 - 35,000 B.C., but the first recorded history dates back to Kingdom of Ligor in 1200, when the city Ban Thai Samor was part of this kingdom. In modern Thailand, Krabi was administered from Nakhon Si Thammarat, even after 1872 when king Chulalongkorn gave Krabi the status of a town. In 1875 it was made a direct subordinate of Bangkok, thus becoming what is now a province. In 1900 the governor moved the center of the province from Ban Talad Kao to its present location at the mouth of the Krabi river.
Symbols
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The seal of the province shows two crossed ancient swords (Krabi is also the name of an ancient Siamese sword) in front of the Indian Ocean and the Phanom Bencha mountain, with 1397 m above sea level the highest mountain of the province. The provincial tree is the Thung-Fa (Thai: ทุ้งฟ้า) or Alstonia macrophylla. |
Population...
Cave paintings and artifacts found around Krabi indicate that the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Today the people of Krabi represent a mix of three different ethnic groups who came to settle from other regions. It is said that each ethnic group has written a page in Krabi's rich history.
The origins of the Chao Ley or "Sea Gypsies" are unknown. Living mainly on the islands, these nomadic people live in small settlements and earn their living from fishing, collecting shells and diving.
They still retain their own language and beliefs and spiritual worship is still strong in the community. Although overexposure to tourism, and inevitable assimilation with mainstream culture is unfortunately threatening their small communities.
Some of their traditional ways are preserved the yearly sea gypsy sailing ritual held in May on Koh Lanta, Koh Pu and Koh Cha and various ceremonies still celebrated within the community.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, immigrants from southern China flocked to Thailand in search of work. Many assimilated into Thai society but their descendants still retain their Chinese heritage and are prominent in the business community. Many still speak Chinese dialects, have Chinese (and Thai) names, and observe Chinese rituals and religious beliefs which form part of the local culture.
Krabi is also home to many Muslim communities, due to its close proximity to Malaysia and strong ethnic ties with the border provinces, providing a rich diversity to the area.
Weather
Weather in Krabi is typically that of the tropical monsoon, providing the province with just two seasons, the hot season from January to April, and the rainy season from May to December. Monsoon winds, which change according to season, blow from the southeast, the southwest, and the northeast.
Temperatures range between 16.9 and 37.3 degrees Celsius and the yearly rainfall averages 2,568.5 millimeters.
Travel and Activities..
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Canoeing
There are various establishments particularly on Ao Phra Nang and Railey beaches where you can hire canoes, either by hour or by day. A few charter companies in the area also offer canoeing expeditions along the coast or around the islands in the area.
Snorkelling, Scuba Diving and Fishing Trips
are organized from most beaches, some offering canoeing in two-person kayaks, sailing and windsurfing. If some sport is not offered at your beach, you can easily take one of the regular long-tail boats to the next beach and probably find it there.
Rock Climbing
This is a popular pastime in Krabi and the limestone cliffs in the area seem to have been created by nature for this very purpose. World renowned for the spectacular views and accessibility the cliffs of Krabi see flocks of tourists and avid climbers annually. One of the more popular, particularly with inexperienced climbers is the climb to see the Princess Lagoon and the scintillating views across the karst landscape both inland and out to sea that lies next to Railey Beach. There are fixed ropes to assist you at the steeper points, but most of it is a forest hike. Access is at the south end of either Railey East or Phra Nang beach.
Boating and Yachting
Explore and discover some of the hidden secrets of this area by chartering a boat to cruise around the islands. The water clarity is near crystal around the islands off Krabi and the Phi Phi Islands are a must-see port of call.
Anchorages here are plentiful, usually deserted and always beautiful. Even in the southwest monsoon season the calm, protected waters in fascinating Phang Nga Bay provide the ultimate in boating enjoyment, even for the least experienced of sailors. There are many charter sailing boats available and some even offer "join-in" day trips for two PP Lunta001 Lunta002
Administrative divisions
Krabi is subdivided into 8 districts (Amphoe), which are further divided into 53 communes (tambon) and 374 villages (muban).
External links
