The Krabi province of Thailand is in the southwestern part of the country, on the Andaman sea. The coastal province is located about 380 miles south of the capital Bangkok. Major attractions are located along its coastline, including beaches, bays and offshore islands.

Geography
The province covers more than 130 islands of all sizes in the Andaman Sea. It has a mountainous physical geography broken by plains on the mainland. Clay soil is good for agriculture, and coffee and rubber trees, palm trees and oranges are grown there. The Krabi River flows through the town out to the Andaman Sea. Krabi province is divided into eight districts: Amphoe Muang (Krabi Town), Khao Panom, Khlong Thom, Plai Phraya, Ko Lanta, Ao Luk, Lam Thap and Nhua Khlong.

There are only two seasons in Krabi because of the influence of the tropical monsoon; the hot season from January to April and the rainy season from May to December. Temperatures range between 62 and 98 degrees.

Settlement
Krabi is believed to be one of the oldest communities in Thailand, dating from the prehistoric period.
A legend says the town took its name, which means sword, after an ancient sword was unearthed on the ground where the town still stands. It's also believed that the town of Krabi was once known as Ban Thai Samo, one of a dozen royal cities using the monkey as a symbol.

In the late 19th and 20th centuries, people from the Chinese mainland, especially the southern area, entered Thailand. Though they came in to supplement local labor, they and parts of their culture became assimilated into Thai society. An increase in tourism has brought many more jobs for locals and many expatriates who decide to stay.

Attractions
Fossil Shells Beach was once a freshwater swamp and home to an ancient type of snail. About 40 million years ago there were millions of snails, but weather changes caused the swamp's disappearance. A fossilized sheet of snail shells are now in large broken sheets at the seashore at Laem Pho. The white sandy beach at Ao Nang bay stretches to a limestone range. Hotels and dive boats, plus sightseeing canoes are available. From the bay, you can travel to some of the offshore islands such as Ko Mo and Ko Kai. Khao Khanap Nam is considered the symbol of Krabi. It sits before the city and can be reached in about 15 minutes by boat from Chao Fa Pier. Climb a staircase to see caves as well as mangrove forests and the small Ko Klang fishing village.

Tourism
Because of its sandy white beaches and pristine waters, Krabi is a popular tourist destination. Vacations in the area are known for being calm and tranquil and focused on local flavor and culture. Mu Ko Phi Phi, or the Phi Phi Islands, are regarded as being among the most beautiful tropical islands of the world and have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

The islands are famous for where the film "The Beach," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was shot. The islands, together with the nearby Noppharat Thara Beach, a total area of 390 square kilometers, were recently established as a national park.

Getting there
The best route is through Bangkok, and you can get there by car, bus or plane. Thai Airways International operates daily flights from Bangkok to Krabi, and the trip takes one hour, 20 minutes. Phuket Air offers a daily flight to and from Krabi. Bus service takes about 12 hours. There are air-conditioned bus services to Krabi leaving the Southern Bus Terminal at Borommaratcha Chonnani Road daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The buses include ordinary buses, 2nd-class air-conditioned buses, 1st-class air-conditioned buses and 24-seat VIP buses. There are no trains direct to Krabi, but you can travel from Bangkok south and then take a bus or taxi from Trang or Nakhon Si Thammarat.