Krabi is in the same series with many other Thai resorts, and there are few traditional attractions. However, there are plenty of natural attractions, and touring them together, in addition to staying on the beach and various excursions, make up for the lack of attractions. There have traditionally been few museums in Krabi, and there is little European-style museum culture elsewhere in Thailand.
The actual attractions of Krabi are mainly in the city of Krabi, where there is a fine Buddhist temple area, or near it, where there is a tiger cave temple. Nearby is the “Mussel Cemetery” near Ao Nang, which can also be counted as a major attraction in the Krabi area.
Wat Kaew
Buddhist temple areas (wat) are common in Thailand and nearby countries, but are rare in resorts. Krabi, too, actually has only one fine temple area, Wat Kaew, whose magnificent temple (Pagoda, in English Pagoda) is the finest traditional attraction in all of Krabi.
The temple area is officially called Wat Kaew Korawaram and should be approached at Soi 6. entrance along. The magnificent ornate stairs lead up to the white temple, which is as new as it was, built only in 1887. In fact, it was only when the day of present-day Krabi began, as 200 families moved here and called the area “Baan Paknam”. In front of the temple is a large 2,500-square-foot plateau from which it is nice to look elsewhere in the city of Krabi. Inside the temple is a large Buddha statue and other items belonging to Buddhism, and there are certain instructions for those intending to enter the interior. Footwear should be taken off, women’s shoulders should be covered, a sleeveless shirt should not be worn, shorts should not be too short or torn from jeans or other materials, and in general the essence should be neat and respectful of others. So you shouldn’t come here with a bikini on or without a shirt,
Another thing to look out for is that in the adjoining area, which is in front of the art museum building, there is a great other small temple that red tower is remarkable and worth seeing. However, it is in a remote area with dogs. There are dogs in many temple areas and they can get scared when they see a tourist hanging a phone and a bottle of water and start barking. Dogs should not be touched under any circumstances but if the dog leaves barking towards it, it is only worth walking away. In the heat of the crab, I wouldn’t even bother to bark for a long time let alone run, and going in a different direction is quite a sufficient precaution.
You can get inside the temple Tue – Sun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is also a good time to visit here from the beginning. You can read about people’s experiences on TripAdvisor.
Krabi Museum of Contemporary Art
Krabi Town also has a kind of art museum located next to the temple area. In practice, the Krabi Contemporary Art Museum is hard to find and seems to be more closed than open. It has been completely closed recently, but it can be reopened in the next few years. When open, its opening hours are Tue – Sun from 10 am to 5 pm.
Wat Tham Seua
Located a few kilometers from the city of Krabi, Wat Tham Seua, or Tiger Cave, is not only a typical Buddhist temple area, of which there are quite a few here, but also a unique natural attraction. The area is a jungle, the temple is in a cave in the middle of the jungle and the monks living in the area create their own atmosphere in the area.
The main attractions of the cave are various symbols of Buddhism, monuments and relics. The biggest attraction is the “footprint of the Buddha” seen in many other temples in Thailand, which, however, may go unnoticed by many Western tourists. The Tiger Cave is an experience in itself, and going there is a kind of day trip, which can also be combined as part of a larger trip made by a travel agency or your own taxi sightseeing tour.
To get to the cave, you have to climb almost 1,300 steps, which is no small thing in the humid heat of Krabi. The scenery at the top is great and this is a place that offers views in all directions. From above you can see the sea, tropical islands and limestone formations that have become the hallmarks of Krabi. The best views are when it is best to climb the hill, i.e. early in the morning when the sun is still rising and in the evening when the sun is setting. In the evenings, however, you should be careful, because in the dark, at least your own soot is not comfortable to move elsewhere. The cave can be reached on your own and is about three kilometers away on the road that leads towards Trangia. You can read about people’s experiences on TripAdvisor.
Mussel cemetery
By the sea, near Ao Nang, the shellfish cemetery is known locally as “Shell Cemetery” in English but its Thai name is amusing “Susan Hoi”. This is a unique place as the cemetery is at least 25 million years old but some locals claim it is up to 75 million years old. So this is a particularly good place to visit for those interested in geology and the like, and this is one of the three mussel cemeteries in the world with simply tens of millions of years old mussels.
The mussels are surrounded by tropical forests worth exploring, and there is also a Chinese-style Buddhist temple nearby. To see everything, this is a place where it is better to come with a guide than on your own, as the guide can quickly figure out all sorts of things that would otherwise be obscured. For those visiting the area itself, there is an exhibition space with some information in English. The best thing here is to visit in the morning (8-10) or early evening (16-18).
There is an entrance fee of 200 baht and it is open during daylight hours (8 am – 6 pm). You can get here from both Krabi town and Ao Nang by flatbed buses, and the price comes to 50 or 70 baht.
