Starting to the north of Krabi town, one
can experience the refreshingly cold water, of the mangrove forest and freshwater
stream that runs through it, at Tha Pom.
About 25-30 minutes from Krabi by taxi
or motorbike, this is a small mangrove forest with a raised walkway that has
been designed to allow the visitor time to meander around learning about the
flora and fauna before reaching the stream which has several stepped piers
giving access to those who wish to cool off by paddling, swimming or simply
sitting in the cool, fresh water.
For the more adventurous, inner tubes are
available for rent and allow one to float for around a kilometre through the
forest. If you wish to experience this then it is advisable to check on the
water level before starting as it becomes shallow in some places.
One piece of
advice for Tha Pom is to avoid visiting on Sunday unless you wish to share it
with the many locals who throng here on their one day off.
Moving along
the coast to the South, we come to Thalen Bay. At
present there is little in the way of accommodation here aside from
some bungalows and a few restaurants
but it is the home of Krabi's sea kayaking industry.
From here it is possible
to rent single or twin kayaks and explore the nearby cave
complexes at a very leisurely pace. Many people imagine this to be
a fairly tiring
experience but
is it deliberately kept at a gentle level to allow everyone the chance
to see
both the caves whilst paddling in the Andaman Sea.
Each bay is accessible via the inland road. There isn't a beach road running
all the way (yet!).