We have been in Krabi for a few days now. It is a hub for traveling to Islands in the Andaman Sea. We took the cheapo "4 island tour" (400 Baht). These little islands are beutiful, but absolutely hammered by tourists boats. Our longtail boat (so called because a car engine with no sound supression runs a prop at the end of a 15 foot shaft) belched black smoke the entire trip and was LOUD. Our last stop on this tour was to a famous beach which may be one of the worlds most beautiful beaches, with a backdrop on limestone cliffs all around. Sadly we were part of a mob of 1000 tourists who crouded this 1/4 mile long beach, and there were at leasrt 40 longtails parked on the beach. Also, just off the beach a few feet sat several exclusive resorts. But all that said, we we happy to visit this very special place. A highlight was the cave at one end with a fishermans shrine (not buddhist or muslim) , a statue a a fertility goddess, and a pile of lingham all around.

We are headed for a Khao Sok National Park now where we hope to find trails and wildlife, and a quiet bungalow in the jungle.