Phuket.com Magazine

July 2008 - Special Krabi


	Phra Nang Beach in Railay

Welcome to Phuket.com magazine's July edition. This month, we head two-and-a-half hours off the island to visit beautiful Krabi Province. Home of world-famous Railay Beach, and beautiful Phi Phi Island, we take a look around and discover some unusual aspects of the area in Unusual Thailand. Railay's internationally known as a choice rock climbing destination and we examine the climbing climate there. For our featured brace of hotels this month we have chosen the regal Sofitel Phokeethra Krabi Resort & Spa and Ao Nang's recently renovated Pakasai Resort and a fine couple they make.

If you need ten reasons to stay at either Railay Bay Resort or Centara Krabi Resort we have them for you and we could give you ten more if you so wish! And if fast boats, luscious scenery and oodles of tropical fish are your thing then you'd love our Krabi Four-Islands Half-Day Tour. Our ever-popular restaurant review section this month features Venezia – a top-class trattoria in Sofitel, and Malati, the spanking-new Indian restaurant in the sumptuous Sheraton grounds.

Last, but not least, we have Krabi and Hotel News to keep you abreast of all the exciting events and developments that are happening in this beautiful part of the world.

The Editor
editor@phuket.com

10 reasons to stay at:
Railay Bay Resort & Spa

Railay Bay Resort and Spa, Krabi has all it takes to be a special and unforgettable holiday resort. Located in Railay Bay and accessible only by sea, it's a great place for everyone. Read more...

10 reasons to choose
Centara Grand Beach Resort

Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi at Pai Plong Bay is ideal for couples and family units alike with an extensive range of room types, facilities, and services. Read more...

Pakasai Resort Krabi

Pakasai is a split-level resort featuring seven different room types and chalets in Ao Nang, Krabi. The resort has recently undergone an extensive renovation.
Read more...

Sofitel Phokeethra Krabi Resort & Spa

Put in simple terms, Sofitel Krabi is a throwback to colonial elegance with all the advantage of modern conveniences. The 276 rooms and suites loosely follow the same design pattern throughout the spacious five-star resort with generous use of teak and Thai textile trimmings.

Opened in November 2006, a full 80% of the rooms feature sea views and the centrally located 6,000sqm pool is a wonder to behold.

Read more...

Top 10 Krabi Resorts

This month's Top Ten hotels and resorts list features the crème de la crème of beautiful Krabi Province. From resorts set in beachside opulence to verdant hillsides to limestone grandeur the choices are wide and rich. And we've not restricted our list to hotels around Ao Nang and Krabi; we also head down Koh Lanta way to see what that beautiful and peaceful island has to offer. Krabi's a new and exciting holiday destination – find out about the best accommodation there…
Read more...

Malati Restaurant and Venezia Restaurant

When it comes to Italian food everyone seems to agree: it's an art to look at and almost a sin to eat as it's so good. Venezia restaurant in Sofitel Phokeethra Krabi Resort & Spa is probably the finest trattoria in the province. Find out why here. Likewise with Malati, a new Indian restaurant in the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort, where an idyllic setting along with clever décor and lighting set the stage for some truly innovative Indian fare.
Read more...

Krabi Tour - 4 Islands by Speedboat

Many visitors to Thailand are surprised at just how hot it can get by eight o'clock in the morning here. So it is that as we wait in the foyer of the Sofitel for our tour minibus we spray on the factor 20 to make sure we won't come back from our Half-Day, Four-Island Krabi Trip looking like two-legged tomatoes.
Read more...

Climbing in Railay

Railay is world famous for its climbing opportunities. Amazingly, Railay and its environs have up to 1,000 climbing routes, ranging from easy to very challenging. In actual fact the fabulous rock climbing here is because of the striking limestone outcrops – actually part of the world's largest coral reef, stretching all the way from China down to Papua New Guinea.
Read more...

Krabi's Tourist Attractions

If you are fan of Leonardo De Caprio, you must have seen 'The Beach'. And if you remember 'The Killing Fields' you may be surprised to know that these two Hollywood films are among countless movies that have used the Krabi region as their location. Krabi Province is quite large at 4,700sqm. It has more than 130 surrounding islands including the famous Phi Phi and Lanta islands. There are so many places to visit if only you have the time to! In this issue, Phuket.com manages to explore a few of Krabi’s main tourist attractions. Read more...

Krabi's Princess Cave

On a Saturday afternoon, I visited the Phra Nang Cave on Railay Beach for the first time. Friends who come to Krabi regularly had told me that this place was a must-see. But though I live in Phuket, which is only 180 km or about 2½ hours’ drive away, I’d never before made it to this famous “Phallus Shrine” in the cave. Read more...

Krabi News

It's official: Swedish visitors to Krabi outnumber their European neighbours. Find out who else favours this lush, green coastal province in our Krabi News. Railay and its surroundings are fast becoming world famous for rock climbing. Enthusiasts come from all over the world to scale the region's impressive limestone heights. This has led to the first international rock climbing competition. Read more inside… Will Krabi become another Phuket – a haven for yachties and golfers? There's a good chance; find out why, read more...

Krabi Hotel Updates

The province of Krabi, to the east of Phuket, is booming, with many new hotels and resorts being built on the mainland and on nearby islands, and more hotels being upgraded or extended. Krabi currently has 403 hotels and guesthouses with a total of 15,589 rooms. There is huge variety, ranging form 80-baht-a-night lodgings, mostly in Krabi Town, up to spoil-yourself-to death luxury accommodation at 100,000 baht a night.
Read more...

Phuket Events July 2008

Don't miss our extensive list of exciting upcoming Events on the island. There's truly something for everyone happening here.
Read more...

White Prawns in Tamarind Sauce

Is there such a thing as a 'typical' Thai dish? Given the varied cuisines of Thailand's different provinces it's hard to put your finger on just one. However, in the realm of seafood perhaps prawns in tamarind sauce would be a good choice of culinary ambassador for the kingdom. The tamarind tree is ubiquitous to southern Thailand and prawns are an extremely popular choice of food. Chef Gonkiat of Krabi's Nakamanda Resort shows us how to rustle them up.
Read more...

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