Krabi is steadily emerging as a destination for a new breed of adventure travellers who fancy challenges like rock climbing and deep-water soloing
THANIN WEERADET
It was late April and the sky over Krabi spotless blue, the fierce sun beating down relentlessly when we combed the beaches of this island paradise in the Andaman Sea.
It was a clear day and you could see forever, the scenery word-perfect splashed across a broad canvass like a computer-generated image, breathtaking in scope and natural beauty.
The island in south Thailand, long famous as an idyllic escape for those who crave solitude and its white sandy beaches, has lately been attracting a different breed of travellers - adventurers with an inclination for heights. They love a challenge or two, and nothing gets their adrenaline flowing like scaling Krabi's jagged limestone cliffs.
One of Krabi's more popular tourist spots is the beach at Railay with its rugged peaks that recently played host to an international rock climbing competition. It attracted teams from Singapore, Japan, Thailand and Macedonia, and though the field wasn't that big - only 15 teams participated - it was a good start nonetheless because it carried plenty of thrills, even for non-climbers like us who followed the action from the sidelines.
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| With safety ropes for support a climber negotiates a tricky section of a cliff overlooking Railay Bay. |
A quiet a corner of Ko Poda island where the competitors gathered for deep-water soloing. |
This near vertical rock face was one of the 50 designated routes during the rock climbing competition. |
Organised by local resort and tour operators with support from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), there are plans to make the event part of Krabi's annual tourist calendar.
The competition was divided into two categories - lead climbing and deep-water soloing. The former requires participants - two to a team - to complete 50 routes of varying level of difficulty, for which points are assigned, over two days; 25 each day between 9am and 6pm.
The routes measure 10 to 30 metres in height. Scoring is based on time a team takes to complete a route. Scores are deducted if climbers fall.
First day's action was confined to the bay at Ao Ton Sai. Like the one at Railay, Ao Ton Sai is only accessible by boat. It boasts breathtaking limestone mountains.
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| Tourists regale at Thale Waek, a cluster of three islands connected by sandy strips visible only at low tide. |
It is now the preferred spot of backpackers as Railay has become expensive; it also has budget bungalows.
On the second day the action shifted to the bay in east Railay where two cliff faces - Pha Nueng Song Sam and Pha Muai Thai - stand adjacent to each other. Watching the climbers in action we spotted Jitakorn Ansuwan, who we knew from before was an experienced climber and instructor. He was one the three referees officiating at the competition.
"What is lead climbing?," I asked him.
"A climbing technique in which the lead climber attaches himself to a length of dynamic (stretchy) climbing rope and ascends a route while periodically attaching protection to the face of the route and clipping in to it.
"The lead climber must have another person acting as a belayer who has multiple roles: holding the rope in the event of a fall, and paying out or taking up rope as the climber moves," he explained.
"But in this competition protections have been already placed. Climbing teams just need to complete the route as fast as possible, without falls.
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| Phra Nang Beach on Railay Bay is a popular attraction. |
"Read the cliff thoroughly, not just look at what is in front of you," he shouted out his instructions to climbers. He told us that a good climber will not stay too close to the rock otherwise he can't have a good overall view of the cliff.
"Another type of climbing is deepwater soloing," he explained, "in which participants climb up the sides of cliffs without ropes and protection. If they err they fall in water and escape injury."
I asked him what's good about rock climbing and why do people like to challenge themselves with such activity?
"I'm delighted when I am on the cliff. I don't have any distractions. My mind is clear. Maybe I am addicted to the rush of adrenaline. Before I started climbing, my life was monotonous. I tried to find something new to do in life and had a go at rock climbing. That was 10 years ago," he answered, admitting that not many Thais were keen about this sport.
Then he pointed to a climber, saying he was the best climber in Railay. We looked up watching him crouched against a rock face, like Spiderman, at a height of some 20 metres until our necks were strained stiff.
By now it was lunch time so the participants took time off to replenish themselves for the afternoon climb, while we used the time to explore the beauty of Railay Bay.
The bay area has changed considerably since the region was hit by tsunami at the end of 2004. Local-style bungalows have made way for resorts equipped with comfort and luxury. It used to be a haven for backpackers, but not anymore. Railay Bay and its neighbouring beaches remain isolated as ever as there are no roads linking them. Visitors need a boat to commute between various points on the island and its beaches.
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| A performance at the Rock & Fire Festival. |
The Railay area is a cape studded with limestone mountains. There are three main standalone beaches - Railay East, Railay West and Phra Nang - all within walking distance of each other, the latter with its white sandy strip that stretches several hundred metres being the jewel in Krabi's crown.
Phra Nang takes its name from a shrine that sits under a canopy of limestone cliffs marked by colossal red rock formations lush with vegetation. While Western tourists enjoy lazing on the beach relishing sea breeze, sun and the emerald sea, Thais come here to enjoy the stunning scenery.
On a quiet day if you walk the narrow path snaking past limestone cliffs and resorts, you can see wild monkeys foraging. The path leads to a small pavilion where tourists can give their tired legs a rest before walking up a rugged near vertical trail to a view point. On Railay East, a new resort is being built at the site where formerly stood bungalows.
The next day we boarded a speed boat and went island hopping. It was sunny and the sea flat and smooth. After a brief ride, Thale Waek, a cluster of three islands that are connected at low tide came into view. Fortunately for us, we arrived at the right time for we could watch the sand strip connecting them. A few years back they were always crammed with tourists.
Shortly afterwards we sailed past Ko Kai island to a point where we stopped to feed fish, while others went swimming or snorkelling.
Next stop was Ko Poda, blessed with a breathtaking beach and scenery, and the venue for deep-water soloing competition. A colossal limestone formation rose majestically skyward from the blue sea near the beach.
The competitors had gathered at a small cove on one side of Ko Poda. They would be scaling designated routes without the help of ropes, with each participant alloted two chances to climb a particular route. To us, their failure or succees carried little meaning, but watching them plunge from giddy heights to dizzy depths of the sea was exciting indeed.
During those two days that the competition took place, Ao Ton Sai played host to Rock & Fire Festival which featured a fire dancing contest. On both evenings, as shadows lengthened and daylight gave way to dusk, tourists were entertained to a spectacle that didn't end until midnight. They were rewarded with a display of rare intensity that combined fire dancing with frenetic music that left the crowd cheering and hypnotised. Winners of fire dance contest, together with those in the rock climbing and deepwater soloing categories, were announced the following day on West Railay Beach.
MORE INFO
Thai Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia have daily flights connecting Bangkok and Krabi.
There is daily train service linking Bangkok and Phun Phin railway station in Surat Thani, where you can catch a bus to Krabi.
By road: Take Highway 4 from Bangkok, get onto Highway 41 in Chumphon and drive to Phun Phin. There, take Highway 44 that meets up with Highway 4 at Ao Luek, Krabi.
Although it is now the rainy season in Krabi, it doesn't mean you shouldn't travel there. Being low season, room rates are cheaper this time of the year. And don't forget that sunny days invariably follow rainy days.
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