Send flowers to Krabi กระบี่

Cliffs, coast and 154 islands

Krabi is a province on the Andaman coast, known for limestone formations that rise straight out of the sea and out of the rice fields. It counts 154 islands, among them Phi Phi and Lanta. The provincial capital, Krabi Town, sits on the river. Krabi International Airport has served the province since 1999.

For a sender the main fact is that the places people stay are not next to each other by road. A traveller can land at the airport, stay in Ao Nang, take a boat to Railay for lunch and go on to Lanta by another boat or by road and ferry. Four people on the same trip could have four different addresses.

Krabi Town and Ao Nang

Krabi Town is where a local would live and work: markets, government offices, riverside guesthouses. If the recipient is a person who lives in Krabi, the address will be a normal Thai address: house number, หมู่ (moo), ซอย (soi) or ถนน (thanon), tambon and amphoe.

Ao Nang (อ่าวนาง) is the resort town on the coast, a subdistrict of Mueang Krabi district. One main street holds restaurants, bars and shops for visitors, and most hotels are on or just off it. Say the hotel name and whether it is on the beach side or inland. Ao Nang is where longtail boats set off for the other beaches, so it is often the last point on the road.

Railay: reached only by boat

Railay (ไร่เลย์) is a small peninsula between Krabi Town and Ao Nang. High limestone cliffs cut it off from the mainland road, so you can only reach it by boat. Longtail boats go from Ao Nang and Krabi Town, and the crossing from Ao Nang takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

The peninsula has four zones. West Railay is the swimming beach with a walkway of restaurants and shops. East Railay is where many boats land, with mangroves and no swimming. Phra Nang is reached by a trail under the cliffs. Ton Sai is the climbers' beach. There is no pier at West Railay, which means people wade ashore, at both high and low tide. Boats usually leave once they are full, between early morning and late afternoon.

For flowers, it means three things. First, tell the florist exactly which of the four zones the resort is in. Second, expect that the parcel has to cross by boat and may be handed over at a beach, not at a front door. Third, allow a longer window than for a mainland hotel, and confirm it with the florist.

Phi Phi and Lanta

Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Le are best known for the film The Beach, which was shot on Phi Phi Le. Ko Lanta is a larger inhabited island in the south of the province. Both sit across water from Krabi Town and Ao Nang. If your recipient is staying there, treat it as a separate order with the island name first.

Resorts on small islands deal with deliveries all the time, but supply is by boat, and rough seas can stop crossings. Ask the florist about any weather risk and be ready to change the date. A card that says "happy birthday for Saturday" is easier to move than a card that says "today."

Season and what the card should say

Krabi's visitor season peaks from November to April, so resorts are busy and guests move around. The recipient may be on a day trip when the flowers arrive. Ask the front desk to hold the arrangement in a cool place, and include the guest's name as on the booking.

A card for a honeymoon or an anniversary is common here. For wording see what to write on the card, and for the practical side of hotels read flowers to hotels and condos. If your trip also includes Phuket, the Phuket page explains that island.