Ao Luk Krabi

A small village on the highway in the south. 

The scene at Ao Luk is dominated by limestone hills popping out from the earth with thick layer of jungle on it. What are the highlights there? Probably only one and that's definitely worth a stop.

Road travel to Ao Luk

In the mangrove forest are some caves with prehistoric wall paintings, they look somehow similar to Lascaux in France but on a much smaller scale and lesser quality although it's interesting and it clearly show that something was going on here long time ago. 

Unfortunately when the people around got hold on guns after WW2 they killed all animals bigger than rats and today nothing is left, see the map below.

Limestone Caves at Ao Luk

Kayaking into the caves

Ao Luk description

For nature lover the real interesting part of this trip is to go there. Either take a kayak for rent and paddle around in the mangrove forest or hire a longboat in any case you need a guide since in this water-forest you get lost very quickly. 

About the caves

Fishing in the mangroves

Probably the most interesting views around are the surrealistic formed limestone outcrops often with caves hidden deep inside. Southern Thailand is one of the best places for caving. The limestone caves are some of the real Thailand attractions.

Phang Nga Bay off Ao Luk

The climate and weather is excellent this could be done every day, only in the rainy season it needs to be careful since flash floods have killed peoples in the last years. In general its a tropical environment with scattered rain and thunderstorms during the monsoon season.

The scenery has still its natural beauty since there are not many peoples, when exploring the wall paintings a lamp wont be bad, if you take one of the long tail boats the boat man has one with him, he will show the paintings on the ceilings.

The caves are 10 – 30 meters wide and have several chambers on each side. A couple of slippery descents are to be mastered but there is no need for experience in climbing just reach out for the cracks in the limestone when you get a uncontrollable move.

Smooth curtains of cream and white colored flow-stone are coating the walls, fat pale needles of stalactites dripping from the roof. Long stalactites hung among wavy curtains of calcite and round knobs of stalagmites, hobbling the chamber floor.

Market at Ao Luk

In the area are some orchid nurseries 

it could be a good idea to have a look since this tropical flower have real marvelous shapes and colors. 

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