I HAD never visited the seaside resort of Krabi, located on the west coast of Southern Thailand, and the opportunity to explore several interesting spots in this tourist region with the President of the Thailand-ASEAN Halal Tourism Association (TAHTA), Mrs. Aida Oujeh, from May 3 to 6, was something not to be missed.

I drove a Proton Exora from Narathiwat (a province bordering Kelantan). According to Google Maps, the distance between Narathiwat and Krabi is approximately 490 kilometers (km) via Route 4, with an estimated travel time of seven hours.

The estimated round trip from Narathiwat-Krabi-Narathiwat and driving around the holiday town is about 1,100 km, with an estimated petrol consumption of 100 liters.

For information, the current price of petrol 95 in Thailand is 40.83 baht per liter, equivalent to RM5.26 (In Malaysia, the price of RON95 is only RM2.05 – 15.91 baht). This means the price of 100 liters of petrol 95 is 4,083 baht (RM526.14).

To reduce petrol costs, I crossed the Golok River by ferry from Tak Bai, Narathiwat to Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan first to fill up the tank (55 liters = RM112.75) before re-entering Thailand heading to Hat Yai.

However, I did not go directly to Hat Yai, which is 233.3 kilometers from Tak Bai. Since the petrol was running low, I decided to drive from Tak Bai to Padang Besar, Perlis (273.6 km) to refuel before heading to Krabi.

After refilling the tank, I departed from Padang Besar to Hat Yai (52.6 km) to pick up Aida. From there, Rohana Mah, Aida, and I set off to Krabi (270.9 km). Aida is also the owner of Aida World Tour & Travel (HP No: +66818985621), one of the well-known travel agencies in Thailand, especially in Southern Thailand.

The drive took about four hours. Most of the roads were single carriageways with four lanes. Many heavy vehicles were driven in the right lane, which is common in Thailand. Not only are there many U-turn areas, but larger vehicles prefer not to stay in the left lane due to the proximity of motorcycle riders.

Overall, I drove at 90 km per hour from Hat Yai – Pattalung – Trang – Krabi, taking about 5 to 6 hours to reach Krabi.

On the way, we stopped at a rest area known as PADI-O in Tha Miram near Pattalung town for prayers. There were halal food stalls, restrooms, and a mosque. After completing our prayers, we continued our journey to Trang and Krabi.

We arrived in Krabi at around 8 PM and were immediately taken to dine at a Chinese-style restaurant – Abdullah Restaurant. They served herbal beef soup…. hemmm aroiii maq maq.

After dining, we checked into a hotel – The Beach – in Klong Muang, Krabi. This hotel is categorized as a ‘Muslim hotel’ because it is owned by Thai Muslims.

Interestingly, this hotel is not located by the beach like other hotels in the resort area. Instead, it is opposite the Klong Muang Grand Mosque. The price is reasonable, not exceeding RM200 per room per night.

May 4, 2024

After breakfast at the café, also owned by The Beach, we headed to Aonang Princeville Villa Resort & Spa to interview its CEO, Kusuma Kinglek, about halal and wellness tourism offered there. We stayed at the more exclusive Aonang Princeville, still categorized as a 4-star hotel.

At the same time, we had the opportunity to interview the Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Krabi Region, Aman MadAdam, regarding the tourism industry in the region.

Around 2 PM, we headed to Krabi International Airport to pick up 57 staff and families from Corrtrol Synergy, headquartered in Puchong, Selangor, who came for a family day in Krabi.

They were all taken on two buses for lunch at Abdullah Restaurant.

Visiting Klong Song Nam and Khao Thong Hill

Tha Pom Klong Song Nam is located in Moo 2, Baan Nongjit, Khao Khram Subdistrict, Mueang District, Krabi Province. The Thai authorities have built a walkway around the 600-acre forest area. It is a mangrove forest.

There are signboards along the walkway providing information about the species of animals and plants in the area.

However, we didn’t manage to visit the mangrove forest area as the main gate was closed. It is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. The entrance fee for adults is 100 baht, and for children, it is 50 baht.

We continued our journey to Khao Thong Hill at 135 Moo 2, Khao Thong, Krabi, about 45 minutes from the main beach of Ao Nang, to watch the sunset.

To reach the hilltop, visitors need to take a 4×4 vehicle. The fee is 50 baht per person, 20 baht for the vehicle, and 30 baht for drinks.

The journey up the 120-meter-high hill from sea level was challenging, especially for someone like me who is afraid of heights. I started reciting Quranic verses and specific prayers… also thinking, “if the road is like this on the way down, I’d rather walk.”

Alhamdulillah… it took less than 10 minutes to reach the restaurant area near the hilltop. This was after the 4×4 vehicle navigated sharp bends and steep slopes.

The view from the restaurant atop the hill was breathtaking. The sun began to set, covering the islands in Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea. Many members of the group took the opportunity to capture memorable photos.

After resting for about an hour, we once again boarded the 4×4 to descend. Alhamdulillah, we arrived safely and boarded the bus heading to a restaurant for dinner before returning to Aonang Princeville Villa Resort & Spa.

May 5, 2024

At 7 AM, the group members began having breakfast at the Halal White Orchid Restaurant in Aonang Princeville. Everyone was also ready in their swimwear as we were informed that today’s visit would involve getting wet.

After breakfast, we headed to the beach to board a speedboat to visit four islands – Tub Island; Poda Island; Chicken Island; and Pranang Beach. These are must-visit destinations when traveling to Krabi.

The first destination was Tub Island. Many tourists, including those from Europe, had already arrived. Tub Island, also known as Tup Island, Koh Tap, or Koh Thap, is one of the most popular offshore islands around Krabi for day trips.

Most tourists come to Tub Island to witness and photograph the separated sea and for swimming.

Next, we visited Chicken Island. It is a small island that looks like a chicken due to its rock formation. The speedboat navigated around the island before we continued to Poda Island for lunch.

On the way back, we stopped at Phra Nang Cave Beach, where there is a mysterious cave. We did not land but anchored for a while, while some group members took the opportunity for snorkeling.

We returned to the hotel for a short rest before continuing the program with a visit to the Crab Monument and dinner at PakNam Seafood Restaurant in Krabi Front Bay Resort.

Group members were also taken shopping at Krabi Town Night Market before returning to Aonang Princeville.

May 6, 2024

I decided to return earlier, while the other group members continued their visit to Kok Klang Island, had lunch before heading to Krabi International Airport to return to Kuala Lumpur.

After breakfast, Rohana and I departed for Hat Yai. But we needed to refuel first. I filled 1,000 baht worth (one liter at 40.83 baht). Ahhh… it should be enough to reach Padang Besar, Perlis to refuel with Malaysian petrol.

From Padang Besar, we headed to Durian Burung, Padang Sanai, Kedah, to enter Thailand through the Ban Prakob border gate, with the journey to Narathiwat taking about two and a half hours.

Although I was only in Krabi for three days, I was mesmerized by all its natural beauty. The limestone mountain landscapes, extraordinary beaches, lush vegetation, and clear pools from hot springs are remarkable!

Thank you, Aida, Amin (R.A.M. Travel & Tour Sdn Bhd from Putrajaya), Kak Long (Aida World Tour) and Kusuma Kinglek.