Krabi, Phuket's cheaper cousin

About 38 kilometers southwest of Krabi is the insanely pretty islands of Ko PhiPhi Don and Ko PhiPhi Leh.

Phi Phi is seductive. Boats wait in line to ferry visitors in and out. But the heavy tourism is affecting their fragile beauty and some corals are dying, bleaching out to gray.

Krabi also has other temptations in store, including hot springs in the jungle.

About an hour's drive from downtown is Namtok Ron Khlong Thom, hot springs waterfalls set in a shady forest. Walking along cobblestones deep into the forest, visitors hear the thundering sound of the waterfalls and see a verdant world shrouded in steam and fog as the sun sifts through the trees.

There are many lovely natural hollows. Hot springs and cool streams converge on a slope to form cascades of warm water. Soaking in one of the natural stone bathtubs, the water flowing past at a pleasant 40 C degrees gently massages and soothes the body.

A 20-minute drive from the waterfalls is Sa Morakot Emerald Ponds, characterized by large natural pools filled with pure spring water. This is in the Khao Nor Chu Chi forest reserve, where paths lead to the pools, the longest being 1.2 kilometers. Each trail offers a group of mini-pools, streams and waterfalls and plenty of exotic tropical trees and plants. Tiredness dissolves with a jump into a pool.

On weekends, after returning from a day trip, visitors find the small town transformed into a lively scene with food stalls and a stage for music and other performances. Unlike night markets in Chiang Mai and Bangkok crammed with tourists, the night market here is very local and the food is fresh and delicious.

The scene is loud, busy and tugs at all the senses as visitors wander around, surrounded by mouthwatering smells, jaw-dropping low prices and the visual delight of fresh food. In front of the stage is an area for chairs and tables, so there is no problem finding a place to sit down.

The idea is to do a sweep of all the stalls, get the smallest portion of whatever is on offer, and make sure to leave room for other goodies. Be a little adventurous with what you choose and it will pay off, locals say.

Contact the writer at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn