Mention Thailand and images of beaches, elephants and Bangkok come to mind. Less known is the fact Thailand rock climbing is some of the best in the world.
Rock Climbing
Thailand Hotel
Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Burma and Laos in the north and Malaysia in the south. The shape of the country is somewhat similar to Italy, and you'll find similar differences between northern and southern Thailand that you do in Italy. For rock climbing enthusiasts, the south of Thailand is where the action is.
The rock formations in Thailand are practically universally limestone. The level of climbing can be as straightforward as bouldering or as arresting as tackling over vertical cliffs. This makes Thailand a favorite rock climbing destination since it has a itsybitsy something for everyone.
Thailand Hotel
Krabi
Located on the southern section of the "tail" of Thailand, Krabi has a wide variety of rock climbing challenges. Most of the climbs in this area are of the pre-bolted sport route variety. There are certainly hundreds upon hundreds of climbs with strangeness levels from beginner to multi-pitch knuckle crushers.
The beauty of climbing in Krabi is...well, the beauty. While you might have visions of jungles and mosquitoes when reasoning of Thailand, Krabi is an area of a separate sort. Most of the climbs have been set up on cliff faces on the beach. Being natural capitalists, the Thai's have built hotels, bars and so on at these locations. As a result, you can certainly climb a multi-pitch route for five hours, cool off with a swim and then have a beer. If there is such a thing as a rock climbing heaven, many feel Krabi is it.
Before you cash in your savings, keep in mind that Thailand is a seasonal vacation spot. If you go during the wet season, there is a good opening you'll just end up sitting nearby drinking beer. While that isn't too bad, you'll go crazy finding at the climbs that are so close, but oh so far away.
Generally, you want to head to Thailand from late November through maybe April. The summer months tend to be both incredibly hot and wet. Make sure you pull up forecasts for the area before booking a trip.
Flying to Thailand is inexpensive, but flights are incredibly long with stopovers. Still, it is all worth it once you palpate Thailand rock climbing.
Rock Climbing - Thailand's The Spot
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