Krabi also has nice beaches and an interesting botanical garden. The beaches in Krabi (Raylee Beach, Aonang Beach) are crowded in winter as are the beautiful nearby Phi Phi Islands (Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh) located about 40 mi/60 km off the coast that are currently (and unfortunately) being overdeveloped for tourism. Easily accessible by boat from Krabi the Phi Phis have almost deserted white-sand beaches and green cliffs jutting from the water. Phi Phi Don is a popular hangout for the yachting crowd but it’s still an enjoyable place to hang out with good food and cheap bungalows but these are becoming less affordable for the travellers wishing to budget it seems the interest is for package tours. Have a water-buffalo steak while there and dive the reefs—although some have been destroyed there are some unspoiled areas remaining. Phi Phi Leh has some interesting caves worth exploring. The caves many of which contain ancient paintings are home to sea swallows. Local people climb to the tops of these huge caves on spindly bamboo poles to harvest the birds’ nests that are used in bird’s-nest soup.