Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam

Why go

For the water itself: from the boardwalk you look down into a canal so clear at the right moment that you can see the sand, the roots and the plants on the bottom. It is a short walk, easy for most people, and a different kind of mangrove from a kayak trip.

What you will find

The name means the canal of two waters. Fresh water from underground springs flows out here and meets sea water pushed in by the tide; the two do not mix at once, and you can often see where the clear water ends and the darker water begins.

A raised wooden boardwalk makes a loop over the peat swamp and the mangrove, so that you walk above the roots rather than on them. According to a Thai guide, the site is run by the local Khao Khram subdistrict administration.

Getting there

By road from Krabi Town, on the main road north towards Ao Luek, then on foot along the boardwalk.

Before you go

The tide changes what you see: at low tide the spring water runs clear; at high tide the sea comes in and the water turns green-blue and brackish. The water is also clearer in the dry season, from about November to May, than in the rainy months.

Swimming is only allowed where the staff say so, and one guide says it is banned along the clearest stretch. Stay on the boardwalk, do not feed the fish, and do not use soap in the water if you are allowed in.

The water looks clean, but do not drink it.

A small entry fee is charged, lower for Thai visitors than for foreigners.