In reply to Robyn Vacher:
> My partner and I are on holiday in Krabi in September and are planning on bringing climbing gear. What is the climbing like around there?
We both climb at about 6b indoor, HVS outdoor, but we don't do much outdoor sport normally. Are we likely to find much we can climb? Will the weather be good then? I do plan on doing more research but thought I would start here for any general advise. Thank you.
The climbing in the Krabi area is mostly brilliant, but like anywhere you would be well advised to choose your routes/crags wisely to get the most out of a trip. The easily accessible crags in Tonsai with lots of low grade routes can be polished, so if you try to get a bit more "off the beaten path" or you're happy to have a go on harder climbs you'll be rewarded.
If you climb around 6b indoors you should have no problems with most of the routes of that grade in Krabi. There are plenty of steep, juggy routes at that sort of grade. The area also has some amazing multi-pitches around that grade (Humanality and the Big Wave are two that I remember being exceptionally good).
My wife and I just got back from that area and I guess the weather in September will be similar to the weather we had over the last month or two out there (we had the start of the monsoon, whereas you'll have the end). You will almost certainly get some rain, with it typically raining in the afternoons for a couple of hours. When it rains, it really rains, so take a raincoat or buy a poncho when you get there. Think about which crags you go to and approach footwear if it looks like it will rain, as we had a few near epics on slippery muddy trails in flip-flops! Even if it does rain all day, there is plenty of rock that stays dry due to capping overhangs etc.
At the grades you're talking about the stand out routes we did were:
The Smoking Room (6b) - Melting Wall
The 6b route at Marley Wall (sorry, can't remember the name)
Pillbox (6b) - Chong Pli
Exfoliation (6a+) - Chong Pli
Genghis Bond (6b) - The Keep
Humanality (6b+) - 3-5 pitches - Tonsai Wall
The Big Wave (6b) - 3-5 pitches - Monkey World
All the routes at the Bat Cave - not in any guidebooks but e-mail if you want details.
I'd recommend trying these. Other good (but polished) crags with plenty at that grade would be fire wall, cobra wall, tiger wall.
if you get on well with the climbing and fancy trying something harder head to WIld Kingdom and the Nest. The 6c s at Wild Kingdom would suit most people who climb indoors alot.
There is so much good stuff to do in that area apart from climbing too. Make sure you go out to Huai To waterfall at Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, plus Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam (around an hour north of Krabi). Hours of fun can also be had exploring the dirt tracks through the rubber and palm plantations on a scooter.
Enjoy - you'll have an awesome trip!
