Krabi was a practical and beautiful stop for us during our trip through Thailand. We travelled here from Khao Lak and stayed three nights in Ao Nang, the best-known base in the region. Krabi has beautiful nature, impressive limestone cliffs, beaches and plenty of places to eat or have a drink. At the same time, we also found it one of the more crowded stops of our trip. Convenient and scenic, yes, but not necessarily the most authentic place.
Krabi is not an island, but a province on the west coast of Thailand. For travellers, “Krabi” often means Ao Nang, because this is the most popular place to stay. From Ao Nang, you can easily visit Railay Beach, book island tours, go to Krabi Town or continue your journey to islands such as Koh Lanta. That makes Krabi a useful stop on a route through southern Thailand, especially if you are looking for comfort and convenience.
Why Krabi is a convenient stop in Thailand
Krabi is mainly a very convenient destination. You have lots of accommodation, restaurants, supermarkets, tour agencies, taxis, boat connections and beaches within easy reach. After a quieter destination such as Khao Lak, you immediately notice that Krabi is much busier and more touristy, but that also has its advantages.
You do not have to make much effort to arrange things. Want a boat to Railay Beach? Easy. Want somewhere to eat, have a drink or quickly pick something up at a supermarket? No problem. Want a transfer to Koh Lanta? That is easy to arrange too. For a trip through Thailand, that can be really useful.
Still, it is important to visit Krabi with the right expectations. Ao Nang does not feel like a quiet local village. It is touristy, busy and in some places a little impersonal. There are many shops, restaurants, tour agencies and hotels. That makes it practical, but also less atmospheric than smaller islands or quieter coastal towns.
Staying in Ao Nang
We stayed in Ao Nang, the most common base for visiting Krabi. Ao Nang is located on the coast and has a long beach, a boulevard, many restaurants and a wide choice of hotels. It is not the most idyllic place in Thailand, but it is very practical.
Ao Nang is especially convenient if you want to combine several things. From here, you can easily visit Railay Beach, book a boat trip to nearby islands, go to Krabi Town or travel onwards to other places in southern Thailand. It is also easy if you do not feel like arranging transport every evening. You can simply walk to restaurants, shops and bars.
The downside is that Ao Nang feels quite touristy. We missed a bit of personality in the streets here. Everything is available, but because of that it can also feel a little staged. Compared with places such as Koh Lanta or Koh Mook, we found Krabi less authentic. That does not mean you should skip it, but it is best to see it mainly as a convenient and scenic base.
Our experience at Krabi Tipa Resort
We stayed at Krabi Tipa Resort and had a room with a sea view. For us, that view really made the difference. From the room, you look out beautifully over the surroundings, which immediately made the stay feel more special.
The resort is centrally located in Ao Nang, close to the beach and facilities. This means you can easily walk to restaurants, shops and the boulevard. At the same time, the resort feels a little greener and calmer than the busy street in front of it, which we liked.
What we liked about Krabi Tipa Resort:
- The view from the sea-view room was genuinely beautiful.
- The panoramic pool was a lovely place to cool down.
- The location in Ao Nang is very practical.
- You can easily walk to restaurants, shops and the beach.
- The resort feels greener than the busy area around it.
I would mainly choose this hotel if you book a room with a nice view. Personally, I would be less likely to return for a standard room, because then the accommodation feels less special. The hotel is fine and comfortable, but for us the real added value was the view and the pool.
Things to do in Krabi
Ao Nang Beach
Ao Nang Beach is the beach directly by the town. It is convenient and easy to reach, but it is not the most beautiful beach you will see during a trip through Thailand. Still, it is nice that you can simply walk there. You can go for a stroll, have a drink, watch the sunset or take a longtail boat to Railay Beach.
We mainly found Ao Nang Beach useful as an orientation point. The beach itself is okay, but the surrounding area is quite busy and touristy. During the day, many boats leave from here and along the boulevard you will find plenty of restaurants and shops. For a truly idyllic beach day, there are more beautiful places in the region, but if you are staying in Ao Nang, it is convenient to have the beach nearby.
We liked it most in the evening. The temperature drops a little, the streets become more atmospheric and you can walk along the beach or go somewhere for dinner.
Visiting Railay Beach from Ao Nang
One of the nicest things we did from Krabi was a trip to Railay Beach. Railay is located on the mainland, but because of the high limestone cliffs, it is not accessible by road. You therefore get there by longtail boat, usually from Ao Nang Beach.
The boat trip alone already makes it fun. You sail past the rock formations Krabi is so famous for and within a short time you arrive somewhere that feels completely different. Railay feels more beautiful and more special than Ao Nang itself, although it is definitely no longer a hidden place. It is popular and can get busy, especially on nice days.
Railay consists of several areas, including Railay West, Railay East and the well-known Phra Nang Beach. It is especially the combination of beach, cliffs and longtail boats that creates that typical Krabi image. If you only do one trip from Ao Nang, I would choose Railay.
Try not to go too late in the day, so you have enough time to walk around, swim and have something to eat. Keep in mind that boats depend on the weather and sea conditions. When the sea is rougher, the crossing can be less comfortable or operate differently.
Krabi Night Market
We enjoyed the night market in Krabi. It was quite large and had plenty of food, stalls and atmosphere. After the touristy bustle of Ao Nang, this felt a little more pleasant and local, although of course plenty of travellers visit too.
Especially if you like street food, the night market is a fun evening activity. You can try several small dishes, walk past the stalls and simply enjoy the atmosphere. It is not a complicated outing, but exactly the kind of thing that makes your stay in Krabi more enjoyable.
For us, the night market was one of the better moments in Krabi, mainly because it had more atmosphere than the standard tourist streets of Ao Nang.
What else can you do in Krabi?
We kept our time in Krabi quite simple, with Ao Nang, Railay Beach, Krabi Town and the night market. Still, there is much more to do in the region. Krabi is a popular base for tours and activities, so if you want to travel more actively, you can easily fill a few extra days here.
Nice options in and around Krabi include:
- Railay Beach: the best-known and, in our opinion, nicest trip from Ao Nang.
- Phra Nang Beach: a beautiful beach at Railay, known for its cliffs and special location.
- Krabi Town Night Market: fun for street food and an evening away from Ao Nang.
- Four Islands Tour: a popular boat trip past islands and snorkelling spots in the area.
- Hong Islands: beautiful islands for a day tour, especially in good weather.
- Tiger Cave Temple: known for its many steps and the view from the top.
- Emerald Pool and hot springs: natural pools in Krabi’s inland area.
Because we also visited other islands during this route, we did not feel the need to do many island tours from Krabi. It can quickly feel repetitive. But if Krabi is your main beach stop, tours to the surrounding islands can definitely be interesting.
Is Krabi crowded?
Yes, we found Ao Nang especially quite crowded. That does not mean it cannot be enjoyable, but it is good to know beforehand. Ao Nang is set up for tourism. You will find many restaurants with international food, tour agencies, souvenir shops, massage salons and hotels. This makes it easy, but also less personal.
Because of that, we felt the streets lacked a bit of their own character. Everything is there, but sometimes it misses atmosphere. Especially if you later travel to Koh Lanta or Koh Mook, you notice the difference straight away. Those places feel smaller, quieter and more authentic.
Still, the crowds also have advantages. In Krabi, everything is easy. You do not have to search long for food, transport, tours or shops. After a quiet destination, that can actually be quite nice. For us, Krabi was not a favourite destination of the trip, but it was a useful and beautiful stop.
How many days do you need in Krabi?
We stayed three nights in Krabi and found that enough. With three nights, you have time to see Ao Nang, spend a day at Railay Beach, visit Krabi Town and the night market, and then continue your journey at an easy pace.
If you also want to do an island tour, climb the Tiger Cave Temple or visit Emerald Pool and the hot springs, you could stay four or five nights. But if Krabi is part of a longer route with several islands, I would not stay too long.
For us, three nights was exactly right. We had enough time to see the main places, but did not stay so long that the busy feel of Ao Nang became too much.
Where is the best place to stay in Krabi?
Most travellers choose Ao Nang, Railay or Krabi Town. Which place is best depends on your plans.
- Ao Nang: convenient, central and ideal for tours, restaurants and transport, but also busy and touristy.
- Railay: more beautiful and special in terms of location, but less practical and often more expensive.
- Krabi Town: more local and cheaper, but less suitable if you are mainly coming for the beach.
- Nopparat Thara: a little quieter than central Ao Nang, but still conveniently located.
For a first visit to Krabi, Ao Nang makes sense. You are close to the boats to Railay, have lots of restaurant options and can easily arrange transport. If you are looking for more atmosphere and scenery, Railay may be nicer. If you want peace and authenticity, I would stay in Krabi for a shorter time and then continue to Koh Lanta.
Who is Krabi best for?
Krabi is especially suitable for travellers who want convenience and plenty of options. It is a good destination if you do not want to stay too remotely and like being able to arrange tours, transport and restaurants easily.
Krabi suits you if you:
- are looking for a practical base in southern Thailand;
- want to visit Railay Beach;
- like having plenty of choice when it comes to restaurants and accommodation;
- want to take boat trips or day tours;
- are travelling from Khao Lak onwards towards Koh Lanta;
- do not mind a destination feeling touristy.
If you are looking for peace, small-scale places and an authentic island atmosphere, Koh Lanta and Koh Mook will probably suit you better. Krabi is beautiful, but especially in the well-known places, it does not feel very personal.