Thailand
Krabi is the stretch of Thailand's Andaman coast where limestone cliffs stand straight up out of emerald water.
Ao Nang is the busy, friendly beach town that most visitors use as a base, and from its sand you can reach nearly everything worth seeing: the four-island longtail loop, the lagoons and hidden beaches of Hong Island, the long speedboat run out to Phi Phi, and Railay and Phra Nang, a peninsula with no road in or out where climbers and honeymooners share the same golden sand. Inland, the Tiger Cave Temple climbs a mountain of steps to a view over the whole province, and the Emerald Pool and hot spring waterfall sit in a cool jungle reserve. This guide books Krabi properly: the right island tour for your pace, kayaking through the mangroves of Ao Thalane, a first lesson on Railay's cliffs, a Thai cooking class, and five places to sleep from a Railay pavilion resort to a Krabi Town hostel.
Railay Beach
A peninsula cut off from the mainland by limestone cliffs, so the only way in is by boat. Railay is Krabi's signature beach scene: climbers, kayakers and sunset-watchers on sand that looks like a postcard. A Viator sunset cruise passes by Railay and stops at Phra Nang, Poda and Tup.
Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea)
A forest monastery with a staircase up a limestone peak, huge golden Buddhas at the summit and a view across Krabi. Tiqets sells a full-day tour that pairs it with the Emerald Pool and hot springs.
Krabi Four Islands Tour
The classic Krabi boat day: Tup Island and its sandbar, Chicken Island's rock, Poda Island's beach and Phra Nang. The Tiqets sunrise version leaves before the crowds on a vintage boat, so you see the same islands with the light and the calm water to yourself.
Hong Island Speedboat Tour
The Hong Islands have a hidden lagoon, white beaches and some of the clearest water off Krabi. A day trip by speedboat from Ao Nang reaches them in about 45 minutes, with snorkelling, lunch and hotel pickup, and is one of the most rewarding day tours in the province.
The classic Krabi boat day: Tup Island and its sandbar, Chicken Island's rock, Poda Island's beach and Phra Nang. The Tiqets sunrise version leaves before the crowds on a vintage boat, so you see the same islands with the light and the calm water to yourself.
The Hong Islands have a hidden lagoon, white beaches and some of the clearest water off Krabi. A day trip by speedboat from Ao Nang reaches them in about 45 minutes, with snorkelling, lunch and hotel pickup, and is one of the most rewarding day tours in the province.
A full day by speedboat from Ao Nang to Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach and Phi Phi Don, with lunch, snorkelling and hotel pickup. Maya Bay reopens each October after its closed season, so November is a good month for it.
A peninsula cut off from the mainland by limestone cliffs, so the only way in is by boat. Railay is Krabi's signature beach scene: climbers, kayakers and sunset-watchers on sand that looks like a postcard. A Viator sunset cruise passes by Railay and stops at Phra Nang, Poda and Tup.
Often called the best beach in Krabi: a crescent of fine sand under tall cliffs on the Railay peninsula, with a sea cave shrine at one end. Tiqets sells a sunset longtail tour with night snorkelling here.
A forest monastery with a staircase up a limestone peak, huge golden Buddhas at the summit and a view across Krabi. Tiqets sells a full-day tour that pairs it with the Emerald Pool and hot springs.
A jungle reserve inland from Krabi with a clear green pool, forest trails and a hot spring stream you can soak in. A half-day Viator tour from Ao Nang combines the Emerald Pool and the Namtok Ron hot spring waterfall.
Paddle through mangrove channels and between limestone cliffs at Ao Thalane, one of the most atmospheric kayaking spots in Krabi. Tiqets lists a four-and-a-half-hour sunset kayak tour with a BBQ dinner.
Railay's limestone cliffs are among the best-known climbing walls in Asia. A beginner half-day course from Ao Nang takes four hours with guides, gear and park fees, and no experience is needed.
A hands-on cooking class near Ao Nang, with transfers included: learn to pound curry paste, balance sweet, sour, salty and spicy and eat what you make. Tiqets lists a three-hour class and a four-hour class at Thai Charm Cooking School.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Railay and Phra Nang Peninsula
A luxury resort at the tip of the Phranang Peninsula, with two-storey pavilions in tropical gardens between three beaches. Reached by boat, it feels like a private island.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Klong Muang Beach
A five-star beachfront resort on Klong Muang Beach with 240 rooms, two beachfront pools, six places to eat and drink, a spa and a kids club. A quieter, more resort-style base about twenty minutes from Ao Nang.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Ao Nang Beach
A four-star beachfront resort on Ao Nang Beach with 156 rooms, two pools, a swim-up bar and a two-minute walk to the sand. The right mid-range pick for first-timers who want to be in the middle of town.
Rates on Expedia →Ao Nang Beach
A boutique four-star resort with 50 rooms, a pool, a spa and a two-minute walk to Ao Nang Beach. Smaller and quieter than the big resorts, with pool-access rooms and villas.
Rates on Expedia →
$Krabi Town
A budget hostel in Krabi Town, a three-minute walk from Chao Fah Pier and the weekend night market, with dorms, private rooms, a rooftop terrace and a bar. For travellers on a tight budget; adults only.
Rates on Expedia →How many days to allow, which island tours to book first, how to reach Railay, when to go and how to fit the inland sights around the boat days.
Four bases compared, with five hotels from a Railay pavilion resort to a Krabi Town hostel, and how each fits the tours.
