Krabi's coast is spread out, and the area you choose decides how easy your tours are, how quiet your evenings are and what you spend. There are four sensible bases: Ao Nang, Railay and Phra Nang, Klong Muang and Krabi Town. Here is how they compare, with one or two hotels in each.
Ao Nang: the convenient base
Ao Nang Beach is the hub, with restaurants, shops, massage and tour offices, and longtail boats leaving for Railay. Nearly every island tour includes pickup here. It is the best choice for first-timers and for families, and the beach is pleasant if not the prettiest. Aonang Villa Resort is a four-star beachfront resort with 156 rooms, two pools, a swim-up bar and a two-minute walk to the sand, a good mid-range pick in the middle of everything. Aonang Princeville Villa Resort and Spa is smaller and more boutique, with 50 rooms, pool-access rooms and villas, a spa and the same short walk to the beach. Note that Princeville is halal, so no alcohol is served on site.
Railay and Phra Nang: the scenic base
The peninsula has no roads and is reached only by boat, so staying here means waking up beside the cliffs and beaches before the day boats arrive. It is the choice for climbers, couples and anyone who wants quiet evenings. Rayavadee sits at the tip, with pavilions in gardens between Railay West and Phra Nang Beach. It is the splurge of the coast, with four restaurants, a spa and a pool, and boat transfers from Nong Nuch Pier. The trade-offs are price and logistics, since you carry bags and rely on boats, and nightlife is limited.
Klong Muang: the resort base
North of Ao Nang, about twenty minutes by road, Klong Muang is a long, quiet beach lined with large resorts. Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort has 240 rooms and suites, two beachfront pools, a kids club, a spa and six places to eat and drink, which makes it the best family and honeymoon resort in this guide. You will need a taxi or shuttle for evenings in Ao Nang and some tours add a supplement for pickup here.
Krabi Town: the budget base
The provincial capital is not a beach town, but it is cheap and local. Pak-Up Hostel offers dorms and private rooms, a rooftop terrace and a bar, a three-minute walk from Chao Fah Pier and the weekend night market. It suits backpackers and solo travellers, and it is adults only. Ao Nang is a bus or songthaew ride away, and the inland sights, the Tiger Cave Temple in particular, are closer from here.
Choosing quickly
If you want convenience and a mid-range price, pick Ao Nang. For scenery and quiet, choose Railay. For a full-service family resort, choose Klong Muang. For the lowest cost, choose Krabi Town. Whichever you choose, book a free-cancellation rate in the rainy months, ask whether your tours include pickup at your address, and consider splitting your stay, for example three nights in Ao Nang and two on Railay, to enjoy both.
