Limestone peaks
Overlooking the beach.
Satdeep Gill — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 3.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 3.0
Krabi's tourist centre and base for most of its visitors: a long beach overlooked by green limestone peaks, with a lively street of hotels, restaurants and shops behind it. Longtail boats leave from here to Railay, the Four Islands, the Hong Islands and Phi Phi. Krabi has a large Muslim community, so Arab visitors will find many halal restaurants in Ao Nang, mosques nearby, and a calmer, more conservative atmosphere than Patong in Phuket, which makes it popular with Gulf families. An evening on the seafront promenade is a pleasant stroll. The beach is free and always open; swimming is comfortable in the dry season, while in the monsoon from May to October the waves grow. The water is less clear than at Railay and the islands, but sunsets here behind the rocks are lovely. Make Ao Nang your base in Krabi and plan boat trips from here. To the north is long, quiet Noppharat Thara beach for a calmer stroll.
Overlooking the beach.
Calmer and more conservative than Patong.
Boats to Railay and the islands.
Ao Nang, about 20 km west of Krabi Town
Krabi is calmer, more natural and conservative, with halal food easy to find; Phuket is bigger with more malls and nightlife. Many families spend a few days in each.