Where to stay · Krabi · Thailand
Where to stay in Krabi
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Ao Nang. Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier.
Key facts
- First visit
- Ao Nang
- Families
- Ao Nang
- Budget
- Ao Nang
- Nightlife
- Ao Nang
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Ao Nang | Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier |
| Families | Ao Nang | Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier |
| Couples | Railay | Car-free peninsula of cliffs, climbing and beaches |
| Budget | Ao Nang | Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier |
| Luxury | Railay | Car-free peninsula of cliffs, climbing and beaches |
| Nightlife | Ao Nang | Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier |
| Food lovers | Krabi Town | Provincial riverside town of markets and local life |
| Solo travellers | Tonsai | Rustic climbers' bay next to Railay |
| Quiet stays | Railay | Car-free peninsula of cliffs, climbing and beaches |
| Beach | Railay | Car-free peninsula of cliffs, climbing and beaches |
Krabi neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, families, budget and nightlife
Ao Nang
Ao Nang is Krabi's tourist hub, a long west-facing beach backed by a strip of hotels, shops, restaurants and tour agents. Longtails leave from the beach for Railay in about 15 minutes, and island trips depart daily. The beach itself is fine for sunsets but the sea can be murky; most people use it as a base for trips.
- Good
- Widest choice of hotels and restaurants; Boats to Railay and the islands; Easy airport transfers
- Watch out
- Busy main road and touristy feel; Beach is average for swimming
- Nearby
- Railay, Noppharat Thara Beach, Four Islands boats, Khao Ngon Nak trail
$$$ · Best for couples, beach, luxury and quiet stays
Railay
Cut off from the mainland by cliffs, Railay is reached only by longtail. West Railay has a sandy, sunset-facing beach with resorts behind it; East Railay faces mangroves and has cheaper bungalows and bars; and Phra Nang Cave Beach is a short walk away. Evenings are quiet once the day-trippers leave.
- Good
- Spectacular cliff scenery; No cars; World-class climbing on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Boat transfers with luggage; Higher prices for food and drinks; Crowded with day-trippers at midday
- Nearby
- Phra Nang Cave Beach, Tonsai, Railay viewpoint and lagoon, Ao Nang
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and quiet stays
Tonsai
Tonsai, reached on foot from West Railay at low tide or over a jungle path, is a small bay of simple bungalows, climbing shops and laid-back bars at the foot of limestone walls. It is the centre of Krabi's climbing community.
- Good
- Cheap stays; Direct access to climbing routes; Sociable climbing scene
- Watch out
- Basic facilities; Beach is rocky at low tide
- Nearby
- Railay, Climbing walls
$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Krabi Town
Krabi Town sits on the Krabi River about 20 km from Ao Nang, with night markets, a riverfront promenade, ferry and bus connections and some of the province's best-value accommodation. It shows everyday southern Thai life and is close to the Tiger Cave Temple.
- Good
- Low prices; Local food markets; Transport hub for buses and boats
- Watch out
- No beach; About 30–40 minutes to Ao Nang
- Nearby
- Chao Fah night market, Tiger Cave Temple, Wat Kaew Korawaram, Khao Khanap Nam
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and beach
Noppharat Thara
Next to Ao Nang, Noppharat Thara is a long, quiet beach shaded by casuarina trees, part of a national park. At low tide sandbars stretch towards offshore islets, and boats leave from the nearby pier for Phi Phi and Railay. Hotels are mostly small resorts set back from the sand.
- Good
- Calmer than Ao Nang; Long shaded beach; Walk to Ao Nang's restaurants
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants on the beach itself; Shallow water at low tide
- Nearby
- Ao Nang, Noppharat Thara pier, Khao Ngon Nak trail
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples, families and quiet stays
Klong Muang and Tubkaek
About 20 km north-west of Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Tubkaek beaches are lined with upmarket resorts facing a scatter of karst islands. They are peaceful and spacious, but you will depend on hotel shuttles or taxis for restaurants and trips.
- Good
- Quiet, uncrowded beaches; Large resorts with pools; Island views
- Watch out
- Isolated from restaurants; Taxi needed for everything
- Nearby
- Hong Islands, Ao Nang
$$ · Best for families, beach, couples and quiet stays
Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta Yai, linked to the mainland by car ferries and about 2 hours by road from Krabi airport, has a string of west-coast beaches — Klong Dao, Long Beach (Phra Ae), Klong Khong, Kantiang Bay — with sunsets, family resorts and diving trips to Koh Haa and Hin Daeng. Lanta Old Town on the east coast has wooden stilt houses over the water.
- Good
- Long, uncrowded beaches; Laid-back atmosphere; Good diving and snorkelling trips
- Watch out
- Far from Railay and Ao Nang; Many businesses scale back in the rainy season
- Nearby
- Lanta Old Town, Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Koh Rok
$$$ · Best for nightlife, beach and solo travellers
Koh Phi Phi
Phi Phi Don's narrow isthmus at Tonsai Village is packed with guesthouses, dive shops and bars, with Loh Dalum Bay famous for beach parties. Quieter resorts lie on the northern beaches. Ferries take about 1.5–2 hours from Krabi, and Phi Phi Leh and Maya Bay are a short boat ride away.
- Good
- Spectacular scenery; Diving and snorkelling; Lively nightlife
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy in Tonsai Village; Higher prices than the mainland
- Nearby
- Maya Bay, Phi Phi viewpoint, Bamboo Island
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang | $$ | Railay, Noppharat Thara Beach, Four Islands boats, Khao Ngon Nak trail |
| Railay | $$$ | Phra Nang Cave Beach, Tonsai, Railay viewpoint and lagoon, Ao Nang |
| Tonsai | $ | Railay, Climbing walls |
| Krabi Town | $ | Chao Fah night market, Tiger Cave Temple, Wat Kaew Korawaram, Khao Khanap Nam |
| Noppharat Thara | $$ | Ao Nang, Noppharat Thara pier, Khao Ngon Nak trail |
| Klong Muang and Tubkaek | $$$$ | Hong Islands, Ao Nang |
| Koh Lanta | $$ | Lanta Old Town, Mu Ko Lanta National Park, Koh Rok |
| Koh Phi Phi | $$$ | Maya Bay, Phi Phi viewpoint, Bamboo Island |
Getting to your hotel
Krabi International Airport is about 15 km from Krabi Town and about 35 km from Ao Nang, roughly 40 minutes by road. Airport buses, shuttle vans and taxis serve Ao Nang and Krabi Town. Phuket airport is an alternative with more international flights, about 3 hours by road or a ferry ride away.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Krabi for first-time visitors?
Ao Nang. Ao Nang is Krabi's tourist hub, a long west-facing beach backed by a strip of hotels, shops, restaurants and tour agents.
+Where should families stay in Krabi?
Ao Nang: Widest choice of hotels and restaurants.
+Which area of Krabi is best for a budget stay?
Ao Nang ($$): Main beach resort town with hotels, restaurants and the boat pier.