You may never heard of Krabi before as Phuket is usually the top destination for beaches in Thailand. But if you haven’t been to Krabi yet, my friend, you are missing out.
With closest and easiest access to Koh Phi Phi, Koh Poda, Koh Lanta and many more islands, Krabi is quickly becoming a new hotspot for beach-goers from all over the world.
Small but already bursting with life and character, this city will steal your heart as it has done with ours.
When coming to Krabi, you have a few options on where to stay to make the most out of your time around here.
Number 1: stay in Krabi Town and take transportation (usually a tuk-tuk) to go around and probably get a crowded area with more tourists around.
Number 2: stay in Railay Beach which is hailed by many and indeed is just beautiful! BUT, take a boat to go pretty much everywhere else.
Or alternative number 3: stay in Ao Nang, which is a quieter beach in Krabi, with access to all tours (usually with a cheaper price), including Railay, only 15 minutes by long tail boat and with great prices all along, nice restaurants, (like one we had dinner at which was by the beach and was very, very cheap) and varied nightlife.
Staying in Ao Nang, gave us the possibility of travelling to the neighbouring beaches at a cheaper price and with a better flexibility that we would have if we stayed in Krabi Town or else.
Our Top 3 Beaches Around Krabi
As we’ve told you before, if you ever go to Thailand, visit Krabi. Chilled vibes, good food, cheap prices and amazing (and I really mean that) beaches are not to be missed around here.
We spent 4 days exploring and swimming in the waters around Krabi to show you our favourite beaches in here:
Railay East:
You can only access this hyped beach by boat. A stone’s throw if you are staying in Ao Nang. It’s a must stop you have to make if you are around.
Not as busy as other beaches and with a really impressive scenery is easy to see why so many people talk about this place. If you are feeling adventurous, head to the right side of the beach and go over the rocks to find and even more secluded beach where climbers can test their limits at the limestone walls. Not an ideal spot to swim as the water is full of the shells and rocks.
From Railay East, you can walk behind and get to Railay West which is not as nice as the beach is not suitable for swim, but you’ve got very good restaurants and bars that offer great entertainment at night.
Also with the same boat, you can get to Phra Nang, which is our next on the list.
The nitty-gritty:
Take a long tail boat from Ao Nang which departures every time the boat has at least 8 passengers. Doesn’t take much to fill the boat though. It only costs about 200฿ (around AU$7) return. There are boats to go back to Ao Nang on the same system up until 6pm from the same beach of arrival.
Phra Nang:
One of the best beaches for swim! Sandy bottom and good visibility most of the time. There’s also a cave on the left side of the beach which you can explore and cover up from the sun. The beach is accessible from Railay West or by boat (the beach is included in most boat tours around Krabi, like the 4 island trip).
The nitty-gritty:
Get there either by boat which will drop you on Railay, then walk around to get there or you take a boat trip which will let you stay there for 45 minutes. If you go from Railay West, it cost the same as the previous beach (Railay). If you go on the 4 island tour, you’ll pay 400฿ for half a day (pick-up & meal included). Downfall, is the time you spend there, which is really little (in our opinion).
Koh Poda (Island):
Poda Island is one of the most famous around Krabi and the beaches there make it justice. Crystal clear waters and very little tourists if you walk along the beach opposite the crowd towards the west side. Find a secluded area and enjoy the golden sand just for yourself.
The nitty-gritty:
About 10 minutes from Ao Nang. or you can take the 4 Island Tour (AU$13) or go straight there by long tail boat.
We highly recommend to stay in Ao Nang if you would like to discover more islands in the southern part of Thailand. There are more options and prices are cheaper than Phuket, plus the city is less crowded too.
Have you been to Krabi before? Are you planning to go? Let us know in the comments and give us your opinion too. We’d love to hear from you!
Larissa & Jean
Nomaddictives
