Krabi: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Krabi is a coast of limestone towers rising out of the Andaman Sea and the jungle, the remains of an ancient reef pushed up and carved by rain. Railay sits on a peninsula cut off from the mainland by cliffs, so you reach it only by longtail boat from Ao Nang. Half a day; the sea is calmest from November to April.
A short history of Krabi
Krabi Province in southern Thailand is known for the limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea, and evidence of humans from tens of thousands of years ago has been found in its caves. Until a few decades ago the town of Krabi itself was a small port of fishermen, rubber plantations and oil palms. On 26 December 2004 the tsunami struck the beaches and islands, and many hundreds of people were killed there. In 2018 Maya Bay was closed to visitors for several years to restore the coral.
The ten best sights in Krabi
1Ao NangThe beach town where most stay; longtail boats leave here
2Noppharat TharaA long quiet beach under casuarina trees
3Klong MuangResort beaches further north
4RailayBeaches cut off by cliffs; by boat only
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5Phra Nang Beach
The beach of the princess cave
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6Ton Sai
The climbers’ bay
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7Fossil Shell Beach
Slabs of ancient shells on the shore
8Poda IslandWhite sand and a rock tower
9Chicken IslandA rock shaped like a chicken’s head
10Thale WaekA sandbar that appears at low tide
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Krabi →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Krabi:
Free walking tours in Krabi
Railay and the cliffs
Krabi is a coast of limestone towers rising out of the Andaman Sea and the jungle, the remains of an ancient reef pushed up and carved by rain. Railay sits on a peninsula cut off from the mainland by cliffs, so you reach it only by longtail boat from Ao Nang. Half a day; the sea is calmest from November to April.
- Ao Nang · The beach town where the longtail boats wait in a line on the sand, each with a long propeller shaft off the back of a car engine. You buy a ticket at the booth and leave when the boat is full; the ride to Railay takes about fifteen minutes.
- Railay · Since the late 1980s these cliffs have been one of the great rock-climbing places of the world, with hundreds of bolted routes on the overhanging limestone, and schools for beginners. With no road, there are no cars on the peninsula.
- Phra Nang Beach · A beach under a cliff with a small cave shrine to a sea princess. Fishermen bring her offerings for luck and safety at sea — including many carved wooden phalluses, left for fertility, which surprise visitors.
- Ton Sai · The rougher bay next door, reached over rocks at low tide or by a jungle path, the home of the climbers’ bungalows and of the hardest routes on the coast.
- Fossil Shell Beach · At Su San Hoi, the shell cemetery, slabs of rock on the shore are made of millions of fossil freshwater snail shells, tens of millions of years old, pressed together into stone — from a time when this coast was a swamp.
- Noppharat Thara · A long quiet beach under casuarina trees just north of Ao Nang, part of a national park; at low tide you can walk far out across the sand toward the islands.
The islands
Off Krabi lie dozens of islands, and a longtail or speedboat trip to four or five of them is the classic day out. Phi Phi, further out, is its own world. A full day; bring sun protection and reef-safe sunscreen.
- Poda Island · A small island of white sand with a tall rock pinnacle standing just offshore, one of the most photographed views of the Krabi islands.
- Chicken Island · Named for the rock at its tip, which looks just like a chicken’s head and neck rising from the sea; the reef beside it is good for snorkelling.
- Thale Waek · The separated sea: at low tide a sandbar rises between three islands and you can walk from one to another across the water, which closes again as the tide comes in.
- Ko Hong · An island hollow inside: a narrow entrance leads into a lagoon surrounded by cliffs, entered by kayak at high tide. Hong means room in Thai.
- Ko Phi Phi Don · An island of two curved bays joined by a narrow sandy neck. On 26 December 2004 the tsunami crossed the neck from both sides and destroyed most of the village, killing many hundreds; it was rebuilt, and a memorial and warning signs remain.
- Maya Bay · The cliff-ringed bay on Phi Phi Leh made famous by the film The Beach in 2000. So many boats came that the coral died, and the bay was closed from 2018 to 2022 to recover; today boats land behind it and swimming is banned.
Temples, mangroves and hot springs
Inland Krabi is jungle and mangrove, with a temple on a peak, clear streams and hot springs. A full day by car; start at dawn for the temple climb.
- Tiger Cave Temple · A forest monastery named for a tiger said to have lived in its cave, where monks still meditate. More than twelve hundred steep steps climb about two hundred and eighty metres to a golden Buddha on the summit, with views over the towers of Krabi; monkeys watch your bag.
- Krabi Town and Chao Fah Pier · Krabi means sword in Thai: legend says ancient swords were found here, and two crossed swords are the town’s symbol. From the pier boats go up the river into the mangroves, past limestone cliffs with prehistoric paintings.
- Tha Pom · A boardwalk through mangrove forest along a stream so clear you see every root, where fresh water from the hills meets the salt tide — the local name means the canal of two waters.
- Hot Spring Waterfall · Hot mineral water, around forty degrees, runs down over rock terraces into a cool forest stream, so you can sit where the warm and cold water mix.
- Emerald Pool · A spring-fed pool coloured green by minerals, in a lowland rainforest reserve, reached by a short forest walk. Above it lies the Blue Pool, too fragile to swim in. Early morning is quiet; by midday it is crowded.
- Walking Street · Back in town on a weekend evening, the night market fills a street with southern Thai food stalls, roti and music. More than a third of the people of Krabi province are Muslim, and their halal food is part of the market.
Getting to Krabi and getting around
- Krabi Airport · Twenty minutes to town, forty to Ao Nang
- Krabi Town and Chao Fah Pier · The river town; boats into the mangroves
Cheap eats in Krabi
Krabi eats southern Thai, hotter and more sour than Bangkok: gaeng som, a sour orange curry with fish; kua kling, dry minced meat fried with fierce curry paste; massaman curry from the Muslim kitchen; and roti, a flat pancake fried on a griddle and folded around banana and condensed milk. Night-market stalls and roti carts cost a dollar or two.
- Walking Street · Roti and southern curries
- Ao Nang · Seafood on the beach road
- Krabi Town and Chao Fah Pier · The riverside night market
- Railay · Smoothies and pad thai between climbs
Museums in Krabi
Krabi is a place of nature, not museums; its history is in caves, shells and temples.
- Fossil Shell Beach · The shell cemetery
- Tiger Cave Temple · The forest monastery
Nature and day trips near Krabi
Limestone towers, islands, mangroves, rainforest pools and hot springs — Krabi is one of the most beautiful coasts in Asia.
- Railay · Cliffs and climbing
- Thale Waek · The sandbar at low tide
- Ko Hong · Kayak into the lagoon
- Tha Pom · The clear mangrove stream
- Emerald Pool · A rainforest pool
Things to do in Krabi with kids
With children: a chicken-shaped island, walking across the sea at low tide, warm waterfalls and gentle beaches.
- Chicken Island · The chicken rock
- Thale Waek · Walk across the sea
- Hot Spring Waterfall · Warm pools
- Noppharat Thara · A quiet beach
Holy places in Krabi
Buddhist forest temples, Muslim villages and a fishermen’s shrine to a sea princess.
- Tiger Cave Temple · The Buddha on the peak
- Phra Nang Beach · The princess cave
Nightlife in Krabi
Krabi’s nights are relaxed: beach bars with fire shows on Railay, the bars of Ao Nang, and the parties of Phi Phi.
- Railay · Fire shows on the beach
- Ao Nang · Beach-road bars
- Ko Phi Phi Don · Beach parties
Frequently asked questions about Krabi
What is there to see in Krabi?
The top sights in Krabi are Ao Nang, Noppharat Thara and Klong Muang. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Krabi?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Krabi without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Krabi?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Krabi, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Railay and the cliffs.
How do you get to Krabi and get around?
The main ways are Krabi Airport and Krabi Town and Chao Fah Pier. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Krabi, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Krabi that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Krabi for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.