Where to Stay in Krabi

Ao Nang is the main tourist strip and the easiest place to land. Beach Road runs along the sand with restaurants, dive shops, and 7-Elevens stacked back to back. Soi Ao Nang 4 and Soi Ao Nang 11 are where the cheaper guesthouses sit, two blocks back from the water. Longtails to Railay, Phra Nang, and the four islands all leave from the main pier next to McDonald's, and tickets are fixed at 100 baht one way. Walk south past Center Point and you hit Nopparat Thara Beach, which is quieter and where the ferries to Phi Phi depart. Skip the bars on the strip past 10pm if you want sleep.

Best for

First time in Krabifamilies with kidsanyone who wants restaurants and tour shops within walking distance

Walk times

Ao Nang Beach 2 min
Longtail pier for Railay 5 min
Nopparat Thara ferry pier 15 min

Skip if: You hate tourist strips or want a quiet beach right outside your door

Local tip: Stay on Soi Ao Nang 11 or 13. You're a 4 minute walk from the beach but pay 30 percent less, and the sois are quieter at night.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Railay Beach

Cut off by limestone cliffs, accessible only by boat

Budget $0-$0/night

Railay is a peninsula, not an island, but the cliffs block road access so every arrival is by longtail from Ao Nang or Krabi Town. Railay West is the postcard beach with sunset views and the higher-end resorts like Rayavadee. Railay East is the mangrove side, cheaper, and where backpackers and climbers stay at places along the walking street. Ton Sai, around the headland, is the rock climbing village proper, reached by a low-tide scramble or a short longtail hop. Phra Nang Cave Beach is a 10 minute walk from Railay East through the resort path and is the best swimming beach in the area. There are no cars, no ATMs past 6pm, and prices on food are 40 percent above Ao Nang.

Best for

Climbershoneymoonersanyone who wants to wake up under cliffs

Walk times

Railay West Beach from East 7 min
Phra Nang Cave Beach 12 min
Ton Sai (low tide) 15 min

Skip if: You need pharmacies, late-night ATMs, or plan to do day trips out of Krabi most days

Local tip: Last longtail back from Ao Nang is around 6pm. After that you pay charter rates of 1,500 baht or more, so plan dinners on the peninsula.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Krabi Town

The cheap, local base most tourists ignore

Budget $0-$0/night

Krabi Town is 25 minutes inland from Ao Nang and feels nothing like a beach resort. Maharaj Road and Khong Kha Road by the river hold most of the guesthouses, and the night market on Khong Kha runs Friday through Sunday with grilled fish at a third of Ao Nang prices. The main bus station is at Talat Kao, 5km out, but minivans to Ao Nang, the airport, and Phuket leave from inside town. Chao Fah Pier sends boats to Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi directly, so if you're island hopping this is a smart base. There's no swimmable beach here, that's the trade. You commute to the sand.

Best for

Budget travelerstransit nights before flights or ferriesslow travelers who want local food

Walk times

Chao Fah Pier 5 min
Weekend night market 3 min
Songthaew stop for Ao Nang 4 min

Skip if: You came to Krabi for the beach and only have 3 nights

Local tip: The white songthaews to Ao Nang run every 15 minutes from Maharaj Soi 8 until 6:30pm. Flat 60 baht. After that taxis charge 400.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Tubkaek (Nopparat Thara north)

The quiet, sunset-facing stretch most people miss

Budget $0-$0/night

Tubkaek sits 20 minutes north of Ao Nang on the road toward Klong Muang, past the Sheraton and the golf course. The beach faces west across the bay to the Hong Islands, so sunsets here beat anything in Ao Nang. The strip is small: Tubkaek Sunset Beach Resort, Amari, and a few mid-range places, plus two beach restaurants. Dragon Crest mountain (Khao Ngon Nak) starts from the parking lot at the south end of the beach and the hike to the top takes about 90 minutes one way. There are no shops, one ATM, and you need a taxi or rental car to leave the area. Longtails to the Hong Islands leave from Tubkaek Pier at the north end, which is 30 percent shorter than going from Ao Nang.

Best for

Couplessecond-time Krabi visitorsanyone who hates crowds

Walk times

Tubkaek Beach 1 min
Tubkaek Pier for Hong Islands 10 min
Dragon Crest trailhead 8 min

Skip if: You don't want to taxi 20 minutes for dinner variety

Local tip: Book Hong Islands tours from Tubkaek Pier directly, not through Ao Nang resellers. You save about 400 baht and skip the 40 minute boat transfer.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.