Krabi & Phi Phi

Contents of this article8 sections

1. Getting there
2. Getting around
3. The towns and beaches
4. Which place suits you
5. Evenings and markets
6. Excursions and sights
7. Tips for travellers over 50
8. Best time to visit

Krabi lies about 814 kilometres south of Bangkok on the Andaman Sea. The coast has white sand, clear water and rust-coloured limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea, some of them over 300 metres high. Offshore lie islands such as Koh Lanta and the Phi Phi Islands. If you like beaches and nature and enjoy being on boats, Krabi is the right place.

Krabi is not a single town but a coast with several places. Ao Nang is the lively main town, Railay is the peninsula without a road, Klong Muang and Tubkaek are quiet resort beaches, and Krabi Town is the practical place without a beach. Phi Phi Don adds an island with a character of its own. I go through them one by one here.

Getting there

Several airlines fly from Bangkok to Krabi every day. For most people this is the easiest way. From the airport to Ao Nang, a shared bus costs 150 baht and takes 30 to 40 minutes.

Krabi has no railway station. You can, however, take the night train from Bangkok to Surat Thani and change there to a minibus, which takes around 3 hours to Krabi. Buses also leave every day from the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok.

Getting around

Songthaews, pick-ups with two rows of seats, run between Krabi Town and Ao Nang. The ride costs 50 to 60 baht, a little more in the evening. Grab exists, but only with a few drivers.

You can reach Railay only by longtail boat. The ride from Ao Nang costs 100 baht each way and takes 10 to 15 minutes (as of August 2026). The boat only leaves once six to nine passengers have gathered, and the last one back goes at 6 pm. There is no jetty. You get in and out through the water, and at low tide the walk is long. With light luggage this is much more comfortable.

The towns and beaches

Ao Nang

Ao Nang is the main town, with hotels, restaurants, shops and the boats to the islands. It is loud and busy. You will sleep more quietly if your room is away from the main road. Right next to it lies Noppharat Thara, a long, flat beach with shade under casuarina trees, and much quieter.

Railay

The Railay peninsula has no road, and you notice it. Railay West is the wide main beach, good for swimming, with sunset views. Railay East on the other side is the arrival beach, and at low tide you get mudflats instead of water. On foot you can reach Phra Nang with the Princess Cave. It is best to come early, before it gets crowded. At the far end lies Tonsai, where mostly climbers stay. You can reach all the beaches on foot in 20 minutes at most. There are few cash machines, so bring cash.

Klong Muang and Tubkaek

Klong Muang is about 20 minutes by taxi from Ao Nang. The beach is flat and quiet. At low tide the water pulls back a long way, and for swimming half to high tide is better. There are hardly any shops, and you stay in the resort. Tubkaek, further on, is backed by limestone cliffs and has a lovely sunset in the evening. For meals you are almost entirely limited to the resorts there.

Krabi Town

Krabi Town is a plain little town at the mouth of the Krabi River, with markets and a riverside promenade. The town has no beach, and you have to travel to reach sand. In return it is the cheapest place to stay, and you eat at the markets like the locals.

Phi Phi Don

Hotels, harbours and restaurants exist only on Phi Phi Don, while the smaller island Phi Phi Le is uninhabited. There are no cars or scooters on Phi Phi Don, so you walk or take a longtail boat. Ton Sai with the pier is more a harbour than a swimming beach. In the bay of Loh Dalum behind it the water is very shallow, and in the evening it turns into a party spot. For swimming, Long Beach is best, with a view of Phi Phi Le, about 30 minutes on foot or a short boat ride. For a quiet stay, choose the bays in the north, which you can reach only by boat. At the pier you pay a small island fee, and porters cost extra.

Which place suits you

If you want restaurants and short distances, stay in Ao Nang, preferably a little away from the main road. If you want peace and do not mind the boat, stay in Railay West or in Klong Muang. For a small budget and real Thai life, Krabi Town is the one. On Phi Phi I would sleep only in Long Beach or in the north, not near Ton Sai and Loh Dalum.

Evenings and markets

The nightlife in Ao Nang is modest. Most bars close between midnight and 2 am, and away from the bar area things sometimes go quiet from 10 pm on slow evenings. A beer costs 120 to 180 baht. In Railay there are a few beach bars with fire shows, and in Krabi Town there is hardly any nightlife. Phi Phi is quite different: the Loh Dalum bay is the centre of the nightlife, with beach bars, fire shows and parties.

The big night market in Krabi Town is open only from Friday to Sunday, with food, music and stalls. On the other days there is a market with food stalls every evening by the river at the sculpture of the black crab. Ao Nang also has a night market open every evening.

Excursions and sights

Island tours

The four-island tour from Ao Nang is the classic. It costs 500 to 800 baht by longtail boat and 1,000 to 1,600 baht by speedboat (as of July 2026). On top of that comes the national park fee of 400 baht for adults, payable in cash. The islands are busiest between 10 am and 2 pm. You can only see the Thale Waek sandbank, which joins three small islands at low tide, when the water is low.

Phi Phi Islands and Maya Bay

The Phi Phi Islands became famous through the film “The Beach”. Maya Bay lies on Phi Phi Le and belongs to the Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. In 2026 it was closed from 1 August to 30 September, to protect nature and because of the monsoon. This break happens every year. Swimming in the bay is forbidden, and the boats dock at Loh Samah Bay on the other side of the island. At most about 380 people may be in the bay at the same time, for around one hour. It is quietest right after opening at 7 am.

Ferries to Phi Phi run daily from Khlong Chilat Pier near Krabi Town and, in high season, also from Noppharat Thara Pier near Ao Nang. The ferry takes just over two hours and costs from 750 baht, the speedboat about one hour (as of 2026). From May to October there is often only one ferry a day.

Railay and Phra Nang

On the headland near Ao Nang lie two of the most beautiful beaches in Krabi, both reachable only by boat. People from all over the world climb the limestone cliffs. But you can just as well simply sit on the beach and watch. The viewpoint above Railay East can be reached only over steep rocks with ropes, and I would give that a miss.

Wat Tham Suea

The Tiger Cave Temple lies near Krabi Town in a wooded valley, and monks have their meditation huts here. A golden Buddha sits on the summit, and from there you can see far across the land. The sign at the bottom counts 1,260 steps, and most people need 30 to 60 minutes for the climb. Admission is free. The best time is early in the morning, and from 10 am it gets very hot. Shoulders and knees should be covered, and watch out for the monkeys.

Khao Khanap Nam

The two rocks in the river are the landmark of Krabi. From Chao Fa Pier a longtail boat takes about 15 minutes to get there, and you can go up a staircase into stalactite caves.

Sa Morakot

The “Emerald Pool” is a natural, green-shimmering pool in the middle of the forest where you can swim. The water is clearest early in the morning, and from 10 am it gets crowded. Admission is 400 baht for adults, in cash at the entrance. The path there is slippery, and there is no ladder into the pool.

Tips for travellers over 50

On ferries and excursion boats, look out for safety and rescue equipment. Feel free to ask for life jackets, that is perfectly normal. When getting in and out of the longtail, the boat crew will help you if you ask. Water shoes are practical on many beaches.

From May to October it rains a lot on the Andaman Sea, and the sea can be rough. Tours and longtails are then cancelled more often. It is better to schedule island trips in the dry season and plan a buffer day.

Judge the stairs at Wat Tham Suea honestly. They are steep almost all the way and without shade from the halfway point. If you want to go up, do it early in the morning and with enough water. The caves and buildings at the bottom of the monastery are worth seeing even without the climb.

Krabi Nakharin International Hospital in Krabi Town is one of the most important private hospitals, with English-speaking staff. Serious cases go to Phuket, about an hour and a half away.

If you like it quiet, stay in Railay West, in Klong Muang or in Krabi Town rather than in the middle of Ao Nang.

Best time to visit

According to the long-term averages of the Krabi weather station, January and February are the driest, and in December and March it already rains somewhat more. From May it gets noticeably wetter, it rains most in October, and November is still wet too. For a beach holiday, December to March is best. You can see all the monthly values on the weather page for Krabi.

What you need before you fly is in Entering Thailand 2026. What a day there roughly costs is in Costs in Thailand per day.

Comparison

Not sure whether this place is the right one? Here are the differences side by side:

• Phuket or KrabiBest time to visit, getting there and character

Continuing by ferry? In the island hopping planner you can see which boats leave from Koh Phi Phi, how long they take and what they cost.