Krabi


The province of Krabi in southern Thailand is located on the coast of the Andaman Sea. The distance to Phuket is about 165 km. The region is especially famous for its numerous limestone cones that rise up in the countryside as mountains and out of the sea as small islands. For climbers from all over the world, this mountainous landscape is very popular, especially Railay Bay. The area around Krabi covers a coastline of about 120 km and has 130 offshore islands. Most of these islands can be reached by longtail boats from Ao Nang Beach or the ferry terminal at Krabi Town. Among the best known of these islands are Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta Yai and Koh Lanta Noi. From Krabi Town Ferry Terminal you can also access Krabi Homestay, local seafood restaurants and mangrove forests.

Krabi's most popular attraction is the Khao Phanom Bencha National Park. This nature reserve is known for its "wild" waterfalls and breathtaking biodiversity of animals and plants. Here you can also stay in a tent. Further north is the Than Bokkharani National Park, another nature reserve with natural waterfalls, mangrove forests and islets.

Hotel recommendations


Krabi offers a variety of beaches with many accommodation options. On most parts of the beach there are hostels for every budget. Only at isolated beaches, the hostels are very luxurious and high priced. Also in Krabi Town there are numerous hotels and guesthouses. Especially in the high season from November to March you should pre-book for the beaches Ao Nang, Railay and Tonsai.

getting there


Krabi has its own international airport. From overseas or Germany, however, the journey takes place via the metropolitan airport in Bangkok. Due to its proximity to Phuket, Krabi can also be easily reached by bus or minivan from there.

Airport transfer Krabi to Krabi's beaches:
Krabi Airport is located approximately 8 km northeast of the center of the provincial capital Krabi. The most convenient option for tourists is to take a taxi from Krabi Airport to one of the resorts. The taxi fare to hotels in Ao Nang is 600 baht, and to Klong Muang about 900 baht, or towards Krabi Town, the price is about 350 baht. Many hotels also offer their guests a pick-up service. From November to April there is also an airport bus to Ao Nang and Krabi City.

Airport transfer from Phuket to Krabi:
The airport transfer is regulated in Phuket. For about 1.200 baht / car (about 30 €) you can get from the airport Phuket in about 2.5 hours (depending on traffic) to Krabi. There are no price negotiations with the taxi drivers, because the taxi tickets are still issued in the airport building, just before the exit, and the fixed price is charged depending on the destination. There you will receive a receipt and can then board the booked taxi or minibus / van.

You can also rent a car at the airport (Krabi or Phuket). Here are several lenders to choose from. In addition to the common lenders AVIS and Europcar, Thailand's largest lender is Thai Rent a Car. Depending on the season, the prices vary greatly and often smaller vehicles are fully booked in the main season. The best way is to book the car already in your homecounty. Again, the journey time is about 2.5 hours, depending on traffic.

 

From Phuket Bus Terminal 2 (Thepkasatri Rd.):
From the bus terminal on Thepkasatri Road in Phuket, there are 11 buses daily to Krabi. The journey time in the Public Buses (twice a day) is about 4 hours, depending on traffic. The price of the ticket per person is about 65 Baht.

A 2nd class Aircon bus runs 4 times a day. Here the journey time is 3.5 hours and the price per person is about 90 THB.

Every 30 minutes (between 7:00 am and 6:30 pm) there is an Aircon VIP bus. Here is the journey time in about 3 hours and the ticket cost per person about 117 THB.

Arrival from hotel in Phuket:
Here it is advisable to book a ticket in one of the small travel agencies that are found everywhere in the tourist centers. The travel price includes a pick-up service directly from the hotel. The mini bus continues to the "Bus Station" in Phuket Town. From here, continue on a larger bus to Khao Lak Center. Here on the main street Songthaeos (pick-up collecting taxis) are waiting as a feeder to the beaches.

Arrival from Bangkok:

  • The arrival from Bangkok by plane is possible to Krabi. The companies Bangkok Airways and other local airlines (PB Air, Thai AirAsia, NokAir, Thai Airways and others) serve this route. From Krabi Airport you can take a taxi or mini bus to the tourist areas or Krabi Town.
  • From Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal, there are daily buses to Krabi and Phuket. The fare is between 500 and 900 baht. Depending on traffic, the journey takes between 11 and 13 hours. Due to the air conditioning it gets pretty cold in the buses. It is best to take a warm sweater or jacket with you for the ride. There are 3 different buses at the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok:
  1. Standard buses (orange) with approx. 75-80 seats (280 THB = approx. 7.- EUR) (the bus stops in different locations)
  2. Aircon buses (blue) with approx. 40 seats (600 TBH = approx. 15.- EUR)
  3. VIP buses (inscription "VIP Bus 999") with approx. 24 seats (895 THB = approx. 25.- EUR)
  • Krabi is not connected to Thailand's rail network. But you can take the train to Surat Thani and from there about 200 km with the "Phantip Bus" or the "Phantip Charter" continue towards Khao Lak. The bus ride costs from 220 THB (5.50 €). The charter costs from THB 3,820 (€ 95.60) and takes around 3.5 to 4 hours, depending on traffic conditions.


Arrival from Koh Samui / Koh Phangan / Koh Tao:
Here it is advisable to book a ticket in one of the small travel agencies that are found everywhere in the tourist centers. The travel price includes a pick-up service directly from the hotel. The mini bus continues to the pier and from there by boat / ferry to Surat Thani. From Surat Thani the bus continues to the bus station in Krabi.

Arrival from mainland Tailand (for example Khao Lak, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin):
Again, you can book the pick-up service directly from the hotel again. With the mini bus it goes on to the respective bus station and from there with a larger bus up to the "bus station" in Krabi.

Also, the Phuket - Krabi and Phuket - Khao Lak routes are also served by public buses. Here the fare is much cheaper, but is stopped at many stops.

Sightseeing and attractions


Krabi Town
The streets of the city center (Maharaj Alley) are decorated with great traffic lights with large animal statues. There are very good shopping and a walking street in the district.
Krabi Homestay
From Pak Nam Park Pier (near the crab statue) you can take the long tail boat to Krabi Muslim Homestay to Koh Klang. Koh Klang is a small island surrounded by rivers. Here live some fisher families in a village community. The island is well worth seeing if you are interested in the life of the local people.
seafood restaurants
From Pak Nam Park Pier (near the crab statue) you can take a longtail boat to fish restaurants and fish farmers on Koh Klang. In front of the restaurants are the breeding tanks in the water. The fish that is served can be selected in the basin.
Wat Kaew Korawaram
The white temple Wat Kaew Korawaram is located on a small hill in Krabi Town in the district of Pak Nam. The complex is spacious with a beautifully landscaped garden and several buildings.
Krabi Night Market
The night market is located at Maharaj 8 Alley, Tambon Pak Nam, Krabi Town
Weekend Evening Market
The weekend market is located at 92/27 Vicar Road, Pak Nam, Krabi Town
Shopping
Just outside the city center on Maharaj Alley (near Rodboon Hutangkoun Street) is a larger Tesco Lotus market
The district has several shopping malls (including Vogue Shopping Plaza) with drugstores, clothing and western food (MC Donalds, KFC) near 76/1 Maharaj Rd, Pak Nam
Outlet Village Krabi
An outlet with various designers is located on Petchkasem Highway No. 4

Beaches


The two most famous beaches are Ao Nang Beach and Railay Beach. But Krabi has much more to offer, especially through offshore islands, which also have beautiful beaches. From north to south there are the following beaches:

Tha Lane Beach is Krabi's northernmost beach just outside Phang Nga Province. The area is very quiet and touristic little developed. Only a few small bungalow resorts are located on the beach. Shopping, bars or even a city center is in vain. However, you can enjoy a dream on the beach. The view goes over the islands of Phang Nga Bay and is really gorgeous at sunset. Landscape lovers and those seeking peace are just right here. At Tha Lane Beach there is a canoe station that can be reached by canoeists from Ao Nang Beach (various tour operators or canoe rental companies offer a tour program here).

The Tub Kaek Beach, is also located in the north just before it goes to Tha Lane Beach. Here you can also enjoy a dream view of offshore islands. The area is still very quiet. On the beach are some very luxurious hotels. For those seeking peace, there is certainly a secluded place, as there is nothing to be found except the hotels here. The nearest shops and restaurants are on Klong Muang Beach (5 km), Noppharat Thara Beach, Ao Nang (10-15 km) or Krabi Town (30 km).

The Laem Pong Beach is just 2 km from Tub Kaek Beach and offers just such a dream setting. The beach is deserted and at low tide you can walk far into the sea. The sunset is magical - the sun disappears behind the offshore islands of Phang Nga Bay.

Also located in the north of Krabi, is the Klong Muang Beach. Apart from a few small bungalow resorts and hotels, a few shops, restaurants and even a golf course are located here. At low tide, the beach is very shallow and sometimes rocky. Upstream is the island of Koh Hong, where you can take boat tours. However, there is a lot of traffic through the town, as there is a loading ramp for trucks here. If you like a holiday in nature and like camping, you can stay in Koh Kwang Resort.

Noppharat Thara Beach is in close proximity to Ao Nang Beach. The beach of the same name adjoins the beach. The park often has students and scout groups sleeping in the tent. The few hotels are behind a street and are separated from the beach. The beach is still quite quiet, only on the weekends Thai people come for a picnic and there is a small night market. At the northern end of the beach is the Noppharat Thara Pier. Here are some excursion boats. For swimming, the beach is very well suited, the sandy beach is fine and slightly sloping into the sea.

The scenery at Ao Nang Beach is fantastic, because huge boulders jut into the sea. Ao Nang is a lively holiday village with many shops, galleries, restaurants, bars and a nearly 1 km long sandy beach. The shops and hotels are located behind a street and are thus separated from the beach. About stairs to get to the beach. The nightlife takes place in a dignified atmosphere, in beautifully designed bars and restaurants, and partly with live music. Part of the beach is used by longtail boats, from where guests are driven to Railey Beach or offshore islands. The rest of the beach is closed to boats. Here you can go swimming undisturbed or just relax in the sun.

Pai Plong Beach is the small neighboring beach of Ao Nang Beach used by a luxury resort. In addition to a small path (Monkey Trail) over a rocky outcrop you can also easily travel by boat. The beach is very idyllic, as it is completely framed by a rock face. In the sea is an offshore rock, the Ao Nang Tower, which also provides a stunning backdrop.

The Tonsai Beach is picturesquely located behind a rock face, and is one of Thailand's most beautiful dream beaches. As seen from Ao Nang, it is located in southeastern direction and can only be reached by boat at high tide. At low tide, there is a footpath to reach the beach. Because of the many rocks in the water, the beach is not suitable for swimming at low tide. The Tonsai Beach has a tantalizing flair and is one of the last port of call for backpackers in the area. On the beach there are several small bungalow complexes surrounded by tropical gardens. The prices are much cheaper than on Railay Beach.

The Railay Beach at Krabi is divided into two stretches of beach. On a narrow intermediate piece are located between boulders bedded some hotels and bungalow facilities. The Railay Beach West is a beautiful white sand beach with a unique flair. Here guests sit in the evening in small restaurants and cafes on the beach and enjoy the sunset. Previously, the beach was the dream destination of many backpackers. Meanwhile, however, the picture has changed and there are many high-priced hostels on the beach. Railay Beach East is reached via a well-maintained footpath through caves and jungle, past Diamond Cave and Phranang Cave. Railay East is densely overgrown with mangroves, and thus rather unsuitable for swimming. A visit is the beach section but still worth it, as there are free-living macaques (-a), which are happy to feed.

One of the most beautiful beaches in Thailand is undoubtedly the Phranang Beach. The beach offers a dream setting and is framed by boulders. At its southern tip is the Phranang Cave. From the beach you can look to the islands of Koh Poda and Koh Kai. The beach is very good for swimming. From Railay Beach East you can access a path to Phranang Beach. From other beaches you can arrive by longtail boat.

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