Overview
** KRABI TOURS, THAILAND **
Read travel tips for Krabi from our amazing community of BLACK AND BROWN TRAVELERS that will help you find some of the best places to visit in KOH PHANGAN Krabi.Our variety of travel tips will definitely help you plan your next trip. Our tips range from best places to visit in Krabi, affordability, nightlife, local food, where to stay and even what it is like Traveling While Black. Lastly, we are working diligently to create a comprehensive city guide for Krabi tours. Stay tuned! But in the meantime, scroll down to read tips below!
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Krabi was my last stop out of a Multi-city tour throughout Thailand. i went from SFO to Bangkok, to Phucket, to Phi-Phi Island and finally Krabi for only 2 days. Krabi was a beach city similar to Phucket, but to me better because it wasn’t as crowded from tourist, thus making it more relaxing. It was the end of my birthday trip with 2 other ladies in my family and it came right on time. As you’ve probably heard everything in Thailand is inexpensive for the most part. Our hotel was nice and small but had great gems like a rooftop pool with a beautiful view of the city and super friendly staff.
The beaches were nice and you can get amazing and cheap massages right on the beach, as well as in the hotel or other nearby locations. Stop in any local restaurant and get some great shrimp pad thai for under $10. Go shopping at the local jewelry stores or street vendors and small stores. The beaches are less crowded and you can sit there on your blankets or rent the chairs and umbrellas for a low price. You can also do excursions, as they offer many. However, this time I just relaxed on the beach and actually got use of the nice rooftop pool and a massage. Krabi is the perfect place to get enough beach and city mix without it being overwhelming crowded like Phucket.
Krabi, is a beautiful destination in Thailand. It is remote, peaceful, and the beach is phenomenal. I recommend this place for couples and families.
My review is for Ao Nang, which is the town where I stayed in Krabi province. It’s near Krabi town, and I flew into Krabi airport (KBV). Ao Nang is a jumping point for many of the islands in Krabi province like Phuket. I spent 3 nights here in August 2019 and had a great time despite the rainy weather. I didn’t plan to do much but next time would probably do more now that I now what’s available.
I stayed just up the hill from Ao Nang beach, at Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort. I would definitely stay here again – the view from the infinity pool alone makes it worth it, but overall it is a great hotel.
The first day, I arrived in the afternoon so walked down to the bottom of the hill to check out the beach (don’t know the name of the street but it’s one the main streets in Ao Nang, at the bottom is where they sell tickets for the longtail boats). Ao Nang has a touristy, beach town feel and the main street is lined with restaurants and bars, many of which offer “western” menu options. Also lots of souvenir shops and excursion/tour shops.
Ao Nang beach isn’t one of the postcard beaches you see, but is pretty and a nice relaxing way to spend a half day like I did. There are some good looking restaurants on the strip lining the beach though I didn’t try any of them. By the way if you like Indian food, you’ll find several Indian restaurants or Indian/Thai combo in Ao Nang.
I did the 4 island tour which is almost a full day boat tour leaving from Ao Nang and stopping at nearby islands. We did lots of snorkeling, lounging/beach time and lunch. It was pretty crowded being the off-season so I can imagine how it would be during the high season. It was affordable though, so a good option for a day activity if you’re staying in Ao Nang.
The second day, I took a long tail boat from Ao Nang to Railay Beach, which is just on the other side of the peninsula but not accessible by road. It’s a wider, more picturesque beach than Ao Nang and you can grab lunch/drinks at one of the resorts. You can also stay in Railay vs Ao Nang but I was put off by the fact that I would have to lug my suitcase on a boat.
Ao Nang was my second stop in Thailand after Chiang Mai and so using Chian Mai as a reference point I would say Ao Nang was a bit less authentic, felt more touristy, if I had to say anything negative about it, that would be it.
Last point: I recommend eating at Jungle Kitchen. Food was bomb and the only place that seemed to really make their food spicy, how I like it. ***Make reservations if you can, it gets crowded***
I stayed in Krabi 2 nights and 3 days. It was where I started my trip in Thailand. I loved Krabi because it was clean but I honestly didn’t realize that Krabi was clean until I left and went to Phuket. Krabi is really the place to be if you want to do island hoping in southern Thailand. While I was here I went to Railay Beach which was a really nice beach (not the nicest) that can only be accessed by boat. No cars or motor bikes on this island, you’ll have to walk once you get here. You’ll notice on this island that some locals have dreadlocks and that every bar has a picture of Bob Marley and Jamaican flag and they love to play reggae tunes. While at Railay Beach I spent the morning rock climbing with a company called king climbing which I booked through my hostel. Amazing experience! It was challenging, stepped out of my comfort zone but it was great to see what my body was capable of. The second adventure I did on this island was a sunset kayaking activity. Words, pictures, videos will never do justice to how beautiful the views and scenery was during kayaking. We ended it by seeing a beautiful sunset. I would recommend kayaking to everyone that comes to Krabi. Please do sunset kayaking tour. I know it’s offered on beaches throughout Thailand during the day but watching the sunset while kayaking is truly amazing, hella heart eyes ?? and breathtaking ! Krabi is also the place where I tried the best pad Thai of my life and a really great mango pineapple and passion fruit smoothie! Next time I fly to Thailand I’m flying into Krabi Airport to continue island hoping where I left off.
I travelled to Thailand recently as over the years I’ve heard so much about how cheap it is as a holiday destination. There’s a few things I’d love to share about my recent trip to Krabi, Thailand. First off, my flight to Thailand from the UK cost £350 with Etihad Airways. I thought this was a particularly good deal, as the return flight included a layover in Abu Dhabi, which meant I secured two holidays for the price of one!
I stayed at The Alisea Boutique Hotel whilst in Krabi, which although it was a nice hotel with the most friendly and helpful staff, it wasn’t as cheap as a hotel I’d stayed in whilst in Bali, Indonesia. Having said that, this was also true of an AirBnB, that I’d stayed in, whilst in Bangkok. So overall, I think the cost of accommodation in Thailand isn’t very cheap unless you opt to stay in a hostel or lesser rated hotel. So on the accommodation front Thailand gets 3 out of 5 stars from me.
On the other hand, what Krabi lacks in affordable accommodation, it certainly makes up for it in every other way. A 3 course meal in a restaurant for example costs just £5 and if you’re happy to eat your dinner whilst walking around a night market, it’s even cheaper. For 30 Thai Baht you can have yourself some noodles, which taste just as good if not better than what’s served up in the local restaurants! I visited a particularly quaint restaurant which was so good I went back the following night. It’s called Kodam Kitchen, and I’d highly recommend it if you’re ever in Ao Nang, Krabi.
Back to getting the best bang for your buck. The best tip for any traveller in this part of the world is making sure that you haggle. I can’t stress enough how much the affordability of your trip depends on your ability to haggle the price. This goes for food, spa treatments, shopping…literally everything is up for debate! It’s not seen as rude to haggle and as long as you are respectful, it’s actually welcomed to bargain on prices. My first day in Krabi was spent booking activities for the duration of my trip. I came across a lady selling packaged tours and to cut a long story short, I basically got a 50% discount on every single excursion I booked. Just to give you an idea, I paid 1200 Baht for tours that were advertised as 2400 Baht and 600 Baht on tours that were advertised as 1200 Baht. So even on items or tours that have prices printed on them, don’t shy away from asking for a discount. For me this was what made Krabi so affordable. The fact that you could haggle a Thai massage from 350 Baht to 250 Baht. Many things will seem cheap anyway, but you can probably get them for even cheaper.
Krabi in my opinion had such an amazing vibe. It offers a nice balance between getting the local experience and seeing tourist attractions. Here you can relax if you want but there’s also many beaches and tours to see. We did a private tour to Hong Island on the longtail boats. We were also taken to a more private island on this tour as well. We got this private 3-4 hour tour for about 2,500 bahts total. I highly recommend taking a private tour on the longtail boats! We also visited Railey beach which you get to by boat as well from Ao Nang beach. Railey beach offers BEAUTIFUL beaches, lots of food options and shopping, and you will also see monkeys roaming around. If you are looking for a good night market, Ao Nang beach is the place to be. Yummy food for cheap prices! Overall, Krabi was one of my favorite cities in Thailand.
Krabi is my favorite, but it’s Phuket’s less-well known sister. Many people think Phuket when they think of Thai Island Hopping, but Krabi is the better place to do that! Krabi is closer to Phi Phi, Railay beach, Ko Tup, Ko Poda and so many other islands to make day trips to. Krabi is also cheaper than Phuket because it’s doesn’t have the connotation that Phuket has. I flew down to Krabi from Chiang Mai for very cheap and spent about one week there. I stayed at a Greenview Village Resort with my girlfriend, and at a Slumber Part Hostel when my friends showed up. The resort and hostel were both cheap and really amazing. There was a free shuttle to take you down to the beach, free breakfast and plenty of tour booking opportunities thanks to the front desk at both places. We were even able to rent a motorbike from the resort we stayed at.
As far as traveling while black, I only had one minor issue with a Chinese tourist who was taking pictures of my girlfriend and I, probably because I’m black and my girlfriend is Thai. It’s worth mentioning that southern Thailand is on the border of Malaysia, which makes people Thai-Malay. They end up having dark skin just like ours, so I felt just fine in Krabi!
I am currently visiting the island of Ko Lanta in the Krabi province. The beach is beautiful and so relaxing. I’m staying at the Lanta Sand Resort and spa. The activities offered are a 4 island one day tour, ATV trekking, and many other things. It does take a good while to get here, about 2 hours, as you have to travel by van from the airport and then by ferry to get to the island. It’s worhtwile though. I recommend it if you’re traveling solo or with bae.
Krabi is the more relaxed and quieter part of Phuket. I think more older people tend to stay in this section of Phuket as it is not raided by loud and fun-having young people such as Patong, for example. You wont really find much night life there as most people visit Krabi and its beach for relaxation and resting purposes. You will still find nice water sports there as well, but if you are looking for a good time and meet other young people from all over the world then Krabi isn’t your place. It still is a beautiful place though but depending on what your objective is when visiting Thailand it might leave you a bit underwhelmed. The food and affordability is pretty much the same as anywhere else in Phuket.
I would highly recommend going on an excursion for anyone who is new to traveling. My best friend and I wanted a break from the city life of Bangkok and randomly booked a flight to Phuket the next day. The flight was about $150 US dollars roundtrip. Phuket in general is known for its close proximity to the beautiful islands of Thailand. I booked a tour of Krabi and Phang Nga Bay through a tour website called Viator. Viator offers many tour options that may fit your interests. Be sure to read the reviews to ensure that you’ll have your best experience. The tour included pick-up from our hostel in Phuket, a delicious buffet on a grand boat, kayaking through the Hong Island sea caves, a visit the famous James Bond Island and drop-off to our hostel. This was a great break from the city life of Bangkok and is the perfect day trip for anyone seeking relaxation. While swimming in that crystal blue water and surrounded by the beautiful scenery, I felt like I could live forever in that moment. On James Bond Island, there are little shops where you can great souvenirs and also take pictures next to a natural object that appears to defy gravity. This area truly capture the true essence of Thailand.
Krabi is a hidden gem! Located along the coast in mainland Thailand, it sits on the other side of Phang Nga Bay from Phuket offering you the same (if not better) access to all of the famous islands such as Phi Phi and the like, without having to stay in such a crowded and touristy area (it’s still a little touristy, just not as well known). I stayed there for 5 days at Rooms Republic which offered a fantastic nightly rate and very accommodating staff (they offer free breakfast and it is actually legit). Everything is right there near the hotel (restaurants, bars, booths to book excursions, souvenir shops etc…). Ao Nang Beach is a 7-10 min walk from the hotel and along the beach are even more shops, restaurants, bars etc… I went on a kayaking excursion through the mangrove forest and I rented a motor boat for the day with a personal driver who took me to any island I wanted to go to. Check out the video I post on my IG @mrvandevere under the Thailand story pin. I hope you enjoy Krabi as much as I did, safe travels!