Krabi travel guide: Ao Nang, Railay, Koh Lanta and beyond

Krabi is the province on Thailand's Andaman coast that most people picture when they think of limestone karsts rising out of turquoise water. It is varied: a riverside capital (Krabi Town), a busy resort strip (Ao Nang), a climbers' peninsula reachable only by boat (Railay), a long, laid-back island (Koh Lanta) and, offshore, the Phi Phi islands. It is smaller and quieter than Phuket, and the main sights sit within an hour or two of each other, so it works as a stand-alone beach holiday or as the second stop of a Phuket–Krabi trip.

Prices below are approximate, as of October 2026, and should be confirmed with operators.

Why go

• Scenery that is easy to reach. Railay, Phra Nang Cave Beach and the "4 islands" are short longtail rides from Ao Nang.
• Beach and inland days. The Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool and Khlong Thom hot springs fill a day when the sea is rough.
• A gateway to the islands. Ferries link Krabi with Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and Phuket, so it slots into a longer trip such as our 7-day Thailand itinerary.

Getting there

By air

Krabi International Airport (KBV) is run by the Department of Airports and sits on Highway 4, roughly 15 km east of Krabi Town and about 30–40 minutes by road from Ao Nang. Domestic flights from Bangkok (both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang) take around 1 hour 20 minutes, with several departures a day from Thai Airways, AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet between them; there are also direct flights from Chiang Mai and from regional hubs such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Winter-season flights from Europe and the Middle East are growing. Check the airlines' sites for current schedules.

From the arrivals hall you have three realistic options:

There is no rail link to Krabi. The nearest railway stations are at Surat Thani and Trang, each a few hours away by bus or minivan.

From Phuket, Bangkok and elsewhere

Most overland arrivals come from Phuket: it is about 165 km by road, 3–4 hours by bus or minivan, or around 2 hours by ferry to Ao Nang or Railay in the dry season. We compare every option in Phuket to Krabi. From Bangkok, overnight buses leave the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) in the evening and take roughly 10–13 hours; Transport Co. Ltd and private operators run the route; the flight is usually worth the extra money.

Long-distance buses and minivans use Krabi Bus Terminal in the Talad Kao area, roughly 4–5 km north of Krabi Town. White songthaews (converted pick-up trucks) shuttle between the terminal, the town centre and Ao Nang for around 60–100 THB per person; a taxi to Ao Nang is typically 400–600 THB. Buses also run to Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Trang and Phuket. There is no ATM at the terminal.

Getting around

• Songthaews. The workhorse of Krabi. White songthaews run between Krabi Town (near the Vogue Department Store) and Ao Nang roughly every 20–30 minutes during the day for about 60–80 THB; they thin out after dark.
• Longtail boats. The only way to Railay. From Ao Nang beach the shared boats charge about 100 THB per person each way (a 50 THB surcharge after 18:00) and leave once around eight people have gathered; buy a ticket from the boat-club booth rather than paying on the sand, and expect the price to roughly double in rough seas or late at night. Boats from Ao Nam Mao pier (nearer Krabi Town) land at Railay East for a similar fare. A whole boat is typically 800 THB and up.
• Grab and taxis. Grab works in Ao Nang and Krabi Town, with fares shown in the app before you book, but driver supply is limited, early mornings are unreliable and airport pick-ups are not always available. Bolt also has some drivers. Hotel taxis cost about the same; there are no metered street taxis.
• Scooters. Rental shops in Ao Nang and Krabi Town charge roughly 250–400 THB a day. Legally you need a motorcycle licence (and an International Driving Permit if your licence is not Thai); without one your travel insurance will usually not pay out after an accident. Helmets are compulsory.
• Tour vans. Inland sights are 30–60 minutes from Ao Nang; most people join a van tour or hire a car and driver for the day.

Areas to stay

• Ao Nang is the practical base: the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and tour desks, the airport bus, and the longtail jetty for Railay and the islands. The beach itself is average. Expect roughly 800–2,500 THB for a mid-range double, more in December–February.
• Railay (East and West) has no roads and no cars; everything arrives by boat. West Railay has the resort hotels, East Railay the cheaper bungalows and the climbing scene. It is quiet after dark and a good choice for two or three nights if you do not mind planning around the tides and the boats.
• Krabi Town is a river town with a night market, cheap guesthouses (often under 800 THB) and good transport links, but no beach. It suits a stopover night before an early bus or ferry.
• Klong Muang and Tubkaek, 20–30 minutes north-west of Ao Nang, hold the larger resorts on quieter beaches. You will depend on hotel shuttles or taxis to get anywhere.
• Koh Lanta is a separate trip: 2–3 hours by minivan (including a short car ferry) or about 2 hours by boat from Krabi Town's Klong Jilad pier in season. Long beaches, a slow pace and family-run resorts; many businesses close or scale back between May and October.
• Koh Phi Phi is in Krabi province too, 1.5–2 hours by ferry from Klong Jilad pier. It is lively and crowded; many visitors see it on a day trip from Ao Nang instead.

If you are splitting your time with Phuket, see our Phuket destination guide for the other side of the bay.

Top sights and experiences

Railay and Phra Nang Cave Beach

A 15-minute boat ride from Ao Nang delivers you to a peninsula walled in by cliffs. Walk from West Railay through to Phra Nang Cave Beach (10 minutes), hire a kayak, or book a half-day rock-climbing course with one of the schools on East Railay. Go early to beat the day-trip boats.

The 4 islands tour

Longtail and speedboat tours from Ao Nang visit Koh Poda, Tup Island (with its sandbar at low tide), Chicken Island and Phra Nang Cave Beach, usually with lunch and snorkelling. Shared longtail trips start from around 700–1,200 THB per person; speedboat versions cost more. Most of these islands sit inside Hat Noppharat Thara – Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, whose fee for foreign visitors has long been 400 THB per adult and 200 THB per child when you land on park islands; some tours include it, others collect it on the beach, so ask when you book.

Koh Phi Phi and Maya Bay

Day trips by speedboat take in Phi Phi Leh, Pileh Lagoon, Bamboo Island and, when it is open, Maya Bay. The bay now closes every year for two months in the south-west monsoon (1 August to 30 September in recent years), visitors land from the back of the island rather than on the beach, and swimming in the bay is not allowed. Industry reports said it reopened on 1 October 2026 as scheduled, but closures can be extended at short notice, so check your operator's itinerary and the national park's latest notice before paying for a Maya Bay-specific tour.

Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea)

About 9 km north of Krabi Town, this forest temple is known for the 1,260-step staircase to a hilltop Buddha with views across the province. Allow 30–60 minutes up, carry water, dress modestly and keep food out of sight of the monkeys. Entry has traditionally been free, though some recent visitors report a small charge; check on arrival. Start before 08:00 or after 15:00 to avoid the worst of the heat.

Emerald Pool, Blue Pool and Khlong Thom hot springs

In Khlong Thom district, about 45–60 minutes from Krabi Town, the Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) is a natural spring-fed swimming hole inside the Khao Phra Bang Khram wildlife sanctuary; the entrance fee for foreigners is widely reported as 400 THB per adult, cash only, open roughly 08:30–17:00. The Blue Pool a short walk beyond is for looking, not swimming. The hot-spring waterfall nearby charges a separate fee. Tours combine all three; arrive at opening if you want the Emerald Pool to yourself.

Krabi Town and the mangroves

Spend an evening at the Chao Fah night market or the weekend walking street, and an hour on a longtail through the mangroves to Khao Khanab Nam, the limestone peaks that frame the river.

Practical notes

• Seasons. The dry season runs from roughly November to April, with December to February the busiest and most expensive. The south-west monsoon (May to October) brings heavy showers and rougher seas: longtail services to Railay still run but are bumpier and pricier, some Phuket and Lanta ferries stop, and the national parks close certain islands. Mu Ko Lanta National Park, for example, has shut sites such as Koh Rok and Koh Haa from mid-May to mid-October in previous years, and it also closed beaches temporarily in June 2026 after dangerous jellyfish washed ashore. Treat the shoulder months (May, late October) as a gamble on the weather.
• Sea safety. Red flags on Ao Nang, Noppharat Thara and the Lanta beaches mean no swimming, and the rips are real in the monsoon. Longtails and speedboats should hand out life jackets; wear one.
• Money. ATMs are plentiful in Ao Nang and Krabi Town, scarcer on Railay (a few machines, with occasional outages) and absent at the bus terminal. Thai ATMs charge a foreign-card fee of roughly 220 THB per withdrawal, so take larger sums less often. Boat tickets and park fees are cash.
• SIM and connectivity. The main Thai networks have counters at the airport; a tourist SIM or eSIM with a week or two of data is inexpensive.

See Thailand travel essentials for entry formalities, insurance and general safety.

How long to stay

• Two nights covers Railay and a 4-islands trip from an Ao Nang base.
• Four nights adds a Phi Phi day trip and an inland day (Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool, hot springs).
• A week lets you split time between Ao Nang or Railay and Koh Lanta without rushing, or combine Krabi with Phuket via the ferry.

Where to check and book