Krabi travel guide: where to stay in Ao Nang, where to eat, and getting in from KBV
A personal Krabi travel guide. Getting in from Krabi (KBV), where to stay in Ao Nang, and the casual Thai-and-international rotation on the Andaman coast.
Krabi is the Andaman-coast Thai province that serves as the gateway to Koh Phi Phi, Railay, and the rest of the limestone-karst coast. Ao Nang is the main beach town and where most travelers stay. Krabi Town is the local commercial center 20 km inland. Railay is the cliff-bounded beach peninsula accessible only by longtail boat. Three or four days for the area. Pair with Phi Phi or Phuket for a longer Andaman beach trip.
On this page
Getting in from the airport
Krabi Krabi International (KBV) sits about 18 km north-east of Ao Nang. The airport bus is the cleanest budget path in, with rideshare as the easier-with-luggage alternative.
| Mode | Time | Cost | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport bus to Ao Nang | 60 to 70 min | 150 THB single | The default budget option. Direct to Ao Nang every 60 minutes. Comfortable air-conditioned coach |
| Grab | 30 to 45 min | 600 to 900 THB to Ao Nang | Faster and door-to-door. Useful for late arrivals or heavy luggage |
| Pre-booked transfer | 30 to 45 min | 700 to 1,200 THB | Hotel-arranged. Driver waits with a name board |
| Airport taxi from the rank | 30 to 45 min | 700 to 900 THB fixed | Marked taxis at the airport. The fare is set by zone |
Festivals and big annual events
Krabi runs on the standard Thai festival calendar plus the boat-life Andaman coast events. The Christmas-NYE window is the priciest hotel time of the year.
| Event | When | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Songkran | April 13 to 15 | The Thai new year water-throwing. Ao Nang beach road becomes the local centre. Smaller and more relaxed than the Bangkok or Chiang Mai versions |
| Loy Krathong | Full moon of the 12th lunar month, usually early to mid-November | The floating-lantern festival. Ao Nang beach and Krabi Town's river are the launch points |
| Andaman Rock Climbing Festival | Variable, usually November | The annual climbing festival on the Railay limestone cliffs. Smaller scale, real reason if rock climbing is the trip |
| Krabi International Music Festival | A weekend in February | Free open-air music festival in Krabi Town. Smaller scale |
| Christmas and New Year peak | December 20 to January 5 | The single most expensive hotel window of the Krabi year. Beach hotels in Ao Nang double or triple. Boat-tour prices spike. NYE fireworks on the beach |
| Chinese New Year | Late January or February | Krabi Town has a Chinese-Thai community, with lion dances and fireworks |
| Royal Cliff Beach Festival (Ao Nang) | A weekend in late November | Local fair on Ao Nang beach. Smaller and family-scale |
| Hua Hin Jazz Festival | Not in Krabi but worth flagging | Pin to Hua Hin (different coast) if jazz is the trip |
The trip-shaping window is the Christmas-NYE peak. If your dates are flexible, push a week or two outside the window for half the hotel price. The November Andaman Rock Climbing Festival is the niche reason to base at Railay rather than Ao Nang.
Where to stay
| Property | Note |
|---|---|
| Holiday Inn Resort Krabi Ao Nang Beach | Pinned |
These are the hotels I have pinned from prior stays. Each links to the pin with the address and any notes.
Where to eat
Krabi food runs through casual beach-front Thai (pad thai, green curry, the usual seafood-on-the-beach grill) plus the imported rotation that any popular beach base ends up with (Italian, Israeli, sushi, Irish-pub fish and chips). The picks below cover the spread.
| Spot | Rating |
|---|---|
| Dr. Cat Cafe | Pinned |
| Mountain View Restaurant Ao Nang | Pinned |
| MY PHO - Vietnamese Noodle House & Bar | Pinned |
| SABABA | Pinned |
| Sound of tree Restaurant & bar | Pinned |
| The Irish Embassy Pub Ao Nang | Pinned |
Keep reading
Companion pages on places and themes that overlap with this list.