Krabi Province · Thailand
Krabi
The Andaman mainland, where limestone karsts stand straight out of the sea and out of the rice fields behind it. Railay is a peninsula with no road to it, reached only by longtail; the cliffs above it are among the best sport-climbing walls in the world; and an hour inland there is a jungle pool the colour of antifreeze.
Krabi is Muslim in a way the rest of tourist Thailand is not — around a third of the province, and much more in the fishing villages, so the call to prayer carries across water that also has longtail boats with Buddhist ribbon garlands on the bow. That mix shows up on the plate as roti and southern curries rather than pad thai, and in the fact that many boat operators do not serve alcohol. It also has a genuinely recent tourism history: Railay was accessible only by boat and known mainly to climbers into the 1990s, and the province still feels less finished than Phuket, which is most of its appeal.
Plan your trip
Krabi Tour Itineraries
Timed, walkable day plans — plus the best season to go.
Where to shoot
Krabi Photo Spots
High crowdEntry Free
Ao Nang
- Best timeSunset from the beach end of the strip, when the longtails are drawn up on the sand and the sun goes down behind the islands — this is a west-facing coast and the evening is the whole point
- ColorsWhiteCoralTurquoise
Low crowdEntry The longtail charter from the pier, plus a small cave entry
Khao Khanab Nam
- Best timeLate afternoon from the town promenade, when the two peaks are backlit over the river — and from the boat itself as you pass between them, which is the framing the province puts on its own signs
- ColorsWhiteIndigoRust
High crowdEntry The boat trip, plus a national-park fee at the foreigner rate
Koh Poda and the four islands
- Best timeThe first boat of the morning, before the fleet arrives — and the sandbar between Tup and Mor at low tide, which only exists for a few hours and is the shot everyone comes for
- ColorsWhiteTurquoiseCoral
High crowdEntry Free
Phra Nang cave shrine
- Best timeMid-morning, when the sun reaches into the cave mouth and the offerings are lit rather than in silhouette — the beach outside is at its best in the same hours, before the day boats arrive
- ColorsWhiteTurquoiseSand
High crowdEntry The longtail fare each way
Railay
- Best timeThe hour before sunset on Railay West, when the karsts either side of the bay go orange and the longtails are silhouetted — the east side is in shadow all afternoon and is a mangrove flat at low tide
- ColorsWhiteTurquoiseCoral
High crowdEntry A national-park ticket at the foreigner rate
The Emerald Pool
- Best timeLate morning, when the sun is high enough to get down through the canopy and turn the water — the colour is a lighting effect and in flat shade it is grey-green and disappointing
- ColorsWhiteEmeraldSand
For the feed
Trending Wear in Krabi
Modern, Instagram-friendly looks
Rooted in the city
Krabi Traditional Wear
Local, cultural, handcrafted outfits
Taste the city
Food to Eat in Krabi
Trusted tables
Where to Eat in Krabi
The Ao Nang seafood restaurants
The beach road, Ao Nang
The Krabi Town night market
Riverside, Krabi Town
The Railay kitchens
The walking street between Railay East and West
The Thai-Muslim roti shops
Krabi Town and the villages along the coast road
Questions
Krabi — FAQ
What is Krabi famous for?
The Andaman mainland — limestone karsts standing straight out of the sea and out of the rice fields behind it — Railay beach, Tiger Cave Temple's 1,250 steps, and the four-island boat trips out of Ao Nang.
How many days are enough for Krabi?
Three or four: Railay and the beaches, a four-island boat day, and Tiger Cave Temple plus the Emerald Pool inland.
What is the best time to visit Krabi?
November to March, when the Andaman is calm and the boats run; May to October is the monsoon, with rough seas.
How do I get around Krabi?
A compact core with the sea never far — Krabi Town, Ao Nang and the beaches run along one coast, and the islands are all reached by boat.
What is the four-island tour?
The standard day out from Ao Nang: four islands in a row — Poda with its white sand and single karst offshore, Chicken Island named for the rock at its tip, and Tup and Mor joined at low tide by a sandbar you can walk across.