Krabi province sits on the Andaman coast, about two hours’ drive east of Phuket. Most visitors base themselves in one of three places: Ao Nang, the busy resort strip with the longtail boat pier; Railay, a peninsula cut off from the road network by cliffs and reached only by boat; or quiet Krabi Town, the working riverside capital with the night market and the cheapest rooms.
Railay and neighbouring Ton Sai are the reason climbers have been coming here since the late 1980s. There are several hundred bolted sport routes on steep, featured limestone, many of them starting straight off the sand, and the local climbing schools take complete beginners up their first routes every day. Even if you never tie into a rope, Railay’s beaches — and the cave-backed cove of Phra Nang at its tip — are among the most photographed in the country.
Beyond the peninsula, Krabi is about small-boat exploring: the Four Islands and Hong Islands by longtail or speedboat, sea kayaking through the mangroves of Ao Thalane, the 1,260-step climb to the Tiger Cave Temple, and a day inland to the Emerald Pool and the hot-spring waterfall. Krabi is also the mainland jumping-off point for Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta.
Highlights
- Try sport climbing on Railay’s beachside limestone with a local guide
- Wade out to Phra Nang Cave Beach at low tide
- Island-hop to Koh Poda, Chicken Island and the Thale Waek sandbar
- Kayak the mangrove canyons of Ao Thalane
- Climb the 1,260 steps of Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple
- Float in the Emerald Pool and the hot-spring waterfall at Khlong Thom
Krabi & Railay in pictures
How long to stay and where to base yourself
Allow at least three full days: one for Railay, one for an island trip and one for kayaking or the inland sights. Climbers and anyone adding Phi Phi or Lanta should plan on five days or more.
Ao Nang is the practical base — tours pick up from hotels here, and longtails to Railay leave from the beachfront. Railay is the most beautiful place to wake up, but everything arrives by boat, so rooms and food cost more and you will carry your bags across the sand. Ton Sai, a short scramble or boat ride from Railay, is the simple, low-cost climbers’ beach. Krabi Town suits budget travellers and those with early ferries or flights.
