15 Exciting and Hidden Things to do in Krabi, Thailand
Railay Beach, Thailand from above shot on our drone!
Krabi is based in Thailand's southeastern province and is located directly across from Phuket on a map, with Phi Phi islands situated between the two well-known destinations. Krabi is known for its fantastic limestone carsts, beautiful islands and turquoise waters and the famous Railay beach, which is only accessible by boat.
It's a great place to visit if you’re looking to relax on a resort by the beach, if you’re an adventurous traveller and love hiking and rock climbing and it's popular amongst backpackers for its vibrant nightlife in Ao Nang.
It's overlooked as tourists tend to travel to Phuket and Bangkok. However, as travel continues to boom, people are looking to travel to lesser-known destinations, and with this, Krabi is starting to become a lot more popular. We spent over three months in Krabi while volunteering for a local family and found that we tried to avoid the busy touristy areas, as they were always very overcrowded.
If you’re visiting Krabi, we highly recommend staying at least 3-4 days to give yourself plenty of time to relax, explore, and enjoy its vibrant scene.
If you prefer to avoid tourist hotspots and crowds, this blog is for you!
Longtail Boats on Railay Beach.
Where to stay in Krabi?
There are several different areas in Krabi where you can stay, and each offers something different. It really depends on your budget and the type of traveller you are.
Ao Nang
Ao Nang is the main area where most people choose to stay. It's on the mainland, right by the beach, and it’s where there’s the “most happening”. Here, you’ll find hundreds of restaurants, cafes, bars and nightlife. The beach also acts as a starting point for all the longtail boats to pick up customers for boat trips to the islands, Phi Phi Islands and Hong Islands.
Because of the endless options of things to do, places to eat and how accessible it is to the islands, its also the busiest area to stay. However, you will not have a shortage of accommodation options, from budget hostels to 5-star hotels and private resorts.
Railay Beach
When you look up Thailand, one of the first image that appears on google is likely the iconic shot of Railay beach with its amazing limestone cliffs lining the sand.
Railay is only accessible via boat and is tiny compared to Ao Nang. There are no cars or roads on Railay, and there is one main walking street with cafes and restaurants between Railay West and Railay East Beach. Because of this, accommodation options are limited and expensive, and during high season, accommodation on Railay books out months in advance.
Most accommodation is in resorts or higher-end hotels. There are only 2 hostels on Railay, but they still charge high dorm prices.
Alternatively, you can also stay on Tonsai Beach, which is the beach over from Railay. During low tide, you can walk to Tonsai from Railay West Beach, but during high tide, you would be better off catching a boat over, especially if you are carrying luggage. The accommodation on Tonsai is slightly cheaper as some of the hotels are a little older, and it's a lot quieter compared to Railay. However, there are two main resorts on Tonsai Beach, which are more affordable than the resorts on Railay.
Krabi Town
If you want to escape the tourist crowds and stay somewhere that feels a lot more local, Krabi Town is the place to be. The town isn’t near the beach, and the closest beach is Ao Nang, which is a 20-minute drive away. There isn’t a lot happening in the town, and it caters to local life a lot more, but you can still find many hotels and restaurants scattered throughout the town.
The upside to staying here is that accommodation is much cheaper than anywhere else in Krabi, so it's great for budget travellers and people who don’t like to stay in crowded tourist areas.
Klong Muang Beach and Tubakeack
Klong Muang and Tubakak are located a 20-minute drive north of Ao Nang and are a lot quieter. Klong Muang has a few resorts and hotels lining the beach, a few minutes from the beach. Tubakaek is where you’ll find the vast 5-star resorts on the beach with private beach access. There isn’t much around here in the way of bars and restaurants, but that's because most of these resorts have everything you need, so this area is for the travellers who don’t like to venture too far from their hotel and prefer a more all-inclusive, relaxed holiday.
How to get to Krabi and Transport in Krabi.
Krabi has a small airport, and most people will fly, but you’ll unlikely find a direct flight to Krabi because most arriving flights are domestic flights. Most people will have to fly via Bangkok or Phuket first if they fly into Krabi, or there are some flights from Singapore, as I flew back from the Philippines into Krabi via Singapore.
Buses also travel to Krabi. If you’re coming from Phuket, it's a 3-hour drive, and many minivans and buses are running daily. If you’re travelling from Bangkok, you can get an overnight bus down to Krabi, which can take 10 to 14 hours.
Ferries and speedboats are another option. Many people come to Krabi on their way from Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, and other surrounding islands, and boats run regularly from many surrounding destinations.
Transport in Krabi
If you’re staying in Ao Nang, everything you need is within walking distance, but if you’d like to venture away from the crowds, you’ll need a scooter or to book a tour to get to some of them.
Scooters aren’t essential, but they’re such a bonus to have when staying in Krabi. They’re so cheap to rent and give you a lot of independence to explore the off-the-beaten-track destinations that most tourists can't be bothered to travel to. The roads in Krabi aren’t too crazy, busy and pretty easy to navigate.
Alternatively, there is a public bus that can take you around to the main areas, but again, it only stops at the main tourist hot spots.
Lastly, there are the tuk-tuks and taxis everywhere but generally they aren’t very cheap, you’ll have to bater with the drivers to get a fair price.
Ao Nang Beach, Krabi.
15 off the beaten path activities in krabi
1- Beach Day at Klong Muang Beach
This is our all-time favourite beach in Krabi. It is the main beach we visit for our beach days, afternoon swims, and to escape the crowds, so it had to be number one on our list!
Klong Meung is about 20 minutes from Ao Nang and can be accessed via scooter, or you can grab a taxi or a driver. We found Klong Muang to be a lot cleaner than Ao Nang. It may not have the same views of the limestone cliffs, but the water was much clearer as far fewer boats were coming in. It also has clean white sand, unlike Ao Nang’s dark sand.
There are fewer crowds and many more shade options on this beach, too. There aren’t many restaurants, but there are a couple scattered along the coast, as well as little fruit stands and a beer lady selling super cheap beers to drink on the beach!
Beachfront Cafe at Klong Muang Beach, Krabi.
2- Lunch or dinner at the boat cafe in Klong Muang
If you’ve travelled to Klong Muang, you may as well make the most of your time out there and check out one of the most incredible places to eat.
The boat cafe is at the very end of Klong Meung Beach and is a beautiful restaurant with seating overlooking the ocean, little private huts, bean bag seating, and beautiful decor…. Oh, and a huge boat.
Beach front Cafes Views.
Head there for a coffee, lunch, or dinner at sunset. The menu is extensive and offers plenty to choose from!
3- Sunrise at Din Dang Doi
Even if you aren’t a morning person, trust me when I say it's worth waking up at 5 a.m. for these views! Din Dang Doi is located towards Klong Meung beach and is about half an hour from Ao Nang. It's open from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., so even if you don’t make it for sunrise, you can still visit during the day.
We highly recommend renting a scooter the night before to arrive early in the morning and beat the crowds. It wasn’t super busy when we visited, but a few tourist vans arrived at the same time as us.
Taxis and Grabs will be very few and far between at this time, too, so you may be able to get there, but getting a Grab or taxi home may be harder to find and expensive when you do.
It costs 70 baht to get to the lookout, and it's roughly a 10-minute walk uphill to the viewpoint. Once you arrive at the top, you’ll be welcomed with the most insane views of the limestone karsts scattered for miles through the valleys of Krabi, as well as the sunrise beginning to rise over the mountains on the horizon. There is also a little cafe where you can get your morning coffee and breakfast at the lookout too!
4- Four Islands Sunset Cruise with Krabi Sunset Cruises.
An island-hopping cruise is a must when you visit Krabi to explore the surrounding islands like Chicken Island, Ko Poda, Ko Si, and more. On this cruise, you’ll get to take in the views of Krabi from the ocean, snorkel, and explore the coral reefs and sea life in the area.
There are many tour agencies through which you can take one of these tours, but if you want to do it in style and not be crammed onto a tiny longtail boat with all the other tourists, then you have to take it with Krabi Sunset Cruises.
They have an old pirate ship style boat with plenty of room to relax, tan and take in the views. It's one of your higher-end cruises, but the price reflects everything included. They take you to 4 different islands, including everything from snorkel gear, to kayaks and stand-up paddle boards to paddle to the islands, cushions and lounges spread throughout the boat and on their roof and the best crew of people to help you on board.
In addition, they include a buffet Thai-style dinner to enjoy while the sun sets, all beverages included (excluding alcoholic), and free-flowing snacks and fruit throughout the day. We did this cruise over ten times; we loved it so much, and it's the one activity we recommend splurging on.
Views of Ko Poda from Krabi Sunset Cruises Boat.
5 - Day Trip to Railay and Phra Nang Beach
Many people think you need to stay on Railay to explore the area, but you can take day trips to Railay from Ao Nang. Its only a 10-minute ride on a longtail boat to Railay, and the longtail boats run all day from around 8am- 6/7pm. They require a minimum of 8 people to depart, and sometimes you may be waiting 10 minutes or so until they have filled the boat, but once they have eight people, you’ll be on your way. The public longtail boats cost 100 baht per person, per way, and you can buy your tickets from the ticket booth or longtail boat riders right on Ao Nang Beach.
You can also catch the longtail boats from Ao Nam Mao Pier and Nopparat Beach. Ask your hotel reception where the best area is to get the boat from, as it depends on your hotel location.
Most boats will take you to Railay West beach, but if departing from Ao Nam Mao, you’ll be taken to Railay East.
Railay East - There isn’t any beach here at all, it's just a port for the boats and is full of mangrove trees. Railay East is the side you need to be on to access the famous Phra Nang Beach.
Railay West is the iconic beach you see in all pictures of Railay. It’s where most longtail boats arrive, and there are swimming sections on the beach where the boats can't pull into. This beach gets busy quickly, and we recommend visiting early in the morning to enjoy it for a few hours to yourself before the crowds.
Railay West Beach.
Things to do on Railay
1- Relax on Railay West Beach.
2- Explore Phra Nang cave and Phra Nang beach.
To get to Phra Nang, you’ll need to walk through the main street of Railay over to Railay East Beach. Once you get to Railay East, you’ll see many signs pointing you toward Phra Nang Cave and the beach.
It gets very busy here, too, but if you go during low tide, you can walk to the very end of the beach towards the right. Here, you’ll find amazing views of the limestone cliffs in the beach, and you can swim too, and it's usually quieter at the end.
3- Hike to Railay Lagoon or Railay Viewpoint
These hikes are accessible on the way to Phra Nang Beach. You can’t miss the starting point, as it begins with a rock climb and scramble up the wall lining the path to Phra Nang beach.
Download the trail on AllTrails before you head off to ensure you follow the exact route!
4- Enjoy a meal and drink in the town and explore the chill vibes of the town
There are many restaurants and bars scattered throughout the main town. Railay has a very child-laid-back vibe and many different cuisines, so take your pick!
Tonsai Beach Cafe.
7- Day Trip to Tonsai Beach.
Want to escape the crowds of Railay Beach? Tonsai Beach is often overlooked by the famous Railay Beach even though it's right next door to Railay! During low tide, you can walk there from Railay Beach or catch a boat directly to the beach.
Tonsai is much more laid-back than Railay, with only a few hotels and restaurants. Because it's less well-known than Railay, it's a good option for budget travellers, as accommodation there is generally cheaper.
How to get there?
From Railay: During low tide, you can walk directly to Tonsai through a jungle walk that takes about 10 minutes. When looking directly out to the ocean on Railay West Beach, walk to the end of the beach on the right, and you’ll find the jungle path there. But it's a lot harder to access if it's high tide.
You can get a boat from Railay or Ao Nang if it's high tide.
What to do on Tonsai Beach?
The beach there is much quieter than Railay's, so it's a great place to swim and read a book without the crowds. Tonsai is well known among rock climbers, and it's a lot of fun watching them. It's super cool seeing how high they climb!
The resort on the beach, Tonsi by Resort, has a great little cafe and smoothie bar where you can enjoy a coffee on the beach. There is also a restaurant and a bar where you can enjoy a meal and drink while watching the sunset.
8 - Explore the Tiger Cave Temple
The Tiger Cave Temple is about a 20-minute drive from Ao Nang and is certainly worth a visit because of the views at the top!
This isn’t your typical temple, as you need to climb around 1260 steps to reach it. The best time to visit is early in the morning before it gets too hot. We arrived at 8 a.m., and even by that time, the heat was intense. It was incredibly hot when we were coming down from the temple because by 9 a.m., the staircase handrails were too hot to touch!
We won’t sugarcoat it, this climb isn’t for the faint-hearted. It's an intense, steep climb, and the steps are huge. We saw many people turning around halfway up because it was steeper than they expected, or they left it to late, and the heat was already to harsh for the climb. If you don’t want to climb to the top of the tiger cave temple, there are a couple of other temples at the bottom you can also explore, and a cafe and store if you want to grab a coffee.
Important things to know:
Opening hours - 6 am- 6pm
Cost - 50 baht entry fee
Clothing - dress modestly as it's a temple.
Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid climbing in the intense midday heat!
Two Sweaty heads at the top of the tiger cave temple
9 - Hike Dragons Crest Trail
This one is for the hikers! If you love a challenge and want to see the fantastic views of Krabi from above, make this the one hike you do in Krabi!
The Trail and Length
Dragon's Crest Trail is located in Ngon Nak National Park and is a 30-minute drive from Ao Nang. You can do this hike on your own or book a tour and combine it with a kayaking tour.
It takes roughly 2-4 hours to complete and is 7.4km long—apparently. We say apparently because the signs at the bottom of the trail will tell you it's 3.7km one way. However, we have learned through our time hiking in Asia that their measurements sometimes tend to be a little off. Our hiking tracker indicated we had already hiked 5km when we reached the top.
The first 1km is pretty steady, but after that, it becomes quite steep for the next 2-3km. The path is clearly marked, but it's very uneven, with tree roots and rocks, and there will be some sections where it will feel like more of a scramble. The last kilometre is when the trail starts to even out again and become mostly flat until you reach the peak.
Cost and Opening Hours
The hike is in a national park, and the entry fee is 200 baht per person. When you arrive, you’ll need to sign in with the park ranger, and once you have completed the trail, you sign out. They will also give you the park ranger's number and emergency contact lines before the hike, too, in case you run into any issues.
The park is open from 8 a.m., and the last entry into the trail is at 2 p.m. However, we arrived at 7 a.m. to beat the crowds and the heat, and there was someone there to take our payment and let us sign in.
We have heard that if you go early and no park ranger is there yet, you can sign in at the desk and make payment when you return to check out.
We highly recommend going early to beat the crowds. When we arrived, we had the peak to ourselves, but when we came down at around 9 a.m., the trail was starting to feel busy!
There is also a little cafe down the bottom where you can buy snacks and water before you begin your trek up.
Views from the peak of the Dragon’s Crest Trail Hike.
10- Explore some of the most fabulous cafes in Krabi.
If you love exploring cafes like us, then we have you covered. In our three months in Krabi, we explored over 30 cafes and found the most fabulous cafes to be a scooter ride away from Ao Nang usually. So, if you’re looking for a place with amazing views and to avoid the crowds, then you’ll have to be willing to rent a scooter or pay for a taxi to take you there. But we promise it's worth it!
Our top 5 Coolest cafes in Krabi.
1- The Dome Cafe
This is where you go for the most unreal views, overlooking the ocean and all the islands surrounding Krabi. It's on an extremely steep hill, and when you park at the bottom, there is a car to drive you to the top. The cost to get up there is 100 Baht, but when you get to the top, you can use 80 Baht of your ticket to put towards food and drink at the cafe.
Very excited with the views from the Dome Cafe!
2 - Into the Forest Cafe
The name speaks for itself! A beautiful cafe tucked away into the side of the limestone karsts. You’ll feel like you're're sitting in the heart of the jungle while sipping on your coffee surrounded by the mountains and all the greenery!
3- Chay Cafe
This cafe is located only 5 minutes from Ao Nang and is set amongst the rice fields with the most beautiful architecture. It's away from the chaos of Ao Nang and is such a peaceful place to enjoy a drink and a meal over the rice patties.
Old school Cafe Vibes.
4- 23 Cafe Roasters
This one’s for coffee fans. Located only 10 minutes from Ao Nang, this cafe roasts its own coffee on site. It has a great rustic feel, and you can see them roasting the coffee through the glass windows. The coffee there is unreal, too, and it is the place to go if you want to be guaranteed a delicious coffee.
5- KK Cafe
This cafe was our local, and we couldn’t recommend it enough. Only 5 minutes from Ao Nang, it's tucked away behind its garden on the side of the road. They have the best outdoor seating area in the garden, and inside, it has an old-school retro vibe. It's also very affordable, and their staff are amazing!
11- Enjoy Dinner and Drinks at Joy Beach Bar and Cafe
Looking to have dinner on the beach and feel the sand between your toes as the sun goes down? This is the place to be!
The one thing Ao Nang lacks is restaurants on the beach. Down the main strip, all the restaurants are on the opposite side of the road to the beach, so unless the restaurant has a deck, it's hard to get an amazing view of the beach while you enjoy your meal.
But this restaurant in Ao Nam Mao, a 10-minute drive from Ao Nang, is the place to be! It has tables scattered all along the sand and the coolest beach bar shacks. It's the perfect place to watch the sunset.
12- Explore the night markets around Ao Nang.
We love a market for cheap street food and the endless options! We highly recommend two great markets around Ao Nang: Landmark Night Market and Blue Mountain Night Market.
Landmark Night Market is located at Nopparart Beach and offers many affordable food options. There is a great seating area and a few bars. The market is right across from the beach, and it's a great place to be for sunset. We loved buying food from the market and eating it at the beach.
Blue Mountain Night Market only opened recently, while we lived in Krabi, in April 2025. It's located down a side street right in the heart of Ao Nang and will be within walking distance of your hotel if you stay in Ao Nang area. The impressive limestone cliffs surrounding Krabi tower over this market, and you have the best views while you shop! There are endless food stores, and another section of the market is for shopping for souvenirs, clothes and more!
Landmark Night Market, Krabi
13- Eat with the locals at Lab Roi Go Et!
This was our local restaurant for two reasons—it was SO cheap, and the local food was the best we had in all of Thailand! This place is always bustling with locals, and it feels like a secret from the tourists.
Most meals cost around 50- 100 Baht, and we highly recommend their grilled pork neck, grilled chicken, green curry, or stir-fried chicken with rice and a fried egg. No matter what you order, you won’t be disappointed!
Longtail boats on Ao Nang Beach.
14 - Explore Wat Phu Khao Phra Maha Temple
This is such an underrated temple in Krabi! Located only 5 minutes from Ao Nang, it's often overlooked, as most people recommend the Tiger Cave Temple. However, we found this temple to be more beautiful than the Tiger Cave Temple, and there’s a lot less effort required to reach the top and enjoy the beautiful statues and architecture along the way.
It's free to enter this temple, and from the bottom of the staircase, you'll be welcomed with views instantly of the golden Buddha at the top. Along the climb are statues of elephants, turtles, and more. Once you reach the top, the views are beautiful, overlooking the valleys, mountains, and neighbourhoods below.
Temples in Krabi.
15 - Explore the famous Islands near Krabi - Phi Phi Islands, Hong Islands.
Okay, these aren't really hidden gems, but they are well-known islands to visit. But a trip to Krabi isn’t complete without ticking off some of the most famous islands in the world.
There are many tour providers in town who can arrange day trips to these islands, or you can book online. But just be aware: these islands will likely be very busy and not so hidden!
Railay West Beach to ourselves at 8am
16 - BONUS SUGGESTION - best group tours in Thailand.
If you want to experience Thailand but don’t want to travel solo, how about a group tour?
One Life Adventures hosts incredible Thailand group tours that include Krabi and other beautiful areas of Thailand, like Chiang Mai and Khao Sok National Park and more, depending on the tour you choose. They have tours ranging from 4 days to 20 days. These tours are perfect for adventure seekers, backpackers, and those looking for transformative travel experiences. Check them out!
Phra Nang Beach, Thailand
Conclusion
If you weren’t sure whether to include Krabi in your Thailand holiday, I hope this blog opens your eyes and inspires you to visit this amazing part of Thailand!
There is something to do for any type of traveller here, and it's a great place to visit whether you're a solo traveler looking to meet people, on a family holiday, or here with friends. I love that it caters to the adventurous, but also is a place where you can chill and slow down by a beach or the nearby islands.
Destinations where the mountains meet the sea, always win us over because of the endless views. By venturing off the beaten paths in Krabi, you can uncover areas that most tourists miss and I hope you add a few of the suggestions made in this blog to your itinerary!
From serene waterfalls and hidden caves to the warm hospitality of local communities, every corner of this province invites you to slow down, explore, and truly connect with its stunning surroundings.