Accommodation Near Krabi Islands

Holiday Hotels Close to Krabi Island Beaches Thailand

Book hotel accommodation near Krabi's best beaches well in advance. That is if you're planning a holiday near one of many famous Krabi provice beautiful beahes during Thailand's tourist season months October to May. If you leave it too late to book, you'll only be left with expensive last pick hotels. Tourist hot spots in Krabi like Ao Nang has limited area because it is surrounded by sceinic, towering krasts.

Krabi is the best tourist destination in Thailand. We returned to Krabi on recent familiarisation tour and discovered there's a lot more to Krabi than some of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world.

Accommodation near Krabi airport is in Krabi town, the administrative center of Krabi province. For most tourists it is a transit place to get to Kabi beaches. Try getting to Krabi beach hotels in the day time so that you can see the steep limestone cliff, geological sedimentary formations with jungle hanging off them in the drive from PhuketPenang  or  Surat Thani. They are on land as well as the spectacular, famous peaks which jut out of the Straights of Malacca.

HOW TO GET TO KRABI
We flew with discount airline, Air Asia from "Udon Thani" airport to Phuket airport. As usual hawkers in the Phuket airport terminal were trying to sell transport at inflated prices. Tip: When you pass the Phuket airport terminal exit doors, turn right 40 metres to the taxi sales area where you can buy a taxi to Krabi for 2,000 baht instead of the original 3,000 bhat asking price at the Phuket airport exit doors. Thai Airways have the budget airline Nok Air which fly from Bangkok to Krabi airport. Bangkok Airways flys from Samui and Phuket to Krabi.

Most buses to Krabi from Penang, "Surat Thani" and Phuket leave in the morning. Prices depend on size and quality of buses. Most tourists catch the big double dekker comfortable luxury coaches. Cheap mini buses to Krabi are popular too but not as comfortable.

TRANSPORT KRABI
Cheap local Krabi transport service is on the back of converted white pick-ups with blue printed words Krabi (town), Ao Nang, Shell beach. Cost of transport is 20 baht per person from "Shell Beach" to "Ao Nang". Other similar vehicles without the blue print charge more. From the boat terminal near "Noppharat Thara Beach" via Ao Nang to "Shell Beach" it was 40 baht per person. 3 wheeled TukTuks are reasonably cheap transport in Krabi. Converted trucks with open sides are also cheap transport in Krabi.  Motor bike hire outlets are everywhere but be carefull especially when roads are wet. Drivers are not as bad as in Bali but not good either. We saw a patite Thai lady knocked off her bike and a farlung lady laying on the road after an accident. A free fire and rescue car was headed her way. If the hire bike was insured the patient will receive free medical care in a Thai government hospital. If she has travel insurance the patient will receive treatment in a private Thai hospital.

Travel agents/tourisit information centres and hotels sell land and sea tours. The guided tours of Krabi are in big coaches while popular sea tours are in long tail boats from Ao Nang Beach and on bigger boats out of the port near "Noppharat Thara Beach" and the Krabi town passenger port. Look for fixed price government boat ticket selling offices on the beaches of Krabi selling boat tickets for passage to the islands near Krabi. Examples of return day boat trips from Ao Nang to Krabi Islands: 200 baht per person only to Railay Beach. The Koh Poda return fare, 300 baht.

AO NANG BEACH

We booked an Ao Nang Beach hotel a couple of months ahead online with breakfast included but it was not enought to get what we wanted because many Ao Nang beachfront hotels were booked out. Our hotel accommodation near Ao Nang Beach long tail boat ticket sales office, near the corner of the main road into Ao Nang Beach and "Walking Street" is near Thai long tail boat beach departures to tour islands near Ao Nang Beach. Our Bangladeshie owned hotel was close to An Nang Beach but not beachfront accommodation. The $62 per night hotel room is big. The hotel swimming pool is small. There was sand in the bed, the advertised free internet did not work, the shower door jammed, the shower leaked water onto the floor, noisy at night, slightly stained sheets. We had read bad reviews but booking online late left us no better choices. On the first day we tried walk-in rack rates for a couple of smaller hotels near Ao Nang Beach but they were booked out. Beachfront accommodation near Ao Nang Beach in the tourist season is in high demand, at premium prices.
Photo of Ao Nange Beach Krabi. Walk south of the longtail boats to this section of Ao Nang
Ao Nang Beach Krabi Beach. Free beach chairs, free umbrellas, free fruit is provided by the massage parlours just behind these beachfront trees. At the southern end of Ao Nang Beach are tame monkeys on/near the beach. Ao Nong beach monkeys are culled from time to time.

Photos of Krabi

As with most costal towns in Thailand, seafood is the specialty. Street food is delisious and cheaper than most restaurants. Food is slightly more expensive than Phuket. There are a lot of good seafood restaurants and a supprising number of Italian restaurants near Ao Nang Beach.

Traffic congestion is a problem near Ao Nang Beach. As with the rest of Thailand be extra wary of traffic. Faded cross-walk paint and many Thai drivers' reluctance to give way to pedestrians at crosswalks makes crossing the road at Ao Nang DANGEROUS. If you drink don't drive, don't wear black clothing at night when walking accross "Walking Street".

RAILAY BEACH

Railay Beach is arguably the best beach in the world. If I wasn't a surfer, I'd agree because it has shady white sandy beaches, calm clear water perfect for kids/poor swimmers, and SPECTACULAR mountain scenery at each end of the Railay Beach. It is one of the most photographed beaches in the world.
Railay Beach
This morning after a free hotel breakfast we bought 50+ sunburn cream before booking a Thai long tail boat from Ao Nang to Ralay Beach (Rai Leh Beach). Boat tickets sales are on the corner of the main road to Ao Nang Beach and "Walking Street. Boats depart to all islands from Ao Nang Beach. You can stay as long as you like on an island before paying more to island hop or you can buy multiple destinations for your return, Krabi boat tours. The boat tour from Ao Nang Beach to Ralay Beach passes some of the most spectacular scenery in THE WORLD. Limestone caves over-hang tourists who've hired kayaks to paddle to Ralay Beach. Small at the base these small islands rise straight up out of the Andaman Sea. If you go to Ralay beach in the morning you'll have tree shade on Ralay Beach. The beachfront "Ralay Beach Resort" has a swimming pool and accommodation close to the beach but if you can't afford it the $13 boat ride from cheaper accommodation from other Krabi beaches is an alternative. About 30 boats beach on the southern end of Ralay Beach. Each boat takes about 6 passengers. Cliffs near Ralay Beach have multi coloured layers, jungle and caves. The water is calm and clear with lots of small fish.

Map of Ralay Beach


BIG Google map of Raylay Beach

PODA ISLAND

Kho Poda in the "Straights of Malacca" is one of the most beautiful islands in the WORLD with one of the world's beach beach holiday destinations for travellers via Krabi Thailand. I'm qualified to write this opinion because I lived on THE BEST ISLAND IN THE WORLD, (according to the founder of the "Lonely Planet" publications) in the South Pacific for 10 years.

Koh Poda Krabi
Photo of Poda Island Krabi Thailand

Book/buy boat tickets to Koh Poda (sounds like a brand of tractor) from the Krabi government's booking office on the corner of "Walking Street" and the main road into Ao Nang. Depending on sea conditions, it takes about 25 minutes by longtail boat to Koh Poda. Take a note of your boat number which starts with the letter "A" or "N". My boat was N100. Each long tail boat takes about 10 passengers however I did see a non-numbered hotel long tail boat arrive, overloaded with passengers with its gunnals close to the waterline.

Accommodation near Koh Poda beach is limited to 5 villas so you're better off with accommodation near Ao Nang beach and boating in @ 300 baht per passenger. The restaurant on Koh Poda sells a bottle of water @ 70 baht while the beach bar and longtail food boat sell @ 30 baht.

Map of Koh Poda Krabi

EMERALD POOL, KRABI

We hired a car at Ao Nang and drove past Krabi airport to Emeral Pool with a stop along the way at the Tiger Cave Temple to climb 1,200 steps to the top of a krast with a huge sitting Buddha statue on top. This mountain top Buddhist monument at the Tiger Cave Temple is a major Krabi tourist attraction.
Tiger Cave Temple, Krabi
Above left photo of big Buddha statue overlooking Tiger Cave Temple, Krabi province, Thailand.

Travelling south to Emerald Pool we saw a lot of tourists on hired motorbikes heading to Emerald Pool. If you drive past car park security sprooking with whistles, you'll get free parking near the Emerald Pool entrance. The walk along the mountain path through tropical jungle and clear water mountain streams is along worth the trip to Emerald Pool. You'll think you've arrived at paradise when you get to Emerald Pool. This super clear water pool in it's jungle setting is AMAZING. A waterfall cascades into the Emerald pool. with a depth of about 1.5 metres it's a perfect family holiday destination in Krabi.
Emerald Pool, Krabi
Photo of Emerald Pool Krabi.

HOT SPRING WATERFALL, Krabi

Travel on from Krabi's Emerald Pool to nearby Namtok Ron Khlong Thom. This hot spring waterfall cascades into a cool water mountain stream. Also set in tropical beautiful tropical jungle. Sitting under this hot waterfall (if you can bare the heat) while your feet is in a cool mountain streem, is a must thing to do in Krabi.

NOPPHARAT THARA BEACH

Accommodation near "Noppharat Thara Beach" includes camping near the port. "Noppharat Thara Beach" is within walking distance near Ao Nang Beach or a short TukTuk ride from "Klong Mouang Beach" near up-market brand name hotels. If you want to travel to a jutting out of the sea Krabi island without going by boat, wade over the sand bar near Noppharat port to a monolithic island in the MORNING if you want the over hanging limestone rock for shade.
NoppharatThrara Beach
There are millions of shells including translucent, thin oyster shells which hanging wind chimes are made of. Bring your camera with a polarizing filter. For short people who don't want to wade or swim to this Krabi island, large casurina trees shade the white sand "Noppharat Thara Beach". Swim out at lease 10 metres to start to get clear water. Street side restaurants at "Noppharat Thara Beach" have a limited menu but serve good cheap food. Jungle covered mountains near "Noppharat Thara Beach" are nice photo back drops to boats plying the blue waterway to the port.

Youtube Videos of Krabi

Video of Ko Poda Island Krabi

Youtube Video of Railay Beach Krabi near Ao Nang

 

Temperature Chart Krabi Islands
temperature chart Krabi Islands

Rainfall Chart Krabi Islands
rainfall chart Krabi Islands

Video of Koh Poda Krabi Island Beach.

Cliff Diving video

Krabi Islands Summary

Popular Krabi Island beaches in Thailand are in the clear water of the Straights of Malacca.  Accommodation on Krabi islands is limited. Holiday accommodation on the mainland of Thailand near Krabi Islands is at Ao Nang and NoppharatThara Beach.

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Best Krabi beach holiday Thai travel destinations are written by dedicated photo journalists, published and edited by the Best Beach Holidays Travel writer. Contact Best Beach Holidays to submit your Krabi beach holiday articles

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