Krabi is not a place where you have to hunt for something to do. Something leaves the beach at Ao Nang all day long: a longtail to Railay, a boat out to the islands, a minivan inland. You could easily fill a week here, while most backpackers have three days. That means choosing, and that is fine.
A few things really belong on the list. Seeing the limestone cliffs from the water, a beach you can only reach by boat, and at least one staircase up to a view you have had to earn. Other things hang on boards with photos along the promenade, and they add up to a full day on a boat for half an hour on a beach: great if you have the days.
So where do your Krabi days go, and what do you save for next time?
Still planning? How many days you need, where to stay and how to get there is all on our Krabi page.
Railay Beach, as early as you can
Railay is a peninsula cut off completely from the mainland by cliffs, so there is no road in. You climb into a longtail on the beach at Ao Nang and ride along the coast. The crossing is short, but it is straight away the best bit of your day: the limestone rises right out of the sea and the boat threads its way between it.
Once you are across, it costs you nothing more. Railay West is the wide beach where you lie down, Railay East is the side where the boats sit on the mudflats. Allow half a day to a full day, because once you are there you will not want to go anywhere else.
Go before nine. Arrive at eleven and there are already rows of longtails parked on the sand and you are walking through the day-trippers. When you get on, also ask straight away what time the last boat back leaves, because the rest of your day depends on it.
Our verdict: absolutely, and not in the afternoon
Phra Nang Cave Beach
For us this is the most beautiful beach in Krabi, and maybe in the whole of southern Thailand. It sits at the far end of Railay, squeezed between huge limestone walls, with rock formations sticking up out of the water just offshore. You stand knee deep and look at something that feels like a film set.
It is a short walk from Railay and entry is free. That makes it an easy combination: one boat ride, two beaches, and a path between them you have walked before you know it. Bring something to drink, because the stalls are on the other side.
Two things to know. The monkeys on this beach are used to people and get cheeky the moment anyone feeds them, so do not. And if the red flag is up, do not swim. The current between those rocks is stronger than it looks.
Our verdict: a must, this is the picture you came for
The four island trip
One full day on the water belongs to Krabi, and the classic four island day trip is the obvious way to do it. You ride a longtail past Koh Poda, Chicken Island and Tup Island, and at low tide a sandbar surfaces between the islands that you can walk across. There is snorkelling and lunch along the way.
The tour leaves from Ao Nang and fills your whole day. If you prefer calmer water and steeper cliffs, pick the Hong Islands instead of the four islands. You can book either one the evening before on the promenade, or online in advance if you want to be sure of a place.
Go on the earliest departure they offer. And watch that sandbar at Tup Island: it disappears under the water faster than you think while you are standing on the wrong side taking photos.
Our verdict: one island trip belongs on the list, and one is usually plenty
The 1,237 steps of Tiger Cave Temple
Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple, is inland and has 1,237 steps to the top. In the Thai heat that is not a walk but a climb, and halfway up you understand why people warn you about it. At the top there is a large Buddha statue and a view over the jungle and the limestone mountains of the whole area.
Get there on a rented scooter, from about €6 a day, or book the tour that combines the temple with the Emerald Pool and the hot springs. That combination works nicely: suffer first, then float in the water.
Go early in the morning and bring more water than you think you need. Shoes you can walk in help too, because in flip-flops those stairs are a punishment.
Our verdict: get those 1,237 steps behind you before the heat kicks in, then float in the Emerald Pool
Rock climbing at Railay
Krabi is one of the best known climbing spots in the world, thanks to the cliffs around Railay. There are around 700 bolted routes, from easy to hard, and a good share of the people you see hanging off that wall have never climbed before. The schools on Railay take beginners out without any fuss.
Half a day with a guide and gear starts at about €30. Do it between November and April, because in the rainy season the rock is wet and a lot of routes are not climbable. It combines well with your day on Railay: climbing in the morning, beach in the afternoon.
Pick a school that shows you the gear before you start, and take a look at the ropes and the harness yourself. That is not mistrust, it is just what you do at any crag.
Our verdict: go for it, even if you have never touched a rock
Kayaking through the mangroves of Ao Thalane
After two days in a longtail with an engine you cannot get out of your head, paddling yourself is a surprisingly nice change. In the mangroves of Ao Thalane you kayak through narrow channels between the roots and along limestone walls that rise straight out of the water.
The best part is that you get to places the bigger boats cannot reach: hidden lagoons, narrow gaps, stretches where it is suddenly completely silent. Allow half a day and book it as a tour, because finding your own way through the mangroves is not a good plan.
This is the activity people are most surprised by afterwards. When time gets tight it tends to slip down the list, so plan it in once you have half a day spare.
Our verdict: half a day, and you reach places the big boats simply do not fit
Sunset on the beach at Ao Nang
During the day Ao Nang is not the beach you came to Krabi for, but late in the afternoon that changes. The longtails bob offshore, the cliffs in the background turn into silhouettes and the whole promenade drifts towards the sand.
It costs nothing. Grab a beer for about €1.60, find a spot on the beach and let it happen. Afterwards it is a short walk to the restaurants and street food of Ao Nang, or head to the night market by the river in Krabi Town, where you eat cheaper and better.
Do this on your first evening. That way you know straight away what time the sun goes down, and you can plan your boat days around it.
Our verdict: free and on every evening, so there is no reason to miss it
Got time to spare in Krabi?
Koh Phi Phi as a stop instead of a day trip
Phi Phi is an hour and a half by boat, so a day trip means three hours on a boat for a few hours on the island. If you really want to see Phi Phi, book a few nights and make it a stop on your route. If what you are after is clear water and limestone cliffs, you get that just as beautifully closer to Ao Nang.
A second island trip
On the promenade in Ao Nang the tour desks sit side by side, each with a slightly different combination of islands. Pick one good one, two at most, and give the days you have left to the interior with the hot springs and the Emerald Pool. That is a completely different side of Krabi.
Tiger Cave Temple in the early morning
1,237 steps up, and the view over the limestone is your reward. Go early: around midday it is a tough climb in full sun, and haze blocks the view more often too. Bring more water than you think you need.
Water sports on the beach
If you want to rent a jet ski, take photos of every scratch beforehand and film a loop around the whole thing. That is the standard precaution here, because damage claims afterwards do come up. Fancy something calmer? A kayak costs a few euros to rent and lets you paddle between the rocks yourself.
Our top five in Krabi
Only got a few days? These are the five we would do no matter what:
- Railay Beach, on the first longtail of the morning from Ao Nang
- Phra Nang Cave Beach, on the same day and a short walk away
- The four island day trip, or the Hong Islands if you prefer clear water
- Tiger Cave Temple, early in the morning and with plenty of water
- Sunset on the beach at Ao Nang, with a beer in the sand
Still got time after that? Half a day of climbing at Railay is the most fun you can have here without any experience. If you have even more days, rent a scooter and ride inland to the Emerald Pool and the hot springs, or go kayaking through the mangroves of Ao Thalane.
So what do you really have to do in Krabi?
Everything on this list is worth it, but above all Krabi is a coastline full of limestone cliffs, and you see that best without rushing. The travellers who got the most out of it dropped their plan on day two. This list is here to help you choose, and to keep your mornings free.
What we would do with just one day: catch the first longtail to Railay, walk on to Phra Nang Cave Beach and stay there until the day-trippers arrive. That is Krabi in a nutshell, and it costs you a few euros.
And do not try to be ready at seven every morning for the next minivan or the next boat. Leave at least one day completely empty. An afternoon on the beach with no plan, a book and the odd swim is, looking back, just as much a highlight as the tour you did not book that day.
