Krabi, Thailand

Coast · Thailand

Krabi

Limestone cliffs rise straight from turquoise water around Krabi, creating one of southern Thailand's most dramatic coastal landscapes.

Travel by Ildy tip

Hidden places

Cross to Koh Lanta's Old Town on the island's quieter east coast: the island's administrative centre and home to most of its Chao Ley sea people, far from the beach strip on the west side.

Best time to visit

Best time to travel

December to March for calmer seas and drier weather.

Travel tips

Travel by Ildy tips

  • Remember that Railay has no road link: limestone cliffs cut the peninsula off, so you reach it by longtail boat from Ao Nang or Ao Nam Mao pier in roughly 10 to 30 minutes. Pack light, as there is no pier at Railay West and you may wade ashore.
  • Ask for kaeng tai pla at a southern curry-and-rice shop: a fierce, salty curry built on fermented fish innards, one of the defining tastes of the Andaman south.
  • Climb the 1,260 steps of Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple near Krabi Town, at first light before the heat; from the summit the limestone towers rise out of the plain in every direction.
  • At Susan Hoi, the 'shell cemetery' at Ban Laem Pho, the shoreline is paved for about two kilometres with limestone slabs packed with fossilised freshwater snails, cemented like concrete.

Travel by Ildy recommends

Follow the rhythm of the place first, then shape the journey around the experiences that feel most like your own.

Location

Krabi on the map

Thailand

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Interactive map: Krabi

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Where to stay

Stay ideas — Krabi

Krabi, Thailand

Thailand

Krabi

Rayavadee

Legendary Railay setting between cliffs and beaches.

Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Private, polished resort on the quieter coast.

Banyan Tree Krabi

Modern villas facing the Andaman Sea.