15 BEST THINGS TO DO IN KRABI – Our Ultimate Guide
Krabi has some of the most beautiful landscapes and beaches in all Thailand. With the towering limestone cliffs, an abundance of jungle and lush nature around, more than 200 tropical islands just off the coast and kilometres of beautiful, soft white beaches, Krabi has it all! The province of Krabi covers quite a large area, so traveling to the attractions in Krabi might require a fair bit of time. But it’s absolutely worth it! In this complete Krabi guide you will find the 15 best things to do in Krabi including all the information you need to get there, what to expect etc. This to help you create your own Krabi itinerary so you’ll visit all the best places in Krabi!
Awesome tours to do in Krabi
With plenty of things to do in Krabi you can either explore some of the spots on the mainland by yourself if you have own transport. But the most easy and carefree way of exploring Krabi is by booking tours. In this way your transport, program, a guide and sometimes lunch is taking care off so you can just enjoy without having to do the effort and research. Here some of the best tours in Krabi which I recommend:
- Krabi city tour including climbing the Tiger Cave temple
- Emerald pool, Blue Lagoon and ATV tour full day tour
- Krabi hotsprings Spa package
- Private sunset boat trip to Khao Khanap Nam Cave & Night Market Tour
- Krabi islands exclusive sunset Catamaran sightseeing tour
- Visit the mangrove jungle and village Koh Klang and Khao Khanap Nam mountains
- Krabi street food market tour
- Private Four islands boat tour
- Dragon Crest hike, ATV and kayak tour
- Elephant Care House visit and Tiger Cave temple tour
- Railay beach rock climbing with lunch from Krabi or Ao Nang
- Thai cooking class
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15 BEST THINGS TO DO IN KRABI
Explore the Diamond Cave at Railey beach
Exploring the Diamond Cave on Railay is something you can’t miss! The stalactites in this cave are something else. It it so impressive to see the large limestone sculptures appearing from the wall and roof of this cave. A true wonder of nature!
There is a solid path leading through the cave which is well lit. It’s an activity of about 10 – 20 minutes in total, depending on your interest in the cave. But the cave also offers a cool shelter from the outside heat, and the spectacular rock formations inside the cave are great photo opportunities. So you might stick around here a little longer, just as we did! The entrance fee for the Diamond Cave Krabi is 40 Baht per person. In our opinion well worth it! Absolutely one of the most surprising and interesting things to do in Krabi!
How to get to the Diamond Cave at Railey beach
The Diamond Cave is easY to reach by foot from any location on Railay. Just follow the signs and you will get there!
Go for a day trip to Railey beach
Railay beach is one of the most famous beaches in Thailand and definitely one of the most visited Krabi beaches! Railay itself is a peninsula, a rocky headland just south of Ao Nang beach and is only accessible by boat. Surrounded by beautiful limestone cliffs and steep jungle valleys, Railay is a serene, unique and extraordinary world without roads, only footpaths. There are two Railay beaches, easily to tell apart with their names Railay west and east. Both beaches have their pro’s and cons.
West Railay beach shares a bay with Ton Sai beach around the corner and is a great spot to admire the stunning backdrop of the limestone cliffs. You can also rent a kayak here to explore the bay, or just relax on the beach and around the beach bars. There are a bunch of small cafes and beach bars so there’s enough choice for lunch, dinner or drinks. From Railay beach there are lots of little adventures to do such as exploring Railay viewpoint and the Diamond Cave.
Read here about the other best beaches in Krabi to visit!
How to get to Railay beach west
The only way to get to Railay is with a taxi long tail boat. From Ao Nang beach you can easily arrange transport to Railay beach and any other beach on the Railay peninsula for 100 Baht per person one way. Most of the time these boats leave when they have enough passengers to depart.
Have you already secured your accommodation in Krabi?
Hike the Dragon Crest Mountain
Dragon Crest mountain offers one of the most epic viewpoints in all of Thailand. The National Park Khao Ngon Nak, aka Dragon Crest Mountain is a stunning 3.7 km hike located in northern Krabi. This hike offers some of the most breathtaking views you’ve seen and some amazing photo opportunities. But be prepared for the hike… It’s so strenuous and takes about 1 – 1,5 hour to get to the summit of Dragon Crest Mountain. But you will be rewarded with some of the most impressive views you’ve ever seen!
Book here your adventurous Dragon Crest hiking tour including ATV and Kayaking
Read in our complete guide everything you need to know before hiking Dragon Crest mountain!
How to get to Dragon Crest Hike Krabi
It’s a 25-minute drive from Ao Nang beach and a 40-minute drive from Krabi Town to the starting point of the hike. It could be a bit misleading and confusing when you want to use Google Maps to navigate you to “Dragon Crest viewpoint” or “Ngon Nak”. These are false starting points. You need to navigate to “Checkpoint Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park” which is pinned on the map below.
Once you reach the park entrance, proceed straight past the gate to park your motorbike. You can see where the trail starts with clear signs. You don’t need to worry about a park entrance fee because it’s free. However, once you complete the hike you can to tip the park rangers if you want to.
The vast views on the jungle of Krabi
Go rock climbing at Tonsai beach
Rock climbing in Krabi is for sure an activity for the more adventurous traveler. The impressive and beautiful limestone cliffs in Krabi are the perfect setup for this thrilling activity. And thanks to the permanent hooks placed into the rock with ropes through them, the climbing options in Krabi are a safe way for beginners to start. When you lose your grip you will only fall a maximum of fifty centimeters down, so it’s a fun thing to experience and makes you push your boundaries!
The best beach to go rock climbing in Krabi is Tonsai beach located on the Railay peninsula. The 600 meter long beach is stuck between two high limestone cliffs, making it the perfect playground for rock climbers.
Book here your rock climbing tour to Railay including lunch and transfers
Other activities on Tonsai beach are obviously relaxing as its one of the less visited beaches in Krabi hosting only a few resorts. But you can also rent kayaks here and explore the reef and limestone cliffs from closer up. Maybe you’ll even find a hidden cave!
Read in this complete guide everything about the best beaches in Krabi to visit!
How to get to Tonsai beach
The only way to get to Tonsai beach is with a taxi long tail boat. From Ao Nang beach you can easily arrange transport to Tonsai and any other beach on the Railay peninsula for 100 Baht per person one way. Most of the time these boats leave when they have enough passengers.
Visit Wat Kaew Korawaram
In the middle of Krabi town, close to the Night Market, you will find this beautiful white temple. It is many not the biggest temple in Thailand you will see, but it is a wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Krabi town. Inside the temple are beautiful decorations and paintings on the wall of various Buddhist drawings. At the end of the temple is a large golden Buddha statue where Buddhists pray. Make sure to dress appropriately when visiting the temple inside, which means covering your shoulders and knees.
Explore Phra Nang Beach & Cave
Phra Nang beach and its caves are located on the Railay peninsula between Krabi town and Ao Nang. It is the most southern stretch of sand in Railay Bay with 450 meters in length and surrounded by deep emerald green turquoise water. Phra Nang beach is set against the impressive backdrop of towering limestone cliffs and offers some of the most beautiful views of Krabi. In combination with the interesting caves to explore such as the Princess Cave or Tham Phra Nang Nok in Thai, this beach is absolutely worth a visit! Especially when you already plan to visit Railay beach, you also have to check out Phra Nang beach!
Read in this complete guide everything about the Phra Nang Cave and Beach
How to get to Phra Nang beach
The peninsula where Phra Nang beach is located, can only be reached by boat due to high limestone cliffs cutting off access from the mainland. Most people therefore visit Phra Nang beach during a day trip to Railey. From most of the beaches in Krabi you can arrange a taxi longtail boat to get to Phra Nang beach. This will cost you 100 baht and takes about 10 to 20 minutes. You can also choose to get dropped off at Railey beach and walk for about 10 minutes to Phra Nang beach.
Climb the Tiger Cave Temple
Visiting the Tiger cave temple is one of the best things to do in Krabi! The Tiger cave temple, also known as Wat Tham Suea in Thai, is one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in Thailand. The Tiger cave temple is known for the tiger paw prints in the cave, the tall Buddha statues and of course the exhausting and strenuous hike up the Tiger cave temple mountain. But it’s absolutely worth climbing the 1237 steps until you reach the summit on top of a 600 meter high cliff. The view over Krabi is amazing with all the limestone rocks and beautiful jungle landscape. Check out our pictures below!
Book your Tiger Cave Temple tour here
Read in this complete guide everything about the Tiger Cave temple. The hike to the top, what to not miss when visiting the Tiger Cave temple and much more!
The impressive golden Buddha statue and the amazing view on the surrounding mountains and jungle is well worth the hike up!
How to get to Tiger cave temple Krabi
The best way to get from Krabi town to Tiger cave temple is with a rental motorbike. If you’re comfortable enough driving one yourself of course! For around 200 Baht per day you can rent a motorbike in Krabi. Otherwise you can take the songthaew to the entrance of the Tiger Cave Temple. But the songthaew doesn’t go through the gate of the Tiger Cave complex, so you’ll need to walk a short distance to reach the ticket booth and stairs. The prices for a songthaew can vary, but it should be about 150 baht from Ao Nang or 50 baht from Krabi town one way.
Experience the Krabi night market
You can’t miss this market, or walking street, when visiting Krabi! The Krabi Night Market, Krabi Town Walking Street or Thanon Khon Dern in Thai is certainly one of the must things to do in Krabi. Experiencing the Krabi Night Market will give you a glimpse of the local southern Thai life and will give your taste buds a tickle. Local artists accompanied with many amazing food stalls are the perfect ingredients for a night out in Krabi. But you have to be in Krabi town during the weekend because the market is only open from Friday to Sunday evening 4 PM 10 PM.
Book your Krabi street food tour here
It is said that there are more than 70 stalls in total on the Krabi market. So there’s enough choice and variations in what to eat, drink and snack. The vibrant vibes and the delicious taste of the local Thai food is what this experience is all about. You mix with the local people and will therefore get a real sense of what Thailand is about.
The Krabi town walking market has lively vibes
How to get to the Krabi town night market
The Krabi town night market is located in Soi Maharaj 8 on the square right behind the Vogue Department Store in downtown Krabi. You can easily get there if you have your own rental motorbike. There are enough parking spots. But you can also easily arrange a taxi or get there by foot if you’re accommodation is close by.
Dip in the beautiful Emerald Pool
It’s not the closest by attraction to visit.. But on about 65 kilometre from Krabi Town and Ao Nang are the beautiful Emerald Pools, also known as Crystal pools because of their crystal clear waters! The trail to, and along these pools is located in the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park. The 2.7 kilometres nature trail leads you through a forest combined with mangrove. There is so much bio-diversity here which makes it the perfect place to spot rare animals and plant species. The main attraction of the forest is the Emerald Pool, but there is also a small waterfall to spot. At the ‘main emerald pool’ it is allowed to swim, but in the other smaller pools, with the appropriate name “Blue Pool”, it is not allowed to swim.
Book your Emerald Pool tour here
Read in our complete guide everything about the Emerald Pools Krabi
How to get to the Emerald Pool
It’s not the closest by attraction to visit.. But on about 65 kilometre from Krabi Town and Ao Nang are the beautiful Emerald Pools, also known as Crystal pools because of their crystal clear waters! The trail to, and along these pools is located in the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park. You can get to the Emerald Pool with a day tour from Krabi, or if you are comfortable enough driving a motorbike yourself, the best way to get there is driving yourself. This gives you the opportunity to go whatever time you want. Or you can arrange a private driver for the day with a group of people.
The walkway to the Emerald Pool Krabi
Go island hopping such as the four islands tour
Besides exploring the beautiful and diverse mainland of Krabi, going on a island hopping tour to some of the Krabi islands is also one of the must things to do in Krabi! There are many different island tours, but one you have to do is the 4 island tour Krabi. During this tour you will visit the group of islands closest to the coast of Ao Nang. The four islands are Koh Poda, Koh Gai, also known as Chicken Island, Koh Tub and Koh Mor. During the island hopping tour you will also stop at the beautiful Phra Nang Cave Beach on the Railay peninsula. But there are more variations in island hopping Krabi tours possible. Have a look at the ticket booth & information centre for taxi boats at Ao Nang beach. There you will find a price-list with all the different tour options for island hopping from Krabi.
Book your private Krabi islands sunset tour here
Book here the four islands group tour
Relax at one of the luxury Krabi spa’s
What is better than relaxing at one of the beautiful Krabi spa’s after a day of exploring? A trip to Krabi, or Thailand in general, isn’t complete when you haven’t experienced a Thai massage whilst you are there! Thai massages are famous throughout the world for their energising, supple and balanced results. The massages stimulate your organs and blood circulation giving you that refreshed feeling when toxins start to leave your body. If you have any tension in your body, a Thai massage is the answer. You are sure to feel like a different person when you leave. Make sure to drink enough water after a massage, your body needs it!
Book here a special Krabi hotsprings Spa package
Go on a day trip to Hong Island
Hong Island, also known as Koh Hong, is located in between Krabi and Phuket and is a group of four islands. It is part of the Than Bok Khorani National Park and is known for the impressive limestone formations. A visit to Hong Island makes you feel as if you’ve entered a different world! But not only the limestone cliffs and blue turquoise water are impressive, also the soft white sand beach of Hong Island beach is really beautiful. Another must visit spot on the island is Hong Lagoon, for which you have to go through a narrow rock-opening. Here you can go snorkeling or just admire the beautiful limestone cliffs and crystal clear waters.
Book here your day tour to Hong Island
Book here your Hong Island sunset tour including night snorkeling
Read in our complete guide everything you need to know about Hong Island
How to get to Hong Island
The trips to Hong Island are available from Krabi, Ao Nang beach, Railay and Klong Muang beach. Prices for the tour depends from where you depart. Always compare 1 or 2 tours with each other. Excursions can be organised on site, or booked online. During a day trip, you will visit the Hong Islands with a speed boat or longtail boat, depending on the distance you have to travel. You can also choose to combine a visit to Hong Island with a full day of exploring the other Krabi islands.
Visit Khao Khanab Nam mountains
The stunning Khao Khanab Nam Mountains are one of Krabi’s most famous landmarks. Standing at 100 metres tall, these two majestic natural wonders are the gateway to Krabi town with the river running between the two limestone cliffs. You can spot these mountains from the promenade along Krabi’s river bank. During the afternoon and evenings this is the perfect spot to walk or jog along with beautiful views. But you can also visit the the Khao Khanab Nam mountains from closer by. If you’re in for a little adventure, you can explore the cave system with collections of stalagmites and stalactites. But there is also a hiking trail leading up the mountain offering incredible views on Krabi. You only can get to these mountains with a long tail taxi boat.
Book here your private tour to the Khao Khanap Nam Cave to watch sunset
If you’re short in time or don’t fancy a little trip to these mountains, you can also spot them along the shoreline in down town Krabi. Here you will also see the bronze mud crabs sculptures. The Mud Black Crab Sculpture is the symbolic figure of Krabi. It represents the respect of the locals for the mangrove forests an the natural environment of the black crabs.
The Mud Crab monument with the Khao Khanab Nam mountains in the background
How to get to the Khao Khanab Nam mountains
You can only reach these mountains with a taxi long tail boat from Krabi’s Chao Fa Pier which takes around 15 minutes. Mostly a visit to the local mangrove forest and the Koh Klang fishing village is part of the trip.
Book here your private tour to the Khao Khanap Nam Cave to watch sunset
Enjoy the vibrant vibes of Ao Nang beach
Ao Nang is the vibrant tourist centre of Krabi where most hotels and resorts are located. Therefore is Ao Nang beach a great all rounder as you have shops, restaurants and accommodations in the close area. Impressive limestone cliffs where Krabi is famous for, surround Ao Nang which gives it still a bit of a secluded feeling, despite the many facilities. The small town takes in a 30 minute stroll from one end to the other. The beach itself is not the nicest in the Krabi province. It is located right next to the road, and with high tide there is just little beach left. But still it is a very nice place to relax or take stroll. Facing west, this is the perfect spot to spend the afternoon and watch the sunset. And when the sun has set, you only have to walk a short distance to get to the restaurants for dinner.
A beautiful sunset on Ao Nang beach
How to get to Ao Nang beach
Ao Nang is easy to reach either with a private car, taxi or by boat. By road, it takes 20 minutes from Krabi Town and Klong Muang Beach to get to Ao Nang beach. From the neighbour beach Noppharat Thara it is only a few minutes walking. By boat it depends from which beach you depart, but most long tail taxi boats have Ao Nang beach as one of their stops.
Explore the other Thai Islands
If you’ve finished this whole list with best things to do in Krabi and still have time left, why not exploring the other, bigger islands close to Krabi? Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi are both amazing options to continue your Thailand island hopping adventure. The Phang Nga Bay is great place to go island hopping from Phuket to Krabi, or the other way around! Anyway, if you have time left, you can’t miss the Phi Phi islands. Or explore the less traveled islands such as Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. Both the more rural and laid back islands with little tourism. So for the parties and hip beach life, head to Koh Phi Phi, and for the real, authentic, off the beaten path experience, head to Koh Yao Noi and Yai.
Book here your Koh Phi Phi day tour with snorkeling and Thai lunch
Book here your early tour to Phang Nga Bay, James Bond island and more
The deserted beaches on Koh Yao Noi
How to get to Krabi
Krabi is pretty easy to reach with several different transport options. Krabi has an airport, good infrastructure and many options for transport by boat taxi’s. So you can choose between any transport you like! But of course it depends where you’re traveling from.
The most easy way to get to Krabi from Bangkok, or any other domestic city, is by airplane. But you can also go from Bangkok to Krabi by bus! From other islands or mainland destinations is Krabi easily to reach by bus or partly by train. Most of the nearby islands offer transport to Krabi mainland with taxi long tail boats or speedboats. The nearest train station to Krabi is Surat Thani. From there you have to take a taxi or bus to Krabi which is about 4 hours.
Best time to visit Krabi
The best time to visit Krabi is from November to March, April which is also high season. During this period the weather is often great, with average temperatures from around 28 degrees and a cool sea breeze. The sea is also calm during this period which makes it the perfect time for island hopping tours. A few rainy days may occur in November and April, but the real rainy season is from June until October. These months experience heavy rainfall and is therefore not often visited by tourists. If you want to avoid the crowds but still have a chance of good weather, you can try to visit Krabi in shoulder season. The months around peak season can still offer nice weather, but with less crowds and lower prices.
Where to stay in Krabi
There are a few great places to stay in Krabi province. The most popular areas to stay in Krabi are:
- Ao Nang beach
- Railay beach
- Tubkaek beach
- Klong Muang beach
Almost all these places have accommodation on the beach. In particular the Tubkaek area which is the most expensive area to stay with some of the best resorts in Krabi.
If you want to stay more secluded you can choose between Railay beach and Tubkaek beach which are both in a more remote and secluded area. The biggest difference between both is that you can only reach Railay by boat, and Tubkaek is easily reachable by car and boat. But it is sure that you’ll find the more exclusive and best hotels in Krabi in these areas!
For some of the best places to stay in Krabi you should have a look around the Ao Nang area from where you can easily make day trips. This is the most central base and also has many things to do in the near area, during night time etc.
More Thailand travel guides
We hope you enjoyed this blog post about the 15 best things to do in Krabi. If you have any questions, let us know!
For more inspiration about Thailand, read these guides:
8 best beaches in Krabi – The Ultimate Guide
Things to do in Ao Nang, Krabi
Dragon Crest Hike Krabi – The Complete Hiking Guide
Emerald Pool and Krabi Hotsprings – The Complete Guide
Tiger Cave temple Krabi – The Complete Guide
Phra Nang beach and cave Krabi – The Complete Guide
Tubkaek beach – The Complete Guide
Hi Ilse, thanks for your extensive information about Krabi, Thailand. With your blog it will be no problem to visit the best places to go in Krabi !