What to see in Krabi

White beaches and emerald sea, between limestone giants and tropical silences

There is a strip of the world where nature best expresses one of its many wonders. In Krabi, in the southern province of Thailand, natural beauty explodes luxuriantly and is combined with the pure expression of the soul of those who know how to admire it. 

Krabi offers a holiday with a slow charm, a soft adventure in one of the most evocative coastal regions of Thailand between exotic beaches, wild nature and total relaxation that invites you to stop and fully enjoy every moment.

The coastal province of Krabi is located just over 800 kilometers south of Bangkok, lying on the Andaman Sea with small archipelagos, over 150 islands and beautiful beaches. Krabi seduces in silence, among karst pinnacles that emerge from the waters like thousand-year-old sentinels, beaches that unroll like ivory scrolls and caves that guard the breath of the gods.

The best time to admire its full beauty is from November to April. Its magnificence does not lend itself to the obvious, Krabi is for travellers who are looking for a different form of travel: that of elegant isolation, of time that slows down, of silence that becomes an accomplice.

Once in Krabi, the capital and main center of the province of the same name, we head towards Ao Nang, a tourist destination on the coast. The beating heart of Ao Nang is a bustling main street, lined with restaurants, pubs, shops and boarding points to secluded mainland beaches and island paradises nearby.

Ao Nang, with its seawalk and the slow rippling of jade-colored waves, is often the first port of call. But it is only a prologue. Because it is when you embark on a long-tail boat - iconic wooden boats that seem suspended between past and legend - that you really begin to read the emotional map of Krabi that has been the setting for famous films. 

Ao Nang Beach
 

Ao Nang Beach is a corner of paradise with shallow crystal clear waters that light up with a thousand shades between the limestone rocks. The bay is located about 20 kilometers from the city and is well served by hotels, shops, boat rentals, canoes and diving equipment. 

It is the ideal starting point for venturing out to discover the Phi Phi Islands, the beaches of Railay and Tham Phra Nang on the mainland of Nang Bay, Poda Island and Kai Island, where you can practice snorkeling and diving.

Nopparat Thara Beach

From Ao Nang you can discover amazing seabeds off the beach of Noppharat Thara. The three-kilometre-long beach can be reached by tuk-tuk. On the emerald sea, its area of light sand is covered with small shells. 

In addition to swimming, it is a perfect place for a nature walk among the small islets within walking distance in a breathtaking setting, home to the Noppharat Thara Beach National Park and the Phi Phi archipelago. 

Railay Beach

Railay is a classic tropical paradise among majestic limestone cliffs that soar from the land and sea. Railay Beach is the most famous and is located on a peninsula, between Krabi Town and Ao Nang, surrounded by jungle, rocks and lapped by the Andaman Sea. 

Accessible only by boat, sailing to Railay Beach is a secular pilgrimage between rock towers and limestone caves. Here, every sunset is an apocalypse of beauty: the sky reveals itself in pinkish shades while the cliffs stand out like solidified mirages.

Loved for relaxation or adventure, it offers various outdoor activities: kayaking, diving, snorkeling, trekking in the jungle or with elephants, rafting and quad biking. For rock climbing enthusiasts, Railay is a vertical Eden especially in the Ton Sai area. 

The limestone walls overlooking the sea, smoothed by time and sea wind, offer one of the most spectacular stages in the world to climb high - not only physically, but spiritually. The northern end offers a lively promenade with shops, restaurants and resorts.

With a canoe or kayak you will skirt the atolls of Koh Phanak or Koh Hong, venturing into dark caves inhabited by bats and swallows (who live here for short periods and where they build their nests) continuing between rocky arches, canyons and lagoons with rich mangrove vegetation. 

The extensive coasts of Ao Nang hold the most fascinating places, including bays, tropical islands and famous beaches such as the Phra Nang Cave beach, reachable only by boat with caves, cliffs and a fine white sand beach lapped by crystal clear waters. 

Poda Islands Archipelago

The archipelago of the Poda Islands is made up of four different islands: Koh Poda, Koh Kai, Koh Tup and Koh Mor which are located south of Phra Nang Bay, about eight kilometers from the coast, reachable by a long tail boat in 25 minutes from Ao Nang Bay. 

Here the sea is warm, clear and transparent with sandy beaches and a beautiful coral reef for snorkeling or diving among colorful fish and hard corals. 

During low tide, strips of sand join the small islets of Koh Kai (known as Chicken Island for its chicken-head shape) and Koh Tup. The beautiful Poda Island can be visited on foot, walking on the white and soft beach between large limestone cliffs and rich vegetation.

Koh Lanta Archipelago

Lanta Island is part of an archipelago whose largest islands are Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai. Here the islands come out vertically out of the sea, hiding secluded beaches that can only be reached by typical long-tail boats. Lanta Island is long and thin with flat terrain that invites you to stroll between small temples, fishing villages and the old town of Lanta Old Town, among its typical houses on stilts, lively fried chicken stalls or fish restaurants. 

The best beaches are located in the west where you can admire beautiful sunsets, such as the quiet Khlong Dao of white sand and Phra Ae or Long Beach with resorts and restaurants but also the relaxing Khlong Nin surrounded by tropical forest. Ferries arrive from Krabi, Phuket and Phi Phi Island to Saladan, in the north, where you can visit the village of Baan Saladan inhabited by fishermen.

Phi Phi Archipelago

The Phi Phi Archipelago is located about 40 kilometers from Krabi and Phuket and consists of six islands with limestone rocks, cliffs, beaches and coral reefs. The island of Phi Phi Don hosts a marine ecosystem to the north (Cape Tong) and excellent diving spots to Cape Hua Raket. 

Phi Phi Le is a small, uninhabited island with limestone mountains, rocks, and shallow seabeds. Other wonders to visit are: Maya Bay, the Viking Cave where the inhabitants collect swallows' nests and inside you can admire colorful paintings of elephants and boats, perhaps made by merchants or pirates. 

North of Phi Phi Don, Yung Island and Phai Island are very beautiful with beaches and coral reefs. The Phi Phi archipelago can be reached by ferry from Krabi's Chao Fa Pier or by speedboat from Ao Nang and then venture to the nearby islands aboard typical Thai boats (long tail boats).

Hong Archipelago

The Hong Archipelago is characterized by limestone islands with beaches and coral reefs rich in different species of fish, perfect to visit by canoe or kayak in the coves of Krabi. 

The islands that make up the Hong Archipelago are: Lao Island, Sa Ka Island, Lao Riam Island, Pakka Island, Lao La Ding Island and Koh Hong Island. 

Koh Hong Island is the largest with masses of rocks overlooking the sea and small beaches on the coast while in the center it houses a beach with calm and transparent emerald waters for snorkeling, swimming among colorful fish or venturing out in canoes. The archipelago can be reached in an hour by boat from Nang Bay.

Krabi National Parks

The hinterland is rich in protected areas and national parks. Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, with its turquoise waterfalls and natural pools, is a green temple where the rustle of the fronds mixes with the hypnotic song of gibbons. 

Here, nature is sacred and all-encompassing. Mountains with trees and dense forests are home to unspoiled nature inhabited by wild animals. Among the beauties to visit: the waterfalls of Huai To and Huai Sa-de and Mount Phanom Bencha 1,397 meters high, loved by climbers. Equally fascinating, the Than Bok Khorani National Park with nature trails, limestone rock caves (to be explored by kayak), mangrove forests, small lakes and islands. 

Finally, the Khao Pra-Bang Khram Nature Reserve in Ban Nang Tiao (18 kilometers from the Thom Canal District) with a nature trail between the forest inhabited by rare species of birds or plants and the Emerald Pond, where bathing is refreshing as a purification ritual.

Krabi, however, does not end in contemplation. Its floating villages, night markets teeming with life and scents, the smaller islands, are invitations to immerse yourself in exotic everyday life, to dialogue with a gentle culture, made up of real smiles and slow gestures. 

Thai Gastronomy

The travel experience is also completed by moments of sanuk (joie de vivre) with tasting of traditional Thai dishes based on fragrant rice (Jasmine Rice), fish, seafood, vegetables and fruit in an explosion of colors and flavors. 

Try it in restaurants, markets (even at night) or in the renowned Thai street food: Khao pad (fried rice with pork or chicken, chilies and fish sauce); Khao Tom (rice soup with pork and garlic), Khao Niaw (sticky rice to be eaten with your hands to go with Kai Yang grilled chicken), soups made with curry or coconut milk (Tom Kha), Tom Yam Kung (sour-spicy shrimp soup). 

But also noodles and rice noodles (Pad Thai, rice noodles sautéed with chicken and vegetables), Moo Daeng (rice noodles in broth with spicy pork) and Som Tam, spicy green papaya salad. To finish the exotic fruits such as Dragon Fruit, Chompu, Durian, Jackfruit, Rambutan and Mangosteen served for dessert such as Mango with sticky rice, covered in coconut milk.

All that remains is to leave for Krabi, where time is countless, you cross learning the art of suspension: that precious break in which everything stops running in a postcard destination.
 

Texts by Alisè Vitri, Avion Tourism Magazine
Photos and visuals for editorial use only: Copyright © Sisterscom.com / Depositphotos
All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited. Copyright © Sisterscom.com

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Discover Krabi from Milan Bergamo Airport

From Milan Bergamo airport it is possible to reach Krabi with a comfortable continuation flight made by flydubai and Air Arabia UAE and a short stopover in the United Arab Emirates. 

 

AIRPORT COMPANY	OUTBOUND	FLIGHT	RETURN FLIGHT
flydubai	DUBAI	4h airport transit	4h airport transit
Air Arabia UAE	SHARJAH	Transit at the airport of 1.30 h	2h airport transit

 

Check the flight schedule for Dubai and Sharjah and set off to discover Krabi: a tropical paradise in Thailand famous for its white sandy beaches, majestic limestone cliffs, dream islands such as Phi Phi and Hong Island, and a crystal clear sea that invites you to snorkel, dive and boat trips among secret lagoons and unforgettable sunsets.

 

Partnership with Booking.com / Travelpayouts
 

Where to stay in Krabi

Krabi offers various possibilities for accommodation in facilities equipped with the best services.
To find the ideal hotel and the best offers, you can search by stars but also by places of interest.