Where to stay in Krabi – for first timers, solo travellers and families

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Krabi is a beach paradise and a must-visit in the south of Thailand. Just a short flight from Bangkok to Krabi International airport, you will want to include it in any itinerary of yours. While not as famous as Phuket, Krabi is definitely our favourite especially if you would like a relaxing vacation with a good mix of activities, shopping and partying. Where to stay in Krabi is a question of whether you want a resort experience or want to spend more time outdoors exploring the region.

Buddha above Tiger Cave Temple

If you have been living under a stone and are wondering where Krabi is, Krabi is in Southern Thailand and is dotted with beaches on either side of Krabi Bay, where the Krabi river empties into the Andaman Sea. The Bay is chock full of islands (or Kohs, in Thai). The Krabi mainland is also home to several national parks. Tourism is the mainstay of this region, owing to the flocks of tourists that visit to embrace nature and enjoy the spectacular sunsets from the tens of beaches along the coast of Krabi. The hospitality in this destination is one of the best in all of Thailand, so that’s saying something. We had earlier written about spending 5 days in Krabi – itinerary.

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The following are the best hotels of Krabi to stay in, broken down by area and what you should do there.

Ao Nang Beach

It’s so central to the Krabi experience, it is also known as Krabi beach. It’s a beachfront location targeted to tourists, extremely westernized and offers cheap options for accommodation. It’s the best location to experience shopping and nightlife in Krabi with most activity on Main Street itself.

Ao Nang Walking Street

Things to do in and near Ao Nang Beach:

  • Ao Nang Beach: Small, bustling and with plenty of shopping and some water sports available for bargain rates.
  • Nopparat Thara Beach: Home to a number of resorts and private beaches, this makes for a quieter (but not significantly) beach experience about 15 km from Ao Nang beach. Make your way here during sunset.
  • Fossil Shell Beach: An incredible shell covered beach with centuries’ old “fossils”
  • Koh Phi Phi: A beautiful island with clear green-blue waters and a spectacular sandy beach, get here by tourist boats
  • Koh Poda: Less overrun by tourists than its sister island Koh Phi Phi but equally beautiful.
  • Railay Beach: A white beach accessible only by boat and flanked by awesome limestone cliffs.
  • Nightlife: The Krabi Pub Crawl is recommended if you have time to sleep in the next morning

Also check out: Island hopping in Krabi

Where to stay in Ao Nang Beach:

Budget Stay/ Hostels in Ao Nang Beach

1. The Moment Hostel: One of the more popular hostels, about 10 minutes from Ao Nang Beach and close to several popular restaurants and bars. The hostel has laundry services and a mini-mart on its premises.
Drawback: Distance. While you’re not on the beach, it’s not that far a walk either. This is a great place to chill out with relative peace and quiet (for a Krabi hostel, that is). Check live prices and availability.

2. Mini Boxtel Aonang: This hostel is a stone’s throw away from all the nightlife in Ao Nang, offers good value for money with a great terrace view of the beach. With the Ao Nang beach less than 300m from this hostel, what more would you need?
Drawback: The noise. You’re in party central with tourists from world-over looking for the time of their lives. Music strays into the hostel until nearly 3 am. Check live prices and availability.

3. Glur Hostel: Located in a peaceful part of Ao Nang, this property is a convenient bargain for a hostel and boasts a mountain view and a swimming pool with a swagged out entertainment area.
Drawback: Mosquitoes. Carry mosquito repellent to make for an overwhelmingly better stay in Krabi, especially Glur. Also because it’s located in a quiet bylane, it isn’t the best choice for solo female travellers. Check live prices and availability.

4. Slumber Party Hostel and Bar – Krabi: Located conveniently to the beach and Ao Nang Main Street, this hostel is one of the many adult-only accommodations in Thailand- and for good reason. They invented the Krabi Pub Crawl experience and parties here never seem to end. Plan to stay here to experience the full extent of Krabi nightlife, at least for a day.
Drawback: This doesn’t make for a relaxed slumber spot if you need to catch some Zs, but it’s clean and pretty and the staff is kind enough for you to nurse a hangover. Check live prices and availability.

Mid-range hotels in Ao Nang Beach

1. Maneetel Krabi Beachfront: A luxury stay in Thailand is ubiquitous and Maneetel is a prime example of the same. Across the road from the Nopparat Thara Beach, it offers great service, free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast. Boat rides to Phi Phi islands can be booked at the front desk. Check live prices and availability.

2. Andaman Breeze Resort: A beautiful property near Ao Nang Beach with an outdoor pool and all the amenities you could ever want. Check live prices and availability.

3. BlueSotel Krabi: Located in between Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara Beach, the hotel offers stunning mountain views and in-house spa services and a free airport shuttle. Check live prices and availability.

Other alternatives: Holiday Inn Resort Krabi Ao Nang Beach | Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang | Aonang Cliff Beach Resort

Luxury Stays in Ao Nang Beach, Krabi

1. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi: Nestled away in Pai Plong Bay the beachfront resort has everything you could wish for from a luxury stay. Accessible by boat alone, it features pools, a Jacuzzi, a spa, kids’ clubs, complimentary water sports, and a PADI diving centre to explore the pristine waters of the bay. Check live prices and availability.

2. Ban Sainai Resort: A majestic property with the best reviews in Krabi hands down, this resort houses rustic cottage design in Thai styles. It boasts the best in Thai hospitality and signature friendliness. Amenities are aplenty. Check live prices and availability.

3. Aonang Cliff Beach Resort: Aonang Cliff Beach Resort boasts spectacular views of the cliff and the Andaman Sea. With easy access to the beach, shopping, dining and nightlife, staying here really leaves you open to explore all of Aonang. Centre yourself with the Thai Spa, Gym, Muay Thai, Yoga and Tai Chi classes offered in the Wellness Centre. Being in the centre of town promises ease of travel and exploration. Check live prices and availability.

Railay Beach

Rai Leh or Railay is a bay area between Krabi City and Ao Nang Beach with only sea access due to picturesque limestone cliffs cutting off access to the beach. It is full of exclusive resorts and villas for a quiet and luxury time. There’s no use for cars or even bicycles in this peninsula so be prepared to walk the length of Railay to see the white sands of Pranang Cave and Beach and to the limestone rocks.

The beautiful Phi Phi

Things to do in and around Railay Beach

  • Pranang Beach and Cave
  • Rock climbing at the limestone cliffs
  • Forest Excursions & Treks

Where to stay in Railay Beach:

Mid-range hotels in Railay Beach, Krabi

1. Bhu Nga Thani Resort & Spa: Pamper yourself with the extensive spa menu and beauty services offered by this resort. Book your island hopping and snorkelling at the tour desk. It’s located close to the limestone mountains and mangrove forests. Check live prices and availability.

2. Sunrise Tropical Resort: Located on Railay East beach, it’s a comfortable stay on the beach with simple amenities and a convenient airport shuttle on booking your stay here. Getting here by ferry/ longtail boats are possible too. Check live prices and availability.

Luxury Resort at Railay Beach

Rayavadee Resort: If you’ve decided to stay in a luxury property at Railay Beach, then it has got to be Rayavadee. Surrounded on all sides by nature and the Krabi Marine National Park, expect to see monkeys, exotic birds while being pampered at the spa or dining at one of the 4 restaurants on the property. Rayavadee is luxury exemplified, nestled in nature to give you an immersive experience of Thailand. Check live prices and availability.

Klong Muang Beach

An untouched slice of paradise, it’s still relatively modest in terms of tourist entertainment. Go here for the retreat to Thai culture and nature, just 6 km from the saturated Ao Nang Beach.

Island Hopping from Klong Muang Beach

Where to stay in Klong Muang Beach:

Best Hostel in Klong Muang Beach, Krabi Province

Reset Hostel: A clean, convenient and hospitable stay is what Reset Hostel guarantees guests. It’s a short walk down to the beach itself but you’ll need to hire cars from here to explore all of Krabi. You can catch a beautiful sunset right from the hostel itself. The hospitality and amenities are excellent and despite its distance from Ao Nang or Krabi Town, you’ll see many travellers opting to stay here. Check live prices and availability.

Luxury Hotels in Klong Muang, Krabi

1. The Pelican Residence & Suite, Krabi: Family-friendly and accessible to all prime locations in Krabi, you should choose the Pelican for its Westernized experience and the outdoor pool and the kid’s club and pool. Check live prices and availability.

2. Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort, Krabi: On a private beach with an incredible spa and restaurant and outdoor pools, it has a good enough breakfast and wifi to keep you entertained on the property. It works well for families with kids and offers entertainment and babysitting options if you want a relaxed spa afternoon. Check live prices and availability.

3. The Elements Krabi Resort: This 4-star property features air-conditioned suites, an outdoor swimming pool and a sauna in addition to the beachfront. This is the best in luxury stay you can find in the Klong Muang area. You will need to arrange a car to explore Krabi from this location. Check live prices and availability.

Krabi Town

Krabi Town is located centrally to Krabi province and is bustling with local economic activities like fishing & trading that do not concern tourists at all. If you’re looking to experience local culture and stay for cheap at a convenient location to all major attractions in Krabi, this is a good choice. It offers a good but unique selection of food, sightseeing, nightlife and shopping as compared with the beach-locations. Renting a bike or car is necessary to explore the rest of Krabi well from Krabi Town.

Wat Kaew Korawaram at Krabi Town

Things to do in and around Krabi Town:

  • Tiger Cave Temple: A majestic and imposing Buddhist temple in Krabi. It is known for the tiger paw prints in the cave and a long walk up a mountain. The Buddha statue and the view at the top are worth it.
  • Wat Kaew Korawaram: A grand temple located in downtown Krabi, walk up 100s of steps lined with beautiful naga sculptures to this Buddhist shrine.
  • Emerald Pond: A mineral pool in the forests seems like something out of the movies.
  • Khao Ngon Nak Viewpoint: A hike up to a mountain in a national park, not for the faint-hearted but totally worth the effort.

Where to stay in Krabi Town:

Great Hostels in Krabi Town

1. Hogwarts Hostel: Also spelt as Hogwortz Hostel sometimes, it is located in the bustle of town, close to Wat Kaew Korawaram and the weekend night market is part of the charm of this hostel. Travellers loved the overall experience, facilities and Wi-Fi speeds. It’s also very close to bus stations (easy access from the airport) and taxi stands. Check live prices and availability.

2. Chanchalay Hip Hostel: Located similarly to Hogwarts, this hostel looks nicer in terms of ambience and feel but has an outdoor shower. It also comes with an attached cafe. Check live prices and availability.

3. Pak-Up Hostel: This property offers a boutique hostel experience with airport shuttles, a bar and air-conditioned rooms at the centre of town. Bike rentals, washing machine use and massage bookings are part of the services provided that make Pak-Up so popular. It’s also a good place to meet more travellers from all over the world. The proximity to Chaofa Pier makes it all the more convenient to travel to islands and secluded beaches in Krabi. Check live prices and availability.

4. Snoozz Hotel: This is where we stayed when we went to Krabi. Right next to Wat Kaew Korawaram and less than 100 metres to the night market, this was a perfect choice for us. Oh, and by the way, this hostel is clean and have a super friendly front-desk! Check live prices and availability.

Snoozz Hotel - Good hostel in Krabi Town

Mid-range hotels in Krabi Town

Nap Krabi Hotel: While luxury hotels are few and far within Krabi town, this one manages to tick all the boxes- shuttle service, Wi-Fi, outdoor pools, balcony, fitness centre- while being located close to the Tiger Cave Temple. Try to explore the Phanom Bencha National Park if you’re staying at this location and have time to spare. Check live prices and availability.

Final thoughts

Krabi is a must-visit and offers a variety of options for any type of traveller. You will not leave without Krabi’s natural beauty touching you and you should add it to any Thailand trip.

Staying at Krabi town, Klong Muang or Ao Nang beach offers the cheapest stays but the former two locations have significant travelling costs attached. Ao Nang is popular, cheap and central but overrun with tourists so you can choose to stay at secluded resorts in Railay and the outskirts of Ao Nang if your budget permits. The extra cost will be worth it for the service and hospitality you get in return. However, if your time is limited, then pick Ao Nang, and you will not regret it.

If you’ve ever been to these properties, share your thoughts and experiences with us!


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