Overview
Krabi is not the first place you think of when coming to Thailand. If you are looking for a great beach destination, places like Phuket, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui have much more international fame and have been loved for years by travelers from all over the world.
Krabi Town is little more than a sleepy town of around 50,000 people with not much going on on the surface.
The real attraction in this area, about 15 kilometers to its west on the Andaman Sea is Ao Nang, a small beachside resort town littered with hostels, resorts and hotels and Railay beach, a picturesque bay only reached by boat from Ao Nang or the Krabi port.
Mangrove Forest
Monkey at the Tiger Caves
1200 Stairs Up
Casa Blanca Hostel
Ao Nang Beach
The Golden Buddha above the Tiger Cave Temple
We all love beaches and understand the touristic value and appeal, but this is a story about Krabi Town, a forgotten gem in Thailand, a place that should be valued as so much more than just a lazy beach getaway stopover.
Krabi is unapologetically itself, not being completely changed by the tourist industry, as Phuket and other Thai cities certainly have over the last few years. Locals outnumber Farang (tourist), to a point where they are hard to find unless you are in the nightly markets.
There’s not many loud bar streets, not many drunk sunburned foreigners running a muck. It’s peaceful, calm and feels like a Thailand you have never been to before.
In the city center you will find little English, and not much going on at all, which is refreshing for a country where colors, sounds and smells become overwhelming.
The main road isn’t packed to the brim; you can actually cross the street safely. A few food carts sit on an otherwise plain road, besides the metallic action figure like statues they have perched atop their streetlights.
On the surface, theres not much to see, but if you look deeper and get out of your comfort zone, there are wonderful experiences to be had here.
What To Do
Krabi is located in one of the most beautiful parts of Thailand. Get out of the town by even 5 kilometers and you’ll be met by rolling, jagged Thai hills and mountains; something out of a story book or Mulan.
Go to the south or the west and you find beautiful sandy beaches, swaying palms and blue waters. To the east a large mangrove forest wraps around its shores, creating a dense jungle that is beginning to be explored. No matter what you want to do, Krabi has something for you, and it will certainly be beautiful.
Climb The Stairs at the Tiger Cave Temple
About 10 kilometers to the north and a 30 minute TongKaew (Truck) ride from central Krabi you will find a large Buddhist Temple Complex deemed the Tiger Cave Temple. On the exterior of the complex, the locals are completing a massive Thai style Buddhist temple with golden Buddha’s, Tiger statues and high stupas; its quite the project.
As you walk into the temple area, you are confronted with a stylistic change, as the Thai style Buddhist monuments you know are replaced by Chinese style alternatives.
To your left sits the Tiger Cave, a Buddhist holy site set inside an ancient cave directly in the mountain wall. A massive golden Buddha, a gift shop and a tiger tucked away in an upper compartment greet you as you make your way through the temple.
Return outside and visit “Wonderland”, a short walk from the Tiger Cave. Wonderland is more or less a jungle basin surrounded on all sides by high mountain walls and small caves. If you ever wanted to experience a tropical jungle adorned with high trees and thick brush, this is the place for you.
Certainly don’t leave the Tiger Cave until you ascend the 1200 steps to the viewpoint at the apex of the mountain. It’s a grueling climb, but the view is absolutely worth it.
Atop the mountain you’ll find a Large golden Buddha and small temple complex with a 360 view of the area, a view that seems to never end as if you are viewing the entirety of the country. All the leg pain, sweat, huffing and puffing to get up there will be worth it, we promise.
Chill at Ao Nang Beach
Ao Nang beach is not the best beach that you’ll find in Thailand, but its a damn good one, characterized by a long sandy shore and tons of restaurants, souvenir shops, massage places and more to make your time there enjoyable.
You can get there from Krabi town by taking a TongKaew about 30 minutes out of town. It will cost around 50-100 Baht ($2-4).
Browse the Traditional Food Market and Night Market
Just a few meters from Krabi’s main street sits a sprawling local food market, selling Thai food the old school way. You’ll find traditional dishes, fruits and desserts in a friendly and welcoming place. Duck under the low hanging blue tarp to find yourself immersed in the diversity of Thai cuisine, with Thai Muslim dishes, fried and smoked fish, sticky rice concoctions and fruits you have never seen before come to view.
If you want a less traditional, more westernized market, they have one of those too, every night! We were shocked by the diversity of food they were selling and the excellent price at which you could buy everything. In the weekend market, they also have a large clothing and merchandise section.
Take a Walk Through The Mangroves
If you walk from the city center about twenty minutes northeast, you’ll find an entrance to a local mangrove forest. Mangroves are unique tress that grow typically in swamp areas, so you can actually see the roots below the main trunk. They twist and wind their way between each-other creating a one of a kind scene and something that is not to be missed on any trip to Krabi Town.
What To Eat
Muslim Food: Southern Thailand is home to many Muslims, which left an interesting twist on the Thai food that you may know. Be sure to try a Roti; a flat bread fried in butter typically topped with chocolate and bananas for something sweet, or a typical southern Thai yellow curry with beef.
Red Chicken: In the markets in Krabi you’ll find women selling grilled vibrant red chicken in a sticky peanut sauce. Absolutely delicious.
Best Roasted Pork and Rice in Town: This you’ll find right next to Casa Blanca Krabi, served up by an extremely cute old couple, only selling two different dishes. You have to get the roasted pork (five spice stewed pork leg) with fresh steamed rice and a garlic sauce.
Where to Stay
During our time in Krabi, we were welcomed by Ben, the owner of Casa Blanca Krabi, Krabi Towns only boutique hostel. Not only was it an amazing stay, but the hostel is gorgeous and brand new, with a fantastic bar/cafe on the first floor and a cozy dorm room on the second. You can even take a shower on their rooftop and watch the red sunset over the town
Transportation
The transportation in Krabi is mostly straightforward, as the city is not very big. If you want to go to something outside the city, generally you have to take a KongTaew (White Truck), for a flat fee of between 60-100 baht.
Krabi has an international airport, which makes it a convenient spot to get to. The price from the airport to Krabi town is 100-150 baht.
My Travel Essentials For A European Backpacking Trip
Below you'll find a list of my must bring backpacking items. I have gotten this list down to my essentials through trial and error over 4 years of living in a backpack. I hope you'll find these items helpful on your journey!
►Main Backpacking Backpack: https://amzn.to/3vUHdik [Amazon]
►Great Front Facing Duffle-bag : https://amzn.to/3SjK6Ra [Amazon]
►Quick Dry Towel : https://amzn.to/3uarxH8 [Amazon]
►Multi Country Charger Adapter : https://amzn.to/3Ul37p0 [Amazon]
►Refillable Water Bottle : https://amzn.to/48SnG0n [Amazon]
►Padlock : https://amzn.to/3SdyYp7 [Amazon]
►Earplugs : https://amzn.to/498xTpl [Amazon]
►Power Bank : https://amzn.to/3SyXP8e [Amazon]
Travel Photography & Video Favorites
If you're interested in creating your own video content on your trip, these are some of my favorite items I've had. They work, they're effective and besides the Sony Aa7C, they aren't going to break the bank either!
►On the Go Video | Go Pro Hero 12 : https://amzn.to/3u38oHh [Amazon]
►Photography | Sony A7C : https://amzn.to/3u1Y6ap [Amazon]
►Portable Tripod | https://amzn.to/42ojHqc [Amazon]
►Lavalier Microphone | https://amzn.to/3SbL41U [Amazon]
►Drone | https://amzn.to/47TCwSY [Amazon]
►Portable Monitor | https://amzn.to/3Hzv2dg
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