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Longtail boats on Ao Nang Beach

Ao Nang (อ่าวนาง), colloquially referred to as "Krabi", is a sub-district and a resort town of the Mueang Krabi District, in Thailand's Krabi Province. In high-season, it is the busiest and most tourist-oriented beach destination of the province and consequently one of the most expensive places in Thailand outside of Bangkok. Phuket is cheap by comparison. In low-season prices revert to normal and the town is relatively deserted. Ao Nang is about 14 km from Krabi Town.

Understand

Formally Ao Phra Nang ("Princess Bay") although everybody uses the short form, Ao Nang. It is the most "Westernized" beach in Krabi, originally a backpacker hotspot but now upmarket as the airport brings in higher flyers. While not quite as scenic as Rai Leh, there is some cheap accommodation, many good restaurants, easy transport and travel/tour agencies ready to cater to your every whim, making it a good base for exploring Krabi.

Orienting yourself in Ao Nang is easy: almost everything is either along the beach, which runs west-east, or along Airport Road (Hwy 4203) which goes up north from the east end of the beach. Longtail boats arrive on the beach near the junction of the two roads. These longtails, though, account for a problem: the level of noise pollution created by an endless chain of unmuffled boat motors during high season is substantial. As long as visitors are ever increasing this problem will continue to worsen and detract from the beauty of this beach. Another problem getting more acute with the rising number of tourists in high season is the volume of raw sewage carried directly into the sea where Ao Nang Beach and Nopparat Thara Beach meet.

One of Ao Nang's drawbacks is that Ao Nang Beach and Nopparat Thara Beach are crummy beaches, certainly not beaches worth flying thousands of miles to visit. The Rai Leh Peninsula has superior—but crowded—beaches, but to get there you are dependent on the local longtail boat cartel which will charge you 100 baht to get there.

Get in

By plane

Krabi International Airport is about 40 minutes away by car. The local airport limo monopoly charges a fairly steep 600+ baht for a transfer (up to 4 people). Many hotels will arrange a pickup at similar prices on request. Travel time is about half an hour.

Local shuttle buses — really just converted pickup trucks (songthaew) — run from Ao Nang to Krabi (40 baht) and from Krabi to the airport (50 baht). The trip between Ao Nang and the airport takes little less than 2 hours. To get to Ao Nang from Krabi town you should look for a white songthaew outside the 7-11.

There is a big bus service from the airport to Ao Nang beach and Nopparat Thara Beach (just after Ao Nang). There are about 4 services a day. It travels from the airport to Krabi Town, the ferry terminal, then onwards to Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara. Good for some sight-seeing. Rates are 150 baht per person and travel time to Ao Nang is 1 hour.

The buses are not new and are quite noisy. But, the best part is, the bus can drop you off at the doorstep of most hotels in Krabi Town, Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara. Just let the driver know the name of your hotel in advance. Language is not an issue, as most of them speak some English.

For the return trip, you can call the hotline 1 day before to arrange pick-up at your hotel. Or you can wait at any of the 4 bus stops in Ao Nang (one is in front of McDonald's) and Nopparat Thara. You need to be there at least 10 minutes before the bus is due to arrive. You can buy ticket on the bus or in any of the tourist information points.

By bus

The nearest inter-provincial bus station is in Krabi town.

  • 1 Krabi Bus Terminal. In Krabi, buses use the bus terminal at Talad Kao, about 5 km north of town centre. It is one of Thailand's better bus stations: it's clean, has bilingual signage, a good cafe, many local transport options (motorbike taxi, songthaew, taxi, minivan), and free Wi-Fi.

Krabi is served by regularly scheduled buses from all over the kingdom. Buses from Bangkok travel to Krabi down Hwy 4, the major north-south route from Malaysia to Bangkok, stopping along the way at towns like Chumphon and Hua Hin. At any of these stops you can go onward to Krabi. From Hua Hin to Krabi, for example, a BKS (government) bus departs from the station south of town centre at 22:00 (there are certainly more buses during the day). A VIP seat costs 855 baht (Jan 2016). It arrives in Krabi at about 06:30. Important: to get the best price you must go to the bus station to buy your ticket. You will be offered a choice of seats when booking. If booking a VIP seat, DO NOT choose a seat immediately behind either of the two stairwells on the double-decker bus. If you do, you will have no legroom whatsoever and would be better off going first-class at a cheaper price. If travelling during the day, give some thought to the location of the sun morning and afternoon. If going north after noon, sit on the right side of the bus; if south, sit on the left side.

To travel to Ao Nang from the Krabi bus station (or anywhere along the route they travel), look for a white, well-marked ("Krabi-Ao Nang") songthaew. From the bus station to Ao Nang, it will cost 60 baht on arrival at your desired stop.

By boat

Rai Leh West and Ton Sai are only 10 minutes away while the less developed Had Yao (Long Beach) is 25 minutes away by longtail boat. Boats leave constantly from the east end of the beach and charge a flat 80 baht/person during the day, 100 baht/person at night (after 18:00). There is no pier so expect to get at least your feet wet, probably more. A longtail boat from Ao Nang is available all seasons, but subject to the weather. In the monsoon season (May–October), getting to Rai Leh from Ao Nammao is recommended.

There are also public ferry services to Ko Phi Phi and Ko Lanta (usually twice daily), for which any travel agent will be happy to sell you tickets at around 200 baht/person. During the monsoon season, the ferry runs once day.

Boats from Ko Lanta now arrive at the new jetty, from there take a taxi (350 baht), or local bus to Krabi (50 baht) and then on to Ao Nang (40 baht).

By songthaew

There is a songthaew (shared pick-up truck/taxi) service to Ao Nang from Krabi town, which runs throughout daylight hours in low season and up to 22:00 in high season. The fare is 50 baht and they can be expected every 15–20 minutes. Songthaews are colour coded according to destination so make sure if you are coming to Ao Nang from Krabi you get on a white one. To find one of these white ones in Krabi, go to the Vogue Shopping Centre on Maharaj Rd (the main road).

Get around

Tuk-tuks in Ao Nang charge a flat 20 baht/person for trips around town. Songthaews also run all across Ao Nang to Shell Beach and some all the way to Krabi Town, fares from 10 baht up depending on distance.

If you are going to or from the bus station in Krabi, a songthaew costs 60 baht. The Krabi-Ao Nang songthaews are white, with destinations clearly indicated in English. If you don't see one at the side of the bus station, wait a while and one will come by. In Ao Nang along the beach road, catch a songthaew to the bus station by standing on the beach side, not the inland side, of the road. This is counter-intuitive as Krabi is in the opposite direction.

Renting a motorbike is a great way to explore some of the sites outside of Ao Nang. There are shops up and down the major strips and you can get a reliable bike for 24 hours for 150-200 baht.

See

Fossilized seashell concrete?
  • Ao Nang Beach. Ao Nang Beach, lined with shops and restaurants, is more like a base for exploring Krabi than an important destination in itself. The west side of the beach is no great beauty, being heavily littered and ruined by the massive number of boats ready to take tourists to other beaches and to the islands. Most tourists spend the day on the east side of the beach, which is more scenic, swimmer-friendly, and contains some friendly monkeys interacting with visitors, although litter is a problem and the area is crossed by a putrid stream. From there, a 10 minute trail leads to the far east side of the beach. This is the most scenic and peaceful part of the Ao Nang Beach, but has no infrastructure other than the Centara Resort. The trail itself is not particularly difficult, but still best avoided by the elderly, disabled, and small children.
  • Fossil Shell Beach (Su-san Hoi, literally "Seashell Graveyard") (7 km west of Ao Nang). This overblown tourist attraction has slates of compressed 40 million year old shellfish, which resemble concrete. There's also a small grubby museum and a huge slew of gift shops. This tourist trap is simply not worth the money unless you're a geology student. As the official Krabi tourism website (rather honestly) puts it, "Most are either engrossed to [sic] this or totally indifferent...". 200 baht for foreigners, 20 baht for Thais.
  • Nopparat Thara Beach. Long beach at the western tip of Ao Nang, zoned as a national park. Nopparat Thara beach is effectively divided in two parts, separated by a river that hosts the Nopparat pier, where longtail boats and speedboats depart to bring tourists to other islands and beaches.

    The western half is located in the neighboring Nong Thale subdistrict. It is mostly surrounded by forest and a few resorts, and hence extremely quiet.

    The eastern half, located in Ao Nang, is lined with hotels, restaurants and shops, although not as much as Ao Nang beach. In the section of the beach closer to the pier, there are more businesses catering to Thai, rather to Western visitors, making it a good place to look for budget food. Nopparat Thara is a quieter alternative to Ao Nang and excellent for a morning stroll or watching the sunset, but the beach gets rather narrow at high tide, and it is a good idea to ask the locals if it is jellyfish season before plunging in if no one else is in the water. Near the river, during low tide you can walk up to some of the nearby craggy limestone islands like Kao Pak Klong.

Do

Rai Leh and Ko Phi Phi are just around the corner and there are many tour operators offering activities such as sea kayaking and elephant treks. Rock climbing can be arranged through Ao Nang agencies who will arrange transfers, lunch, and as much climbing as your limbs can handle. Alternatively, simply wander over to Rai Leh or Ton Sai and organize an introductory course yourself.

Camping

  • Andaman Camp and Cruise, +66 87 8851125. Private, customised day trips and camping trips to many islands. They can also help plan individual itineraries, accommodation and transfers. Fast, helpful, English speaking service with emails answered within 24 hours. Highly recommended.

Climbing

  • Ao Nang Climbers. Useful info and courses from beginner to experienced climber. Children welcome.

Cooking

Hiking

  • 1 Tab Kak Hang Nak Nature Trail. The Tab Kak Hang Nak Nature Trail is northwest of Ao Nang close to beaches/resorts, a couple of kilometres north of Klong Muang Beach. It will take you through the jungle and up to a peak with a fantastic view over Ao Nang and more. A sign claims the hike to be 3.7 km but it feels like more. That's because the trail is almost all up. Thai trailblazers don't do switchbacks. No mosquitoes. There is a small ladder that needs to be climbed, but the trail is an easy one if you have decent shoes. Don't try this in flip-flops as the trail is rocky. with exposed roots and where it is not, it is certainly a mudslide when the ground is wet. At the trailhead they ask you to sign in with departure and return times.

Scuba diving

Most of the dive shops offer a very similar price for the dive courses and dive trips. However, take a good look around as there some good seasonal bargains to be found. Sites visited daily include the local islands in Ao Nang, Phi Phi Marine National Park, the King Cruiser wreck site and Shark Point Marine Sanctuary. It's now also possible to do a one day safari by speedboat to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang for a chance to see whale sharks and manta rays, or to do some spectacular cavern diving at the five islands of Ko Ha Yai. Some of the more popular dive sites can become crowded in the peak of high season late-December to early-January

  • 2 Aqua Vision Dive Centre (On the main beach road 2 min up from McDonalds at the Dusit Thani Beach Resort in Klong Muang), +66 75 637415, . Experienced PADI 5-Star IDC dive centre. English, German, Swedish, French, Spanish, Russian, and Thai language dive guides. Dive trips by speedboat to Phi Phi and local islands. Weekly trips to Shark Point, Anemone Reef, King Cruiser wreck, trips also available to Hin Daeng, Ko Ha Yai, Racha Islands.
  • Kon-Tiki Diving and Snorkeling Center, 161/1 Moo 2 (in front of Krabi Resort), +66 75 637826. PADI 5-Star IDC dive centre . Their boats runs daily diving and snorkelling tours to Phi Phi Islands with weekly trips to Shark Point, King Cruiser wreck, Hin Daeng/Hin Muang. The dive centre is recognized as one of Thailand's leading eco-dive centres with several awards for teaching environmental awareness.
  • Phran Nang Divers, 32/10 Moo 2. English-run PADI dive centre with over 15 years experience diving in Ao Nang. Courses run in English and German, most European languages also available.
  • Poseidon Dive Center, 23/27 Moo 2 (On the main road, 70 m from Ao Nang Beach, opposite Ao Nang Villa and Ao Nang Orchid Resort), +66 75 6377263. Daily, 09:00-21:00. Friendly and individual dive centre that offers trips to Ko Phi Phi as well as to famous local dive sites, such as Ko Sii, Ko Haa, Ko Talu and others. They offer a big range of courses from beginners up to professional, fun dives, free-diving and specialties in different languages.
  • Raya Divers, 1/2 Moo 5 (about 2 km up Airport Rd), +66 76 280074. Finnish-run 5-star PADI shop; instruction also available in English. Good gear and an emphasis on safety.
  • Scuba Addicts (On the main beach road opposite the main beach steps and tsunami warning tower), +66 75 6637394, . 07:00-21:00. PADI and SSI training facility. Scuba Addicts offers diving and snorkeling adventures for all ages and abilities, tailored to suit your individual or group needs.

Yacht charter

Buy

The beach front shopping district

Banking

  • Bangkok Bank (Near the McDonalds on Beach Rd). Daily, 10:00-18:00. Full-service banking plus two ATMs, deposit machine, bank book update machine outside.

Shopping

Ao Nang has no shopping malls, but there are plenty of convenience stores and souvenir shops. The vast majority of shops are lined nicely along Ao Nang Rd (beachfront). There are also a few side roads (sois) that branch off into the cluster of crowded shops found elsewhere in Asia. The regular tourist tchotchkes (e.g., postcards, magnets, trinkets) are plentiful as are clothes, shoes, and pretty much anything else you'll find elsewhere in Thailand.

Consider a three-piece bespoke suit which costs 4,500-6,000 baht depending on the quality of the wool. Tailor-made shirts are 850-1,000 baht. Most of the tailors can get the suit done within a day.

Three curious things about Ao Nang shopping: 1. there is only one "water machine" (in Ban Chong Phli) that are so common elsewhere in Thailand. These are the refrigerator-sized vending machines where one can fill up a 6 L (or less or more) bottle with purified water for about one baht per litre. A big down-side for the environment as more plastic bottles are the result. One suspects a water mafia that makes money delivering water is behind this. 2. Ao Nang has a dearth of gasoline stations. There are only three, all off-brand and inconspicuous, selling gasohol. Instead you will see free-standing gas pumps on every road outside of central Ao Nang. These self-service machines sell petrol for 39-42 baht per litre (Jan 2016). The nearest chain gas station on the way to Krabi (PPT) sells it for 23 baht per liter and an attendant pumps it for you. Someone is making a killing. 3. Most places in Thailand that host many Western tourists have markets such as Rimping (Chiang Mai), or Tops (throughout Thailand), or even a backwater like Khao Lak, where one can buy Western breads, cheeses, salad dressings, sausages or steaks. Not so in Ao Nang. You can't even buy a hunk of Cheddar cheese or a can of pork and beans of Campbell's tomato soup in the Ao Nang Tesco.

  • 1 Ao Nang Whisky (อ่าวนางวิสกี้) (One restaurant down from Tesco-Lotus on the same side of Ao Nang Rd), +66 81 535 7358. Alcohol is expensive in Thailand. Nonetheless, best selection of spirits, wines, and beers in Ao Nang. Probably the cheapest too. Jack Daniels, 700 ml, 1,450 baht.
  • 2 Makro. Bulk foods and household, restaurant supplies. Best selection of meats, pasta, rice, charcuterie, some Western foods, including cheeses. This is a small Makro. They do not sell pet food, for example, or much in the way of toiletries, or cookware. (The larger Makro in Krabi does.) Besides that, don't bother unless you want to buy beer by the case, or a gallon of mayonnaise. Membership card is not required.
  • 3 Mama Mache Supermarket (Near Nopparat Thara Soi 8). Daily, 24 hr. Sort of a locally owned 7-Eleven chain, but bigger and slightly better. Not a lot in the way of fresh foods, meat, fruit, and veg, but good for wine. Do not seem overly concerned about selling alcohol outside of the permitted hours of 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-24:00. Besides the store in Ao Nang, they have several other shops in the province. On of them in Krabi town is called "Mothers".
  • Sawatdee Stationery and Copy Centre, +66 18 947 454, +66 75 695 304. Daily, 07:00-20:30. Sells an eclectic mix of stationery supplies, art supplies, greeting cards, and assorted gee gaws. Have industrial copy machines on premises. Will send/receive faxes, but not to overseas numbers, which sort of makes the service worthless.
  • 4 Tesco-Lotus (On the inland side of the main road at the south end of town). Daily, 06:00-22:00. Standard Thai supermarket, but small, that must rank among the worst in Thailand. Sells beer, wine, and spirits. Very limited Western foods available unless you count packs of individually wrapped processed cheese slices.

Eat

Ao Nang restaurants are, in general, outrageously expensive. You will pay double or triple the price in Krabi town to eat here—main courses are about 150 baht—and seafood very much more (starts at 250 baht). If you are after cheap food, look for the street stalls or restaurants at either end of Ao Nang.

Budget

For cheap food, there are a few street carts scattered about, although most serve backpacker fare such as banana pancakes at 15 baht each. A lady serving fried chicken lady in front of the Tipa Resort also does good som tam (papaya salad) at 40 baht. Also look out for the yellow-signed noodle stalls with a "4" in a bowl as their logo, which serves a garlic-flavoured and tasty bamii muu daeng (roast pork noodles) for 25 baht.

The pad Thai served in a stall named "Kai Tieun Restaurant" is good and cheap. The noodle itself is not spicy although spice-rich condiments are available.

The stall in front of Adidas Store serves rice-type lunches at 20-30 baht a box. The "Kao Nam" (similar to nasi briyani in Malaysia) is superb. Be careful with the "keng moo" (minced spicy pork with rice) as it is very spicy.

Generally the places along the beach are more expensive and the ones up the hill tend to be cheaper and better value. Even up past McDonald's on the right, some offer squid and fish at amazingly low prices.

  • The Boat Cafe (On Airport Rd, opposite the 7-Eleven). No sign in English, but is easily recognisable by the old longtail boat outside where they serve up tom yum and other Thai soups at lunchtime. Popular with locals in the evening. 20-35 baht.
  • One More Restaurant (On Airport Rd 15 min from the beach up Airport Rd on the right side). Low-key restaurant serving a variety of Thai dishes and seafood. The staff here are incredibly friendly.
  • Pang's Kitchen (On Airport Rd just before OneStop Dive Centre and next to Hertz car rental). Small traditional Thai restaurant with good food and prices. The jim jum, a traditional Thai dish that few restaurants sell due to the need for charcoal cookers, is excellent.
  • Tonsai Restaurant, Ao Nang Soi 15 (15 minutes from the beach up Airport Rd). Popular low-key restaurant offering Thai food.
  • 1 U & P Bakery House, 401/4 Moo 2 (At Ao Nang's one traffic light, go straight, out of town. About 2 km on your right.), +66 81 895 6670. M-Sa, 06:30-17:00; closed Su. Nice little bakery/restaurant. One of the few places besides McDonalds to get an early-morning breakfast. Coffees. Excellent breads by Thai standards. They sell breads, nan, brownies, cakes, and a limited supply of Cheddar cheese retail (expensive; vintage Cheddar, 240 baht here and 170 baht at Makro). Their 150 baht breakfast consist of 2 eggs, bacon, one 7-Eleven-style hot dog/sausage, and two slices of their anodyne white bread. Skip this breakfast and order one of their breakfast sandwiches: real brown bread, generous filling, and cheaper price. Free Wi-Fi. Egg/bacon sandwich, 100 baht.

Mid-range

  • 2 A. One Restaurant (Nopparat Thara Beach Rd), +66 94 586 4949. 09:00-22:00. Very good restaurant with romantic ambience and attentive service. Full bar, Western and Thai menu. Free Wi-Fi. Large ribeye steak, 450 baht; Hamburger, 190 baht; Greek salad, 190 baht.
  • Blue Mango (Opposite Krabi Resort). Offers nice local food, as well as Western food. Has good selections of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, which also makes it a great place for after-dinner drinking sessions.
  • 3 Khow Soy Restaurant (Outside of town opposite the U&P Bakery. In front of Rick's Bar). M-Sa, noon-22:00. The name is a playful, farang riff on "khao soi" or "khao soy", the popular northern Thai/Burmese noodle dish. Lovely restaurant with attentive service. Full bar service as it is adjacent to Rick's Bar, also worth a visit.
  • Wanna's Restaurant (Central Ao Nang). Offers rather good Thai and Swiss dishes for approximately 100 baht. The home made Swiss muesli with yoghurt and fresh fruit is highly recommended. The pad Thai here is quite good! Go to Burger King if you need a toilet as it is out the back!

Splurge

  • 4 Carnivore, 127 Moo 3, +66 75 661 061, . Daily, 15:00-23:00; kitchen open 16:00-22:00. Known for delicious steaks, beef or lamb. Chicken, pork, and duck as well, all prepared to high European standards. Luckily, you can order the steak in a size to suit your appetite or your budget: 200-400 grams. Nice ambience. The boss, Gidi, is a friendly Dutch national who runs a tight ship to high standards. Huge wine and European beer lists.

Drink

Bars close in Ao Nang at 02:00, possibly a bit later if it's doing bang-up business. In which case the music and lights will be turned down, and the shutters lowered.

  • 1 RCA. Ao Nang has some fairly well-hidden beer bars. One, off the main road, south of town centre concentrated on a little unnamed soi on the sea side of the road, just down from the McDonalds. The soi, with a big archway sign saying "RCA" over the entrance, has about 15 bars. A good place to go if you fancy a game of pool but have no partner. A bar hostess will be happy to serve as opposition (it is good manners to buy her a drink for doing so). And no, no one seems to know what "RCA" stands for.
  • 2 Rick's Bar, Moo 2, 4201 Rd (Across from U&P Bakery, behind Khow Soy Restaurant, about 3km from central Ao Nang), +66 91 158 3641. Daily, 17:00-last man standing. At most bars in Ao Nang and elsewhere, you're served by a disinterested employee and lucky if you get a smile. At Rick's Bar you're served by two persons with skin in the game, the husband and wife team who run the place. A bit out of central Ao Nang, but worth the trip. Run by a courtly, knowledgeable, and affable Louisianan and his Thai wife, Rick's Bar is a comfortable place to drink. Nice ambiance, good music, no pressure. Prides itself on the coldest beer in Ao Nang. Sells pickled eggs, for chrissakes! Good selection of top shelf liquors. Pool table. Darts tournament every W night. Free Wi-Fi.
  • 3 Sweet Bar (South end of Nopparat Thara Beach). 17:00-02:00. If you fancy a chilled out drink and few games of pool in a friendly location, go for a drink adjacent to Nopparat Thara Beach. There used to be several bars here. Now it's down to Sweet Bar. Excellent fireworks can be seen here at new year. Free Wi-Fi.
  • 4 Ting Tong Bar (Ting Tong Bar, Part 2) (Near the Ao Nang Post Office on the main road). 18:00-02:00. Spacious, clean bar with good music at a level that permits conversation, and a good pool table. Run by the amiable At and her husband, Patrick. Free Wi-Fi.

Sleep

Ao Nang is one of the more expensive places to stay in Thailand. Accommodation that costs 600 baht in low-season will jump by as much as one thousand baht in high-season.

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget less than 500 baht
Mid-range 500-1,500 baht
Splurge over 1,500 baht

Budget

  • Blue Bayou, 79 Moo 3 (Nopparat Thara Beach, north end of Ao Nang), +66 75 637558, +66 75 637083. Bungalows with private bathroom fan/air-con, 20 m from the beach. Owner is very helpful and friendly, speaks very good English. Has a super little restaurant. 300-600 baht low-season.
  • The Krabi Forest Homestay, 68 Moo 3 (1 min walking distance to Nopparat Thara Beach and 5 min walking distance to Ao Nang Beach), +66 75 661500, +66 86 5706524, +66 87 4887199. Owner and the staff are very helpful and friendly. They can speak fluent English and can provide you with excellent tourist information. The bungalows have private baths. You can pick between the bungalows that have one king size bed, 2 twin size beds or 3 twin size beds. All of the bungalows/rooms come with private terrace, standard toilet/bathroom, and standard shower with hot water, air conditioning, multi-channel cable TV, coffee/tea pot and small refrigerator. 2 free bottles of water daily. Massage, spa, beauty salon, tour office service, bar, transportation services, tailor service, Thai restaurant, Indian restaurant, laundry/dry cleaning service, free Wi-Fi, motorcycle rental, car rental, bicycle rental, and private parking. 600-1,000 baht in low season and 800-1,500 baht in high season depending on room type.

Mid-range

  • Ao Nang Palace Hotel (A couple of hundred metres from the beach on the road up the hill). Can be expensive in high season as they all are, but normal off-season price is 940 baht. Breakfast is included, and there is a reasonable buffet choice. Hotel has a swimming pool, a travel agent is co-located, as are Internet computers. No lift.
  • Aonang Smile Hotel, 23/4 Moo 2, Ao Nang (Next to J Hotel, N of the McDonalds on the same side of the street), +66 75 63 8192. Check-out: 11:00. Great hotel. Spacious rooms. Good Wi-Fi and a desk to work from. No amenities such as restaurant or laundry or coffee, but perfect other than that. For those who watch TV, TV is not perfect, at least in Room 103. Clean, accommodating, great location next to three or four 24/7 convenience stores. A low-season room is 700 baht, 1,700 in high-season.
  • Chatchada Guesthouse, 596/6 Moo 2 Ao Nang Rd, +66 89 6044541, . All new Thai/Australian-run guesthouse with good service. Rooms have air-con and showers. Food both European and Thai is available all day, with an excellent English breakfasts. Free Wi-Fi and all the normal stuff in the room. 900 baht.
  • 1 J Hotel, 23/3 Moo 2 (Up a small soi on the inland side of the road just south of the Irish Rover Pub sign), +66 75 637878, . This small hotel beats PK Mansion hands down. Chinese-Thai-run hotel. Impeccably clean. Big rooms, big baths. Rooms in back have balcony that face a wall, thus are much cheaper than those in front which overlook a parking area. Free, strong Wi-Fi. Nearby is its sister hotel, J Mansion. 800+ baht.
  • P.K. Mansion, 247/12-15 Moo 2, +66 75 637431-2, . Run by a coven of wily little old ladies who don't miss an opportunity for a baht. Internet prices top out at 1,200 baht, but you may be asked for more. Centrally located accommodation, on a quiet street close to the beach. The large rooms have en suite bath, with TV, fridge, and balcony. The in-room Wi-Fi is poor with decent access an additional 50 baht. 1,300 baht.

Splurge

  • Ananta Burin Resort, 166 Moo 3 Ao Nang Soi 8, +66 75 661551. All rooms equipped with king-size or twin bed, air-conditioner, 32-inch LCD TV, Wi-Fi, and coffee/tea maker. Swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and massage service, car rental, and laundry/dry cleaning service. 3,000-12,000 baht.
  • Ao Nang All Seasons Beach Resort, 162 Moo 3, +66 75 661598. Well equipped with air conditioning, cable TV and Wi-Fi. Swimming pool, car rental and parking. Their website appears to be exclusively in Japanese, so perhaps they don't care so much about your business. From 1,827 baht.
  • Aonang Terrace Hotel, 131-131/3 Moo 3, +66 75 637091-2. It offers 42 rooms, all of which have an air-conditioner, cable TV, hair dryer and a refrigerator. Some of its amenities are transportation services, games room, and high speed Internet access. 1,200-3,500 baht.
  • Beach Terrace Hotel, 154 Moo 2 (On Ao Nang Beach), +66 75 637181-3. All rooms have air conditioning, minibar, cable TV, safe deposit box, hair dryer, DVD Player, Wi-Fi, swimming pool with water power stream jets and child pool, pool bar service, tour desk service, car and motorbike rental. 2,300-9,700 baht.
  • Duang Jai Resort, 152 Moo 3, +66 75 638211-4. 21 room accommodation, air conditioning, cable TV and Internet access, swimming pool, room service and restaurant, cafe, bar. 2,200+ baht.
  • The Emerald Bungalow, 80 Moo 4, Nopparat Thara Beach, +66 81 9562566. Standard and family rooms, all equipped with fan, bath. Garden, gym, restaurant, and bar. From 1,500 baht.
  • The L Resort Krabi (formerly Wanna's Place). Views of the Krabi Mountains and the islands of Ko Talu and Ko Poda. All rooms include Wi-Fi, 40-inch LED TVs, air conditioning, mini-bar, safe, and breakfast. 3,300-15,500 baht.
  • Palm Paradise Resort, 165 Moo 3, +66 75 661667. Between Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara Beaches. Resort is 500 m from the beach. 1,000-4,490 depending on room and season.

Cope

Immigration

  • 2 Krabi Province Immigration. M-F, 08:30-16:30; closed for lunch, 12:00-13:00. Krabi's Immigration Office is great. It's modern, clean, comfortable, and well-staffed. The queue never seems to be more than 10 persons. Free Wi-Fi too.

Medical

  • Dr Somboon Polyclinic, 249/10 Moo 2 (On inland side of the main road in Ao Nang. Huge sign. Adjacent is a 7-Eleven), +66 75 695 303, . Nov-Apr, daily, 09:30-20:00; May-Oct, M-Sa, 16:00-20:00. General medical practice and minor surgery.

Tourist assistance

  • 3 Tourist Police (Near the corner of Ao Nang Rd and Khlong Hang Rd), 1155. If you need help for anything short of assault or murder, these are your "go-to" folks.

Pharmacies

  • Ao Nang-Krabi Pharmacies. There seems to be a pharmacy every 50 metres in Ao Nang. They seem to specialise in sunscreen and skin whiteners. If you need a real drug, forget about it. Case in point: in what turned out to be a Snipe Hunt for Euthyrox, 50 mg, 19 pharmacies were visited in Ao Nang (16) and Krabi town (3). None of them had what can be found easily in Phuket, Khao Lak, Chiang Mai, or Udon Thani. If you require a specific medication, bring it. You may not find it here.

Connect

  • 4 Thailand Post (ไปรษณีย์ไทย), Ao Nang Rd (About 200 metres down the road from Tesco-Lotus (on the same side of the road)). M-F, 08:30-16:30; Sa, Su, holidays, 09:00-12:00. The main post office sells, in addition to the usual stamps, cardboard boxes and packing supplies. In fact, they will help you pack your box. There is a post office annex across the street that handles poste restante and all incoming mail. You may pick up mail there. The coordinates are not exact, but will get you in the vicinity.

Go next

Phra Nang Beach at Rai Leh
  • The cliffs and beaches of Rai Leh, just 15 minutes away by boat, make a great day trip. Phra Nang is the next beach past Rai Leh and has dramatic limestone karst rock formations. Names get confusing, as Ao Nang (the developed resort) is sometimes called Ao Phra Nang. From Phra Nang you can walk across to Rai Leh East, with its mangroves, and hire kayaks to paddle round the rugged peninsula. There's also a path from Rai Leh East to Rai Leh West where most longtails call.
  • Ko Poda is another good day trip. You come back with the same boat and only pay on return. There's even an area to the right of where the longtails come in to Poda that's just worth snorkelling (unspectacular coral but a few fish).
  • Ao Nang is one of the main gateways for travel to the Phi Phi islands, about 2 hours away by longtail boat, 40-50 min by speed boat. Many tour operators in Ao Nang offer day trips to Phi Phi. Included in the price (900-1,500 baht) is most often lunch, hotel transfer, and insurance.
  • You can travel from Ao Nang to Ko Lanta easily. A ferry runs daily at 10:30, Aonang Princess. Book it at your hotel, price should be about 400 baht, and you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the departure point, as well as met on the other side and taken to your hotel there.


This city travel guide to Ao Nang is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.