Hotels in Krabi - which area is best?
The high tourist season for hotels in Krabi runs from November to April inclusive and this is the time when the Krabi hotels prices are highest and the resorts are busiest. Christmas and New Year is considered to be the 'peak season' and many resorts charge a supplement to their normal high season prices during this time. Despite this, the more popular and value-for-money hotels fill up very quickly (sometimes as early as June!), so it is advisable to book as early as possible.
Out of season, during the monsoon months of May to October, prices can fall by as much as 50 per cent, quite a large saving if you're prepared to risk the rain (see Krabi weather and seasons).
Useful tips before you book hotels in Krabi
Krabi has a wide range of hotels and resorts to suit every taste and budget. The vast majority are small to medium sized, low-rise establishments that offer personal and friendly service - even if the English spoken is occasionally a bit rough around the edges. There are also a few international hotel groups with large resorts here - such as the Sheraton, Holiday Inn and the recently-opened Central Krabi Bay Resort.
Hotels and resorts in accessible areas such as Ao Nang and Ko Lanta tend to be cheaper than comparable places in Railay and Koh Phi Phi, simply because of running costs - in some areas there is no mains electricity and everything is powered by fuel-guzzling generators.
If you are on a budget, you may be able to save money by staying in, say, Ao Nang and visiting Phi Phi and Railay on day trips. The cheapest hotels in Krabi can be found in the town itself. Again, this can be used as a base for day trips - although bear in mind that there is no beach here.
Krabi hotels enjoy some of the best locations and prettiest scenery in all of Thailand. Read on if you’re unfamiliar with the different hotels locations in Krabi province, or alternative go straight to the full list of bookable Krabi hotels for an online reservation.
Quick summary
Most visitors to Krabi stay in Ao Nang, which is near Krabi Town and a quick boat ride from the famous and exclusive Railay Beach. It has a long beach with dramatic karst backdrops, and boasts the best tourist infrastructure in the province. Adjacent to it is Noppharat Thara, less touristy, with a tidal beach and away from the action, but within walking distance. Offshore, Phi Phi island is highly sought after and stunning but books out quickly and isn’t cheap. Koh Lanta (island) to the south hasn’t the jaw-dropping scenery but has the biggest, best value selection of beachfront resorts. Krabi Town has the cheapest hotels, but you’re in the small provincial capital and 15 minutes drive from any beach.
Ao Nang hotels
Ao Nang is a good first introduction to Krabi, it has the lion’s share of tourist services and transport links, and is only an hour’s drive from Phuket Airport. Although busy with restaurants and bars, souvenir vendors, the odd 24-hour tailor, and tour agents, it has a laid back feel and is best for evening entertainment. Not a lot of the hotels enjoy beachfront locations but it’s a couple of minutes walk to the water and a 10 minute ride to the brilliant Railay Beach. It’s listed as Ao Nang - Noppharat Thara Bay. Choose hotels in Ao Nang
Noppharat Thara hotels
This is really just an extension of Ao Nang, around a small headland, with a long unspoilt beach and without the commercialism of Ao Nang proper. The beach is tidal and not ideal for swimming but goes on for miles. The resorts here are away from the hustle and bustle, though you might have to catch a 5 minute tuk tuk taxi to the action. Choice of restaurants and bars is limited, but it’s a great way to be near the fun without being distrubed. Listed as Noppharat Thara beach.
Choose hotels in Noppharat Thara
Railay hotels
Probably the most sought after are in Krabi, Railay is limited to half a dozen resorts which enjoy a really priviledged position on a gorgeous peninsula cut off from the mainland by Karst cliffs and hemmed in by two lovely beaches and sheer rock. It’s like being on an island but only 10 minutes boat ride from Ao Nang. However, the range of accomodation (from 800 to 8000 baht per night) books out very quickly in the season. Most visit as a day trip and stay in Ao Nang, but there are a few budget places on the adjacent Ton Sai beach, which isn’t quite as nice. Choose hotels in Railay Beach
Phi Phi Island hotels
After the Tsunami washed everything away, development and rebuilding has been slow on Phi Phi Don, which means limited choices. It’s actually a much nicer place now, and best visited as a day trip but out of season you can still easily find a room at short notice. You’ll have to book months in advance for the peak season but you do get the priviledge of enjoying it all to yourself after the tour boats all leave late in the afternoon. Either you can stay in the central Ton Sai village (sandwiched between two lovely bays), or some of the remote shorelines on the east side of the island.
Choose hotels on Phi Phi
Lanta Island hotels
Koh Lanta is a fairly large island, ninety minutes south of Ao Nang by boat. It has the largest selection of resorts and is also reachable by car with a pontoon ferry ride. The hassle getting there is offset by the true island feel where most of the resorts empty straight out onto the beach. There are no tuk tuks and traffic, no girlie bars, no shopping, no noisy clubs and karaoke and fewer conveniences. Day trips are limited to the water, with good snorkelling and trips to Phi Phi, but Phuket and the famous Pha Nga bay are just bit too inconvenient to visit without rearranging your itinerary.
Choose hotels on Koh Lanta
See them all on a map of Krabi.
