Krabi Day Trip – Independent & Intrepid Guide 2025

Klong Route Clear Water Canal Krabi the backpacking family

In this article, we are going to share a Krabi day trip itinerary that will guide you through some of the most beautiful, intrepid, and epic things to do in the Krabi area in 2025 (focusing on inland activities). So, how do you see ALL of the best highlights of Krabi in a single day? Keep reading for more.

The aim of this article is to show you how to do all of the best things around Krabi in a single day. We have included plenty of useful information such as a map, how to get around, prices, entry fees, and top tips.

Be aware that this is a relatively long and challenging day; we have packed the day full of activities. If the pace is too high for you, you can just drop select activities, slow down, and take rest. However, if you only have a few days in Krabi, you will probably want to pack in as much as you can, and we hope that this article will give you a feel for how much you can fit in one single epic day.

Don’t miss our full guide – how long should you spend in Krabi? If you have 3 days in Krabi don’t miss this EPIC action packed adventurous 3 day itinerary in Krabi. Learn everything to do AND find out how to fit this into 3 amazing days!

ALSO don’t miss these Wonderful things to do in Krabi

Before you read on

Stunning sunrise Din Daeng Doi Krabi Thailand

We have tried to prioritize the attractions and activities that are the most unique and impressive in the area. However, you may wish to include different activities in your day trip, such as visiting an elephant Sanctuary or checking out the jungle Treehouse cafe, so you may want to use this article as inspiration but adapt it.

We are focusing on inland activities rather than visiting the beautiful beaches and islands in the area, so if you’re looking for more information about visiting the beaches and islands, check out some of our other articles.

ISLAND HOPPING TRIPS IN KRABIEverything you need to know about Island Hopping in Krabi

PLAN YOUR TRIPWhat is the best area to stay in Krabi?

Oh yeah, One more thing. If you prefer to go on a tour don’t miss this Adventurous Krabi Day Trip Tour. It includes MANY of the destinations that we recommend in this article. The advantage? All your transport and navigation is sorted – minimum stress, maximum enjoyment!

Krabi Day Trip Route Map

Summary of the Krabi Day Trip

Here is a brief summary of this epic and action-packed Krabi day trip:

  1. See an amazing sunrise (5 am – 6:30 am)
  2. Go kayaking on a beautiful Canal (7 am – 8:30 am)
  3. Trek to the top of Tiger Cave Temple (9 am – 11 am)
  4. Wild swim at the Emerald Pool (1 pm – 4 pm)
  5. Take a dip at the Krabi hot spring River (4:30 pm – 6 pm)

What is the best way to get around in Krabi?

Don’t miss the full guide – The Best Ways to Get Around the Krabi Area

Krabi Emerald pool the backpacking family 1

If you are doing this Krabi day trip, we recommend having your own method of transport. If you want to do this day trip using a private taxi, it would be very expensive because this is a long day with a lot of driving and a lot of waiting time. You would essentially need to hire a private driver for the entire day and make sure that they are happy with the itinerary. Therefore, we do recommend having your own transport if possible. 

1 Rent a motorbike

Many people rent motorbikes in Krabi, and this is a fun, cheap, and efficient way to travel around. Motorbike rental in Krabi starts at around 200 baht per day (around £4 or $5), and you can rent motorbikes from hotels, guest houses, or bike rental shops around town. You do not need to pre-book your bike rental; just show up and be prepared to pay your deposit and rental fees up front. Take riding a bike around the roads in this area; some of the roads around Krabi are quite fast and busy. Also this route is at least 150km in total. Be prepared to get a sore bum if you attempt this entire route by motorbike! 

Don’t miss this full guide to Motorbike Rental in Krabi

2 Rent a car

Another option is to rent a car and drive; you can find car rental deals in Krabi for around 1,000 baht per day (around £20 or $25). If you rent a car in Krabi, they will want to check your driver’s license and see your passport if possible. We recommend having an international driver’s license (although this is not essential). Driving a car around Krabi is a relatively safe and convenient option, and we particularly recommend this for larger groups and families. The cheapest way to rent a car in Krabi is to contact car rental companies directly on Facebook and negotiate a fair price. If you do rent a car or bike in Krabi, always make sure that you are qualified to drive; you will also be asked to leave a deposit. We recommend leaving a cash deposit rather than leaving a passport.

FIND OUT MORE – don’t miss our full guide – The Best ways to get around in Krabi

What things do you need to pre-book before you do this Krabi day trip?

You do not need to pre-book any of the entry tickets for this itinerary around Krabi; you can just turn up at the destinations and pay on arrival. However, we do recommend that you arrange your transport in advance. If you are planning to book a car, we recommend contacting car companies a couple of days in advance.

Krabi Day Trip Step by Step Guide

Here is a step-by-step guide to an amazing Krabi day trip. It is possible to fit all of these things into a single day, especially if you are intentional, purposeful, and you have your own method of transport. There is not much time for rest and slowing down in this day; however, you will be able to grab some food along the way. As ever in Thailand, there is plenty of food around!

1 See an amazing sunrise

5 am – 6:30 am

Cafe at Din Daeng Doi

Start your day off by visiting one of the most impressive and beautiful sunrise spots in the world. If you do want to see the sunrise in Thailand, you will need to take an early start. The sun typically rises around 6 am in Thailand.

If you want to see the sunrise, we recommend starting your day around 5 am. Drive over to the Beautiful Din Daeng Doi viewpoint. The drive takes around 20 minutes from Ao Nang town. The roads are well-paved and easy to follow all the way to the car park. When you arrive, you can park for free, and you will see a small trail and someone selling tickets. 

Din Daeng Doi viewing platforms
Food at Din Daeng Doi

You do need to buy an entry ticket to visit the Din Daeng Doi viewpoint. This costs 50 baht for adults (Just over £1 or £1.20) and 20 baht for kids (£0.40 or $0.50). Once you have purchased your ticket, you can then walk up the Trail for around 10 minutes to reach the viewpoint. The route is easy to follow, but we do recommend bringing along a small torch because the terrain is uneven and this can be challenging in the dark hours of the early morning.

The viewpoint itself is absolutely superlative; you get a stunning view over the Karst mountains and valleys of the Krabi province. Very often, you can see misty clouds swirling in the valleys. The sky is particularly beautiful around 20 or 30 minutes before the sunrise. There is also a small cafe situated at the Din Daeng Doi viewpoint; this is a great place to get hot drinks and breakfast.

2 Go kayaking on a beautiful Canal

Klong Route Clear Water Canal Krabi the backpacking family

7 am – 8:30 am

After seeing a stunning sunrise, we recommend heading to the Khlong Root Clear Water Canal for kayaking. This is situated around 10 minutes from the sunrise viewpoint. What’s more, the Khlong Root Clear Water Canal opens around 7 am. At this time, you can rent a kayak, and you are very likely to have the entire area to yourself. 

If you go kayaking here during the cool, peaceful, and tranquil early morning, you will also find the water perfectly still, creating reflections of the beautiful mountains in the area. You can rent a kayak at the Khlong Root Clear Water Canal for 300 baht (£6 or $8), and there are no time limits on the rental. The kayaking route is around 1 km and is likely to take around 45 minutes.

3 Trek to the top of Tiger Cave Temple

Golden buddha statue at the peak tiger cave temple

9 am – 11 am

We recommend visiting the Tiger Cave Temple. This is one of the most iconic and prestigious attractions in the Krabi area, and it is a must-do activity, especially if you are interested in culture, nature, and beautiful views. There is a free car park for cars and bikes. When you enter the temple, you do need to register, but there are no tickets or fees. Be aware that the trek to the top of the Tiger Cave Temple is very challenging; it is a consistently steep set of steps leading all the way up a karst mountain to a stunning viewpoint. 

View from steep steps Tiger cave temple
View of Ao Nang from top Tiger Cave Temple

Make sure that you are dressed prepared for challenging physical activity in a hot climate. There is also a walk through a Thai temple at the bottom of the hill, and it is important to keep your shoulders and knees covered. It is free of charge to track to the top of the Tiger Cave Temple Mountain; you can also explore the temple at the bottom of the mountain and visit the Tiger Cave. We recommend allowing a couple of hours for this trek and drinking plenty of water along the way. There are no places to buy drinks or fill your bottle and you will probably sweat a lot on this adventure. 

There are toilets situated at the start of the trek in the temple, and there are also some toilets halfway up the hill. From the top of Tiger Cave Temple Mountain, you can get stunning views over the Krabi province. Take care walking back down at the steps; they are extremely steep. There are strong metal handrails throughout the entire walk.

Drive to the Emerald pool

After visiting the Tiger Cave Temple, we recommend heading over to the iconic and beautiful Emerald Pool. Pick up some lunch on the way. There is always an abundance of food available in Thailand. The drive to the Emerald Pool (around 50 km or 30 miles) is likely to take around an hour from the Tiger Cave Temple. The route is well-signed, and the road is easy to follow.

4 Wild swim at the Emerald Pool

Emerald pool dome lens

1 pm – 4 pm

When you arrive at the Emerald Pool, there is a large car park (parking costs 40 baht). There are several shops and restaurants located at the entrance to the Emerald Pool where you can buy some food and drinks. The Emerald Pool is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Emerald Pool is a very beautiful and unique attraction situated in the Krabi province. The entry tickets for foreigners to the Emerald Pool are as follows: 400 baht (£8 or $10) for an adult (18 years and older) and 200 baht (£4 or $5) for a child (4 – 17 years old). There are no national park fees for this area. You need to buy tickets at the entrance and then walk around one kilometer to reach the Emerald Pool. The walk itself is very beautiful and passes the crystal pool and also leaves through some very beautiful Mangrove Forest. Is it possible to swim in the Emerald Pool, and this is a particularly beautiful place for wild swimming. 

The water is very clear, and you can also see small fish swimming in this pool. Once you have enjoyed the Emerald Pool, you can walk a further 600 meters (around 5 – 10 minutes) to reach the iconic blue. Be aware that the path to the Blue Pool closes at 3:30 pm. There are some basic facilities at the Emerald Pool, including public toilets, locker rental, and a pavilion offering shelter.

5 Take a dip at the Krabi hot spring River

Krabi hot spring river

4:30 pm – 6 pm

Depending on your energy levels and the time, you could also take a visit to the Krabi hot spring river, which is situated around 10 minutes from the Emerald Pool. We have left this activity until the last part of the day because the hot spring River closes later than the Emerald Pool. The Krabi hot spring River is a stunning geothermal River surrounded by beautiful wild jungle. There is something invigorating and exhilarating about taking a dip in warm geothermal water surrounded by tropical rainforest.


At the Krabi hot spring, you can take a dip in a hot waterfall, which is around 5 meters high and 10 meters wide, with small pool areas for bathing. There is also a larger geothermal pool where you can swim in hot mineral water. The facilities at the Krabi hot spring are reasonably good, with public toilet showers and changing rooms available; however, they are slightly run down. There is also a food court situated just outside the entrance where you can buy food and drinks. Entrance to the Krabi hot spring costs 200 baht for adults (£4 or $5) and 100 baht for kids (£2 or $2.50). The Krabi Hot Spring is open daily 8 am – 6 pm.


And finally, after visiting the Krabi hot spring River, we recommend returning back to your accommodation. Depending on your energy levels, you could explore town, visit a night market, and find some tasty food or just collapse in bed for some well-earned rest.

The Backpacking Family
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