Table of Contents
Is it worth visiting Krabi in 2025? If you’re asking this question are probably early in the planning phase. Working out a travel itinerary can be both exciting and overwhelming. Afterall, if you only have a few weeks and your investing load of money in flights – you need to get it right.
We have traveled Thailand extensively over many years, so we are very excited to help you work out whether you should include Krabi in your travel itinerary around Thailand.
In this guide we will try to give you insight into what it is like to travel to Krabi. We have structured this article as a series of questions to help you work through your priorities, goals, and interests to inform your decision. Before we go on, we really hope that this article helps plan your travel. We absolutely love Thailand and particularly enjoyed traveling around Krabi. There are a few disadvantages and drawbacks to the area, so we will try to give you a balanced picture.
GET EQUIPPED – Everything you need to know to prepare for a visit to Krabi
GET INSPIRED – Fun and adventurous 3 day Krabi Itinerary
GET THE RIGHT DESTINATION – Full comparison between Krabi & Phuket for travellers
Understanding the area
A quick note to help you understand the area: There are two towns next to each other. Krabi is bigger and more local. Ao Nang is smaller and has 2 nice beaches. Ao Nang is more touristy and has more accommodation and restaurants. It is a little confusing because Krabi is also the name of the region. If you’re planning a trip to Krabi we recommend finding somewhere to stay in Ao Nang. So is it worth visiting Krabi? Keep reading to find out if this is the place for you.
PLAN YOUR TRIP – What are the best areas to stay around Krabi? (FULL GUIDE)
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY – How many days should you spend in Krabi?
What type of trip are you planning?
One of the first and most important questions to consider is what you are actually hoping to get from your Thailand trip. Are you looking to relax on a beautiful tropical beach? (there are plenty of amazing beaches in Krabi) Are you looking to explore some beautiful, intrepid jungle? Would you like to connect with wildlife or visit an elephant sanctuary? Are you interested in jungle adventures and trekking, or are you attracted to Thai culture and street food? Krabi offers a lot of these things. You can enjoy slower, more chilled holidays here or have a more adventurous and active itinerary. It has all the beachy-swimming pool vibes, plenty of wildlife, adventures & stunning scenery. This really is a destination for many trip types. Keep reading so we can help narrow it down for you.
What activities do you enjoy?
Is it worth visiting Krabi? YES! There are SO many amazing things to do in and around Krabi we definitely think it is worth a visit.
Here is a list of some of the main activities to do in Krabi to help you decide whether this is the place for you:
- Explore the 4 islands in Krabi
- Visit Tiger Cave Temple
- Visit the Emerald Pool and Blue Pool
- Visit the Hot Springs
- Try an aerial obstacle course and zipline at Thai’d Up
- Do an island hopping trip
- Take a day trip to Railay Beach
- Try climbing at Tonsai
- Relax on the beaches in the area
- Visit the beautiful Phra Nang Cave Beach
- Snorkeling
- Learn diving or free diving
- Adventurous jungle trek to Princess Lagoon
- Exporing a mangrove forest
- Visit a jungle treehouse cafe
- Visit an elephant sanctuary
- Visit an amazing sunrise spot
- Try kayaking on a clear water lake
What things do you hope to see and experience?
Krabi offers many advantages of North and South Island all in one destination. There are many beautiful beaches around Krabi (Tonsai, Railay, and Phra Nang beach). You can also do Island hopping tours in the area. There are lots of beautiful coral reefs and plenty of tropical fish in the waters. This is a great area for snorkeling, free diving, and scuba diving. There are fewer dangerous jellyfish in the waters around Krabi compared to the east coast of Thailand.
So, you really do get the best of south Thailand in this area. Krabi also has some stunning landscapes (with limestone cliffs and hills), jungle adventure (Emerald pool and plenty of mangrove forest to explore), and there are even temples to explore in the area (most prominently Tiger Cave Temple). You can also see AMAZING sunsets in Krabi.
If it is amazing street food, beautiful temples, and culture that interest you, we recommend heading to the north of Thailand. There is some nice Thai food around Krabi; however, this is not a great area for local food experiences. In contrast, Chiang Mai has some of the best and cheapest local food in Thailand. Chiang Mai is also great for amazing food markets and night markets.
Don’t miss this fantastic day trip in Krabi
What type of vibe do you like?
If you are looking for a popular holiday destination packed with happy tourists from around the world, Krabi doesn’t disappoint. Some people want to escape the crowds, and others want to embrace them! Krabi is one of the more popular and busy tourist destinations in south Thailand (especially Ao Nang). This does have its advantages. There are many people to meet. There is also more business in an area like this. So, more shops, cafes, and restaurants. More tour operators and more amenities. But this isn’t for everyone.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed and tranquil location, then we recommend exploring some of the quieter Islands like Koh Lipe. If you like the chilled hippy vibes, check out Koh Phangan. Koh Tao also has some very peaceful and beautiful spots. If you want a peaceful stay in the hills, consider Pai in north Thailand. If you’re looking for intrepid and off the beaten track travel, go further north into the Mae Hong Son province.
What other places are you planning to travel to?
If you’re trying to decide whether to visit Krabi, it is essential to consider other places you are interested in exploring. For example, if you only have a short stint in Thailand and you are very keen to visit Chiang Mai and the North, we don’t recommend trying to Krabi as well. The journey from the North to the south of Thailand takes at least one day, which can be a lot of time in a short itinerary.
However, if you are interested in visiting any of the popular destinations in the south of Thailand, then Krabi is an excellent hub. It is conveniently located a couple of hours from Phuket and also a couple of hours from Surat Thani. From here, you can take boats to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan (pictured above), and Koh Tao. Krabi is also pretty close to the Khao Sok National Park. It is also possible to travel down to Penang (Malaysia) overland in one day from Krabi. So, this is a fantastic hub if you’re planning to visit Malaysia. You can also go to Koh Lipe and Langkawi from Krabi. So, Krabi fits very nicely into a south Thailand itinerary.
What are the main disadvantages of Krabi?
If you know us, you will know we like to be very positive. But we also like to be honest to help you keep your expectations in check. Here are a few disadvantages of Krabi (compared to other areas of Thailand).
Firstly, Krabi is relatively expensive compared to other areas of Thailand. On average, prices for transport, accommodation, and food are at least 20% more than other non-touristy areas of Thailand. If you are visiting Krabi from the USA, Europe, the UK, or Australia, this difference in price will probably seem negligible compared to other countries. Krabi is still a very cheap destination.
Secondly, if you’re attracted to authentic local experiences, you may struggle to find these in Krabi. We found that many of the local food restaurants and markets are very strongly geared towards foreigners and don’t give you a real representation of an authentic and genuine local food market. The prices are higher, and the quality is lower. Again, this is relative to your frame of reference and your expectations. If you have not traveled a lot in Thailand, you may actually prefer a restaurant or market that is more geared towards Western customers. You can also find all the western brand names in the area too (not sure if that’s an advantage or disadvantage!?)
Thirdly, we already mentioned Krabi is a very popular holiday destination. Although this has some advantages, it can make it more challenging to find accommodation and to book transport and tours. You will need to book things in advance and shop around a little more to get the best places. You also need to be prepared to share some of your best moments with other people. For example, if you’re going to see a nice sunrise or taking a jungle trek, there will probably be lots of other people there too. In our opinion, this does not need to detract from the experience. It can actually be quite nice to enjoy superlative experiences with other people.
Here are some beautiful places to stay in Krabi
Loma Place – simple stylish accommodation for backpackers on a budget – Find Loma Place Agoda or find them Loma Place on Booking.com
Aonang Glory Resort – surprisingly luxurious accommodation for the price – Find Aonang Glory Resort Agoda. You can also find Aonang Glory Resort on Booking.com
Groovy Bungalows – trendy property for mid-range backpackers – nice rooms & pool, great price – Find Groovy Bungalows on Agoda or find Groovy Bungalows on Booking.com
Baannai Lake View Resort – stunning lakeside resort with bungalows and villas, very beautiful! – Book Baannai on Agoda or on Reserve a bungalow on Booking.com
Baan Pinya Balinese Style Pool Villa – This is the one in the picture above. Very impressive 3 bedroom villa with private pool – Reserve you place at Baan Pinya on Agoda or on reserve Baan Pinya on Booking.com
