Thailand / Andaman Coast / Krabi (Ao Nang & Railay)Krabi (Ao Nang & Railay)
Limestone Cliffs, Island-Hopping and Railay's Beaches
Most visitors stay at Ao Nang, the beach town, and take long-tails to Railay, a peninsula of sheer limestone cliffs reachable only by boat, and to the Four Islands and Hong Islands. Calmer and greener than Phuket, with the Tiger Cave Temple's 1,260 steps and the Emerald Pool inland. Direct IndiGo flights from Mumbai and Bengaluru. Indian restaurants on Ao Nang's main road.
Highlights
- Railay West & Phra Nang Cave Beach
- Four Islands long-tail tour
- Hong Islands lagoon
- Tiger Cave Temple 1,260-step climb
- Emerald Pool & Klong Thom hot springs
- Rock climbing at Railay
- Sunset at Ao Nang
- Kayaking Ao Thalane mangroves
- Krabi Town weekend night market
- Indian restaurants on Ao Nang's beach road
Things to do
- Four Islands long-tail tour (Poda, Chicken, Tup)Morning · 6h
- Railay & Phra Nang Cave Beach by long-tailMorning · 5h
- Tiger Cave Temple 1,260-step climbMorning · 3h
- Emerald Pool & Klong Thom hot springsAfternoon · 5h
- Ao Thalane mangrove kayakingMorning · 3h 30m
- Hong Islands lagoon boat tripMorning · 6h
- Ao Nang sunset & beach-road dinnerEvening · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: November – April
Worth knowing
Andaman Monsoon: Rough Seas and Red Flags
The south-west monsoon brings rain most afternoons and rough seas from May to October, worst in September. Red flags (no swimming) are common on Phuket's west-coast beaches, where rip currents drown swimmers every year; speedboat trips are cancelled at short notice and the crossings are bumpy. Hotels are much cheaper than in the high season.
- Songkran (Thai New Year water festival) — Three days of nationwide water fights, biggest around Chiang Mai's old-city moat, Bangkok's Silom and Khao San Road, and Pattaya, where it runs on to about 19 April. Expect to be soaked anywhere outdoors: carry phones and passports in a dry bag. Buses, trains and flights sell out as Thais travel home; book two months ahead.
- Buddhist holy days (Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asahna Bucha) · Visakha Bucha 31 May; Asahna Bucha and Buddhist Lent 29–30 Jul — Candle-lit processions round the temples at dusk, worth seeing in Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya. Alcohol may not be sold anywhere, bars included, for 24-48 hours (hotels and airport duty free excepted); the Full Moon Party moves a night.
- Christmas and New Year peak — The most expensive fortnight of the year on the islands: resorts set 5-7 night minimums and compulsory gala-dinner charges on 24 and 31 December, and Phi Phi, Samui and Phuket ferries and flights fill a month ahead. Indian school holidays add to it. Book by October.
Part of a longer route
Krabi (Ao Nang & Railay) is a stop on a curated circuit through Thailand.