Say goodbye to Phuket, Krabi has all the niche islands you want

With its high popularity, Phuket has become the first choice for Chinese people to travel to islands in Southeast Asia.

In fact, Krabi, next door to Phuket, also has an incomparable coastline and many outlying islands. It is very convenient to go to the sea and the prices are lower than in Phuket.



Due to its unique natural structure, Krabi is a resort for outdoor sports such as island hopping and rock climbing. Unlike Bangkok, which is full of Chinese people, there are more foreigners than Chinese people in Krabi.

Ao nang

Ao Nang is the closest place to the sea in Krabi. There are Ao Nang Beach and Naparatala Beach. The latter has fewer people and the sand and sea water are relatively more beautiful.

If you stay in Ao Nang, you must go to Naparathara Beach in the evening to watch the sunset. There are several bars on the shore. The sunset cannot be more beautiful if you are tipsy.


Sunset at Naparatala Beach


Stone wall by the beach, perfect sunset seat


Naparatala Beach shot across the road (by the way, I was looking for a partner for the photoshoot, hahaha)

When it gets dark, there are many restaurants across the street, and you can also have dinner here.

Railay Peninsula



The Railay Peninsula is connected to the mainland of Krabi, but because it is blocked by high mountains, the land route cannot be connected. The only way to reach the Railay Peninsula is by water.

You can buy a ferry ticket to Railay Peninsula at the intersection of Ao Nang Beach for 400 baht round trip. Once you arrive or everyone gathers, a songthaew will take you to the entrance of Naparatala Beach, and you can directly take a long-tail boat on the water.

Tips: The water depth when boarding the boat is already up to the thighs. It is recommended to wear quick-drying shorts or beach shorts. Please do not go barefoot. There are many gravels in the water and it is easy to scratch. It is recommended to wear strappy sandals or snorkeling socks. Slippers are also easy to fall off. .



There are three beaches on Railay Peninsula, namely West Railay Beach, East Railay Beach and Opanang Beach.



The beach in the middle is West Railay Beach, the lower right is Opanan Beach, which is also the most beautiful beach on Railay Peninsula, and the little bit on the far right of the picture is East Railay Beach. I feel that there are actually only two beaches, and the East Beach is a whole stretch of tidal flats and woods, which is not suitable for playing.



Xilaili Beach is the place to get off the boat. You can also take a boat here on the return trip. Be careful to ask about the time of the last boat. If you miss it, you can only charter a boat back by yourself, which is expensive. There are water bars in some resort hotels in West Beach, which are not expensive and are suitable for drinking drinks and enjoying the sea breeze. You can also lie on the beach and bask in the sun, turning on the sleep mode in one second.






It takes about 15 minutes to walk to Ao Phra South Beach. The beach is partially surrounded by rocks, which is very cool, and rock climbing is also done at this location.





Opa Nan Beach faces west and is the best place to watch the sunset. The sand here is also very soft and the water is crystal clear.



In order to catch the last boat at six o'clock, we couldn't see the sunset. Some fishermen drove long-tail boats to the shore to sell snacks and drinks. The prices were about the same as street stalls. It was very conscientious! A few foreigners bought corn and sat on the beach to eat it.



There is also a restaurant opened in a cave. If you live on Railay Peninsula, you might as well come and experience the sunset dinner by the sea.



Hong island

There are many outlying islands in Krabi, among which the four-island tour and PP Island are the most popular. In recent years, Hong Island and Lanta Island have also become popular.

Being more Buddhist, I chose a one-day trip to Hong Island where there are relatively few people. The itineraries booked online are basically the same, you can refer to the ones below.



The enthusiastic tour guide seemed very lonely when he was quiet.

The lagoon is a natural sea lake in Hong Island. It is surrounded by mountains and has only a small opening to connect to the sea. Therefore, the lagoon is very calm. Boats will stay here for half an hour for everyone to play in the water.



small entrance into the lagoon




My friends also went into the water, and the landlubbers stayed on the boat.




When leaving the lagoon, the tour guide took pictures of everyone on the bow of the boat

PAKBIA island

This beach is very small. Two shoals on the left and right sides intersect at one end to form a triangle shape.




LAOLADING island

Thailand has relatively strict management of islands. For example, some islands do not have trash cans and garbage must be taken away by yourself. All island tour groups arrange lunch on this island, which may have something to do with the management.

Excluding lunch time, it takes about 40 minutes to play. The sea water here is also turquoise and clear. If you are not swimming, take pictures.






Hong island

Compared with other islands, Hong Island is much larger and has a very long beach where you can swim, sunbathe, play in the sand, and some people even practice yoga. However, the sea water is very deep, and the tour guide will recommend wearing a life jacket when entering the water.

Find a shade spot on the beach and have a glass of frozen Thai milk, which is also very refreshing!





It’s hard to imagine that buying Thai milk from the only stalls on the island only costs 100 baht for a large cup.

Four islands

The four islands refer to Chicken Island, Tup Island, Mor Island, and Poda Island. The four islands are very close to each other, so one-day tours are usually arranged together. The four islands have very clean and soft beaches, and you can see the bottom of the sea at a glance. The most interesting thing is that when the tide goes out every day, white sand roads appear between three of the islands, giving the impression of a "lonely sandbank".





The slender beach on the right side of chicken island connects the other two islands. Here you can take a magical scene with the sea in front and behind.



Lanta

Koh Lanta is much farther than other remote islands. To get to Koh Lanta, you need to take a boat or drive to the island via car ferry.

Lanta is a niche island with fewer tourists, but the resort hotel on the island is quite well developed, so staying for a few nights is a good choice. To the north is the pier, which is also the busiest place on the island. The further south you go, the more secluded it becomes and the softer the sand becomes. A lot of beaches are concentrated in the west, and most resort hotels and restaurants are located here. Living in Lanta, it is best to drive yourself or rent a motorcycle. From the national park to the south, to the ancient town of Lanta and the mangroves to the east, there are only a handful of scenic spots where you can take a leisurely stroll.







You can also start from Lanta and go to Rok Island and Haa Island, which are open from October 16th to May 14th every year. Since it is an uninhabited island, it is regularly closed for maintenance every year. The scenery is cleaner and more attractive than anywhere else. people.




The water here is cleaner than any other island

Itinerary suggestions

Krabi Town + half day at weekend night market, half day at Naparathara Beach, and half day at Railay Peninsula.
Arrange a day trip to the sea during the remaining time, and consider the number of days according to your needs.

Accommodation and transportation suggestions

Accommodation suggestions:
• If the main purpose is to go out to sea, it is recommended to stay in Ao Nang. Most island one-day tours need to get on the boat at the beach, and they can usually be picked up directly at your door.
• With Krabi Town and Ao Nang as the main travel destinations, it is recommended to stay in Ao Nang or Krabi Town. Accommodation in Krabi Town is relatively cheaper.

Airport transportation: Booking an airport transfer on Taobao is cheaper than taking a taxi, more convenient and comfortable than taking the airport bus, and not much more expensive.

Krabi-Ao Nang local transportation: Taking a taxi between Krabi and Ao Nang is basically 500 baht per trip, which is more expensive than Shenzhen. You can also take a bus (songthaew), which costs 60 baht per person. It stops when you get off the bus and rings the bell. It runs every 20 minutes. You can ask the driver for the first and last bus.

B&B recommendations:

The B&B I stayed at this time was: Relax@Krabi Home and Gallery. The room type I booked was: exclusive use of the entire house, twin room, can accommodate 4 people.

The owner of the B&B, Bancha, is a painter, and many of the decorative paintings in the room are his own works. From check-in to departure, it is mainly her wife Ritar who receives the guests. Ritar is very hospitable and responds promptly to any questions. She will prepare fruits for the guests when they check in and introduce the surroundings of the B&B in detail, including transportation, convenience stores, restaurants, etc. She can give a lot of advice on day trips and can also book them on your behalf.