Ao Nang
The departure point for every island, with its beach and its lined-up longtails.
Duration
1 hr – 3 hrs
Best time
Morning departures
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Ao Nang is not a destination, it is a departure point: every longtail to Railay, Poda and the islands leaves from its beach or the neighbouring Nopparat Thara pier, and tickets are bought at the desk on the sand, by the hour.
The main street holds the agencies, the scooter hire and the restaurants. The beach itself is fine without being remarkable — grey sand, and boats along the edge. You sleep here and leave from here.
Getting there
Bus from Krabi Town, thirty minutes, or a shuttle from the airport. Longtails leave from the central desk on the beach.
What to bring
- International driving permit
Rules on site
Longtails stop running late in the day and the last boat back from Railay leaves earlier than advertised: confirm the time when you set out, not when you arrive. In the monsoon, May to October, crossings are cancelled in heavy seas.
Other places in Krabi
- Emerald Pool and hot springsA turquoise pool deep in the forest, and hot waterfalls a few kilometres away.
Klong Muang BeachThe sand north of Ao Nang, quiet, without the longtails or the vendors.
Tiger Cave Temple: the 1,237 stepsA staircase of 1,237 steps to a temple on a pinnacle, and a full horizon over the province at the top. The climb is steep, uneven, and the monkeys are not shy.Railay and the limestone cliffsA peninsula reachable only by longtail. Sheer cliffs, turquoise water, and Thailand's best climbing routes right behind the beach.