Top Things to Do in Krabi Town (Is Krabi Town Worth Visiting?)

Are you wondering if Krabi Town is even worth visiting? Why no one is raving about this town? In this post, I will give you all the answers! You will learn what are the best things to do in Krabi Town and why you should visit in the first place!

Krabi Town is not the most visited town in Krabi province, and I could definitely feel that as I walked down the streets of this very interesting town.

Most travellers head to Koh Phi Phi, Railay, Ao Nang or Koh Lanta. Krabi Town is often just a stopover on the way to other destinations.

Most of the fellow travellers who shared the journey from Koh Tao to Krabi with me were heading everywhere else but Krabi Town. And I get it! When you visit Krabi, you want to spend your days lazing on the dreamy beaches, taking boat tours, snorkelling and stuffing faces at the famous night markets.

Dreaming of visiting Koh Tao but you’re not sure if you can afford it? read my post about how to visit Koh Tao on a shoestring budget!

But I am very glad I stayed for a few days in Krabi Town. After a week in Ao Nang where I was almost constantly asked to buy something, get a tour or walk into the restaurant, walking down the streets of Krabi Town, where no one gave a toss about me, was extremely refreshing and relaxing!

Krabi Town is completely different from Ao Nang or other tourist spots in Krabi. And like all other places, it has its pros and cons.

Krabi Town is not a beach destination. There are no sandy beaches and lush resorts here. Instead in Krabi Town, you will find a slice of authentic life sprinkled with affordable prices and excellent food options!

Krabi Town can be rough around the edges and is not as polished as some other Thai destinations. But for me, this is exactly what I found attractive in this city. 

Is Krabi Town Worth Vising?

Krabi Town is definitely worth visiting if you want to get away from touristy spots like Ao Nang or Railay and get a glimpse of real Thai city life. If you want to feel like you are in Thailand rather than in the holiday resort, enjoy some more affordable prices and go off the beaten path, Krabi Town should be on your list.

There are also quite a few super cool things to do in Krabi Town and its night market is a hundred times better than the one in Ao Nang. Krabi Town will give a totally different outlook on the region so if you are a curious traveller, Krabi Town is very much worth a visit!

But I don’t recommend Krabi Town as a longer-term base for exploring the rest of Krabi unless you decide to rent a bike or car. Being a less touristy town comes with a territory. You will find more tour and excursion options elsewhere and much better connections in places like Ao Nang, especially if you plan on travelling by public transport.

I talk about it more in-depth in this Ao Nang and Krabi Town comparison post.

How Many Days Should You Spend in Krabi Town?

You can easily visit Krabi Town for one or a couple of days. I would say 2 full days is optimal but most of the travellers I met in my hostel stayed just for one night.

During 2 days, you will be able to see all the best Krabi Town attractions including visiting the night market (or two) and taking one of the great trips like visiting Tiger Cave Temple or the mangrove boat tour. 

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Where to Stay in Krabi Town

If you are looking for a great budget hostel in Krabi Town look no further than Leisure Hostel. I was so surprised by how great this hostel was given it was literally the cheapest in town!

The best are super comfortable, you get coffee and snacks for breakfast, the stuff is super nice and the vibe is pretty social too! 

Alternatively, Pak-Up Hostel is also a great choice. It has an awsome social atmosphere and I heard great opinions from other travellers!

If you are looking for a great yet affordable private room then consider K.L. Boutique Hotel, Krabi River Hotel or this super cool Muji Hotel KrabI.

Finally, for a comfortable stay, Family Tree Hotel offers an awesome location, cool decor and very friendly staff!

How to get from Krabi Town to Other Destinations

How to get from Krabi Town to Ao Nang

The best and cheapest way of getting from Krabi Town to An Nang is by bus (shared songthaew) which costs 50 Baht one way. Those run regularly but not on schedule. It just drives around until it fills up.

You can catch one around the Krabi bus station but it drives through the town so ask about at accommodation and they will point out where is the best place to wait for it.

Be sure to wave it so it stops for you! Once in Ao Nang just indicate where you want to get off – the bus goes along all the main roads in Ao Nang.

How to get from Krabi Town to Railay Beach

At the Chao Fah Pier, you will find shuttle boats going daily to Railey Beach. The ride costs 150 Baht one way but you will have to wait until the boat is full. In high season it shouldn’t be a problem. But I was there in November and I didn’t see too many people around so plan this carefully. The whole boat costs 1200Baht so if you are in a group or don’t want to wait you can just pay and go.

Another way of getting from Krabi Town to Railay Beach is by first taking a shared songthaew to Ao Nang for 50 Baht and then a boat from Ao Nang waterfront to Railay for 100 Baht.

How to get from Krabi Town to Hat Yai

I chose to take a private shuttle to Hat Yai from Krabi Town.

Daily busses are going from the Krabi bus terminal to Hat Yai which costs just under 400 Baht. But keep in mind that Krabi Bus station is slightly outside of the town so you will have to organise a taxi, tuk tuk or a songthaew to get there. 

So instead, I decided to book a private shuttle via my hostel which was 450 Baht, picked me up at the hostel at 7:30 in the morning and dropped me almost at the front of my hostel in Hat Yai. 

I highly recommend getting a shuttle from Krabi Town to Hay Yai – the cost will be almost the same as a public bus and you will travel in comfort. And trust me! I only opt for this type of transport if it is an excellent value for money!

How to get from Krabi Town to Malaysia

If you want to travel directly from Krabi Town to Malaysia (either Kuala Lumpur or Penang) it can be done but I advise against it.

I was also considering this option but the connections were so tight that I was worried I would miss a bus or train at some point. But you have a few options here:

You can take a direct private shuttle from Krabi Town to Penang which if I remember well, costs around 1000 Baht.

In order to get to Malaysia from Krabi Town on a budget you can take a local bus from Krabi Bus Terminal to Hat Yai from where you will be able to catch the bus or train to Padang Besar. Please keep in mind that the last train from Hat Yai to Padang Besar departs around 2 pm so if you miss it you will either have to stay for the night in Hat Yai or try to catch the bus. 

I instead travelled to Hat Yai, spent the night there and travelled in the morning from Hat Yai to Penang (full guide here)

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Things to do in Krabi Town

Visit One of many awesome Krabi Town Night Markets!

Exploring its night markets is one of the best things to do in Krabi Town at night!

I loved how many great authentic night markets there were in Krabi Town. It made a wonderful change after the touristy and pricy markets I found in Ao Nang.

I was very surprised to see so many as well. The great thing is that most of Krabi Town Markets cater for locals given the town is not overly touristy so you will get a true feel of the real Thai night market. I would even argue that Krabi Town is the best place in Krabi to experience authentic night markets.

Here are my best picks:

I ate the best papaya salad at the Black Crab (Poo Dam) Night Market! There was a huge queue of folks waiting to get theirs, so I don’t think my taste buds were wrong!

It’s a great market that’s open during the week! I recommend watching the incredible sunset by the crab statue first and then heading to the market! This was my favourite evening in Krabi Town!

There’s even a little bar there with a poster saying you can buy food anywhere and sit there for a glass of beverage of your choice!

The official night market of Krabi Town (also called Krabi Walking Street Market) is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 pm.

Here you can not only buy delicious food, but also souvenirs, clothes, bags and all sorts of items. There is even live music!

If you take a stroll along the river in the evening, you will also come across the very local hidden Krabi Street Night Market, which is beautifully situated right by the river.

When I walked past it was a bit too early and stalls were only just setting up but I can imagine it would be a great place for an evening bite under the stars!

Finally, if you crave a truly authentic experience head over to Krabi Maharaj Market! I only passed by on my first day but it looked incredibly authentic and busy!

This is a daytime market open from 5 am to midday. It’s a proper wet market so be prepared for all the smells and visual experiences! If you are staying in Krabi Town for a little longer and want to stock up on fruit and vegetables or want to grab an authentic Thai working people breakfast – this is your place!

Enjoy a Forest walk Through the Mangroves

This was the highlight of my experience in Krabi Town. After the spiciest and most delicious papaya salad I ate at the night market, of course.

The Krabi Urban Forest or Krabi Mangrove Walk is like nothing you’ve ever seen. Ok, maybe you have, but it’s still super interesting!

The mangrove walk is an elevated wooden boardwalk that winds through the mangrove forest. It only takes about 15 minutes, but it’s a great opportunity to explore this unique ecosystem up close.

The trees and plants around this area are unusual in their adaptation to the difficult conditions of the mangrove ecosystem. Mangrove trees, for example, have special roots called pneumatophores that grow above the ground. It almost looked like the trees were standing on their toes!

There are many mangrove tree species which have small posters with the names of the trees displayed.

It was fascinating! You can’t miss it!

Halfway through, be sure to stop by the watch tower from where the views are spectacular!

This boardwalk goes all the way to a little pier where one man and a boat will await …

Take a shuttle boat to the Khao Khanap Nam Cave

This man a boat can take you across the river to visit Khao Khanap Cave.

Now, be sure to huggle! Unless you don’t mind and want to let the guy make some money. There wasn’t a tonne of interest when I was there.

I was properly skinned so I huggled. Meaning: slowly walking away. The original price was 200Baht! Eventually, I was offered the 100Baht there and back deal hahaha.

It’s a cool little adventure in Krabi Town. You will be taken across the river and then walk climb some stairs into the small yet interesting cave with some man-made statues and a boardwalk. Stop by the small Bat Cave as well!

Or Take a Mangrove Boat Trip

If you would like to explore the mangroves of Krabi Town in more depth you can take a longer mangrove boat tour.

It can be a 2-hour or even half-day longtail boat tour that takes you through the narrow channels of the mangrove forest. You will see monkeys and birds and visit the caves.

You can pick up the boat at Chao Fah Park Pier for around 300 Baht or book a mangrove tour online, which often includes lunch.

Are you looking for more of the off-the-beaten-path Thailand?

Then you should definitely visit the incredibly authentic town of Phitsanuklok!

And while there be sure to visit Sukhothai Historical Park on a day trip!

Stroll along the Pak Nam River

Yet again, after the tourist-packed Ao Nang, the Krabi Town river promenade made for a wonderfully peaceful stroll. 

The Pak Nam River is very picturesque from start to finish, and if you choose to walk the whole way through, you will experience something different in different sections too.

From wild mangroves to a pedestrian promenade and a small jetty where you can take a boat to a mysterious fishing village.

Walking along the Pak Nam River and discovering different faces of town is one of the best of the totally free things to do in Krabi Town!

Find Illusive Fisherman Village

Why illusive? It is not really. It is in fact one of the most recommended activities in Krabi Town but I found it a bit tricky to find my way of getting there so eventually it’s something I skipped.

Apparently, you can take a boat from the port or book one of the private boats at the Krabi port but at the time I wasn’t prepared for the price they offered.

If you go, please let me know! I would like to make it a bit less mysterious.

Enjoy Krabi Town’s surprising café scene!

Surprisingly, I found some of the cutest cafes in Krabi Town that serve fantastic coffee in super cool surroundings!

Pakarang Vintage Cafe was my favourite! Nothing beats drinking coffee surrounded by books and vintage decor!

If you want to explore even more, check out 89 Cafe or Tan Cafe, which also serve fantastic food!

Visit Wat Kaew Korawaram Temple

Wat Kaew Korawaram is a beautiful temple in the city centre of Krabi, sitting on a small hill.

You can reach it from Maharatch Street via a short flight of stairs decorated with two Naga dragons. The stairs leading up to the temple are the attraction in itself. The whitewashed walls of the temple make it recognisable from afar.

The ordination hall is all white and has a blue tiled roof – a rare design in Thailand. This place is peaceful and makes for a wonderful hideaway on hot days.

Take a Trip to Tiger Cave Temple

Tiger Cave Temple, also known as Wat Tham Suea, is the best day, or half-day trip from Krabi Town. It is one of the biggest attractions of the region and is just a 20-minute drive from Krabi Town.

The temple is famous for its challenging yet rewarding pilgrimage trail up the hill with about 1200 steps. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to hike to the top, depending on your fitness level.

The climb can be physically demanding, as the steps are uneven and steep in places. But the effort is well worth it! Once you reach the summit, you’ll be greeted by a large Buddha statue and stunning panoramic views of Krabi town and its surroundings. The views are incredible!

The temple gets its name from a nearby rock formation resembling a tiger’s claw. It’s also a meditation centre and around 200 monks live there. 

If you’re planning to hike, it’s best to start early in the morning around 6 or 7 AM, or even catch the sunrise at the top for the best weather and lighting conditions. The temple is open daily from 4 AM to 5 PM, and it is totally free!

Enjoy your trip to Krabi Town and let me know what your thoughts are. Did you like it?

Until then have a great time in Thailand and…

Happy travels!

Pati x

 

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Heading to Bangkok next?

Read my comprehensive guide to visiting Bangkok for the first time! And if you are not sure where to stay, this is my complete guide to the best areas to stay in Bangkok, especially if you are a solo traveller visiting for the first time.

And if you are feeling overwhelmed by the thought of using public transport in Bangkok, I got you covered too!