Krabi Town



Krabi (กระบี่), the capital of Krabi Province, sits a little upstream from the mouth of the Krabi River and is mainly visited en route to the nearby beaches of Had Yao, Ao Nang or Rai Leh (aka Railay). Krabi is 784 km south of Bangkok by road.

Understand
Krabi Town is, in reality, two towns. There is the dusty strip-mall of a town that borders Rte 4. And then there is the quite congenial and pleasant town of Krabi proper. The town's 53,000 inhabitants (2010) see few of the droves of tourists that pass through on their way to the beaches. This is unfortunate, as those who stay find it a relaxed place that is worth exploring for a day or two, where they experience "the real Thailand", more so than in beach resorts.

Get in
Given its importance as a tourist hub, there are many direct connections by air, road and sea, but the nearest railway station arriving from the north is at Surat Thani, while arriving from the south it's Thung Song Junction.

By plane


Air conditioned buses link the airport with the town, and also with Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches. Buses meet all arriving flights and will drop you off in front of the Krabi Provincial Court. The schedule to the airport is listed on the Ao Nang page.

Songthaews run from the town to the airport. Going to the airport, they will drop you at the departure terminal. From the airport, you will have to walk about 400 m and catch them on the main road to Krabi.

Motorcycle taxis are available outside the terminal.

National Car Rental has a branch at the airport.

Domestic flights

 * Bangkok has many daily flights via Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, and Thai Airways.
 * Ko Samui has one daily flight in each direction via Bangkok Airways.

International flights
Krabi has daily flights to the major regional hub of Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia. In summer there is a smattering of charter flights to cities across Scandinavia and Russia.

By train
Krabi does not have a railway station. Surat Thani has a station and you can transfer onto buses to Krabi from there. From Thung Song Junction railway station, hourly Minivans are available.

By bus


There are several daily daytime and overnight buses from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (, 12 hours).

For a bus from Krabi to Bangkok there is a choice of either a private bus company or BKS, the government-supervised bus company. Entering the Krabi Bus Station's front entrance, the BKS ticket vendor is to your left. The private company ticket sellers are to your right. You will have your choice of Bangkok destinations: the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) or the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). Mo Chit is the better choice if you are heading north immediately, say to Chiang Mai, as buses to the north leave from Mo Chit. Mo Chit is also marginally closer to downtown if you are staying in Bangkok.

Surat Thani—a major east-coast bus, rail, and ferry hub—is about 3-3½ hr away. Pantip Bus Company runs ten buses per day to Surat Thani from Krabi, the first at 04:30, then one just about every hour until the last at 16:00. Fare is 150 baht (2016). These buses stop frequently to let people on and off. A faster option might is a minivan. You will see a row of white minivans parked at the bus terminal. These travel to Surat Thani and other destinations regularly. Fare is 180 baht (July 2016). The journey will take 2-2½ hr. Beware of a little scam that the minivans like to play with their taxi driving pals: when in-bound, the minivans frequently stop at a tiny restaurant about 75 m from the bus station proper. Here you will be besieged by taxi drivers offering to take you to Ao Nang (where 90% of in-bound Krabi passengers want to go) for 400 baht. If you walk to the bus station (look for the big buses) you can catch a songthaew to Ao Nang for 60 baht (songthaew service stops at night).

Phuket airport has several buses direct to Krabi airport. There are also hourly mini-buses that make the two hour run (more likely to be 3 hours) from Phuket's bus station to Krabi town.

Thung Song bus station is 200 m from the railway station. Minivans leaving on the hour between 07:00 and 17:00 each hour (140 baht - February 2019). Travel time is about 2 hours.

Hat Yai is just over four hours away by minibus. Generally, they stop where you want.

Ao Nang is well-served by white songthaews that run from the bus station and the 7-Eleven on Maharaj Rd in Krabi Town via Klong Jilard, Sai Tai, Ao Nang Junction Village, and Noppharat Thara Beach. (60 baht until 18:00, 80 baht 18:00–22:00). They run every ten minutes during the day and every 30 minutes from 18:00-22:00.

Georgetown (Malaysia) via minivan or minivan+bus, switch at Hat Yai, RM120-130, 05:00, 08:00 or 08:30, 12:0], duration 7-9 hr depending on border and bus switch (Jan 2024).

By car
Krabi is just off Hwy 4. It is 784 km south of Bangkok, 165 km by road to Phuket, and 80 km to Phang Nga.

By boat
Several daily ferries connect Krabi with Ko Phi Phi, Ko Jum and Ko Lanta, though most depart in the morning. Tickets can be purchased at the dock or from tourist offices and most local guesthouses and hotels. The normal passenger ferry does not start from the centre of town anymore, but from a new passenger port about 3 km outside Krabi. Free taxi transfer to the pier should be included in the price of your ticket. If your boat starts from the old piers in the centre of town (Chao Fah Pier or Phi Phi Pier), you are most likely on a more expensive and longer tourist boat ride. Also, make sure that when you arrive at the airport the taxi driver takes you to the correct pier. Many times they'll take you to a travel agent near the old pier and sell you additional accommodations or services. Only buy the ticket you need. Prices often get cheaper the closer you get to your next destination.

Ferry tickets to Ko Phi Phi can be purchased at PP Family beside the pier in town. The fare includes the songthaew to the pier outside town.

The large displayed time-tables in the many travel agencies are just for show and the times are not to be taken literally. Ask. As of July 2007, there were two ferries a day from Krabi to Ko Phi Phi at 09:00 and 14:30. They add additional ferries during high-season.

The pier at Klong Jilad, for ferries to and from Ko Phi Phi has a taxi desk with posted prices.

Get around
You can use either the songthaew or a taxi. From the bus station to town center a taxi will cost 100 baht as it is about a 4 km trip. To the Tiger Temple from town, pay 200 baht for a taxi.

With a songthaew, opposite and a couple of hundred metres up from the pier, opposite the police station, is a songthaew stop at Maharaj Soi 7. Blue ones go to Tesco Lotus and other out of town places: this is on the way to the airport and Tiger Temple. Brown ones go to the bus station and charge 30 baht. Blue with white/yellow/red stripe go to the airport.

To get to and from Ao Nang, in the centre of Krabi town on Maharaj Rd (main road) near the traffic lights where male statues hold them up is the Vogue Department Store. A white songthaew goes from here to Ao Nang and costs 60 baht. It will come into Ao Nang along Ao Nang Rd. These white ones also start from the bus terminal. Fare from Ao Nang is 60 baht before 18:00 (Feb 2016). With the songthaew, push the button to stop where you want to get off, then pay the driver.



Renting a motorbike is the cheapest way to explore sites outside of Krabi town. A reliable bike for 24 hours costs 150-200 baht.



See








Do

 * Snorkelling, kayaking tours. Examples one-day tour: 4 islands, Hong island, Phi Phi islands for 1000-300 bhats depending if long-tail or speed boat. Include usually hotel transfer, snorkel mask, life jacket, lunch, frsh fruit, drinking water, basic insurance, and guide, sometimes dry bag.
 * Mangrove tour, half-day. 1500-2500 bhats.
 * Mangrove tour, half-day. 1500-2500 bhats.

Buy
Krabi Town is far cheaper than Ao Nang. This is reflected in the price of food and drinks especially. There are two night markets in Krabi Town that are worth a look, and on weekends there is the Walking Street market from 17:00-22:00.



Eat


At night there is a charming night market close to the promenade next to the piers. Food is good and cheap, with Muslim influences. From time to time the town organizes shows on a small stage next to the market.

An even better market can be found on Maharaj Soi 10 in the centre of town. This market has plenty of fresh fruit and lots of authentic cooked food. Only a few places have menus, otherwise point and enjoy. This market does not sell alcohol. There is also the new Walking Street night market, between Vogue Department store and Vieng Thong Hotel, F-Su 17:00-22:00 which sells food and general items such as clothes and handicrafts, and there is a largish seating area.

Not to be missed is the covered morning market (the biggest in south Thailand) on Maharaj Soi 9 (behind the Shell station). For early birds only. After 08:00 all the action is subsiding. Exactly at that time you can watch a show of national pride: the national anthem is played and almost everyone comes to a standstill for the duration. The best place to get all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetable, khao niao (sticky rice), Patong Khoo, cha rohn (sweetened Thai tea), or fresh hot soy milk. The section of fresh fish and meat sellers is for hardened stomachs only.

During low season very few restaurants open at all. The floating restaurant (RuenPae) is open as well as a couple near the tourist area towards the pier, but in the town very few at all. The floating restaurant does brilliant seafood at a reasonable price as well as providing mosquito coils to keep these pests away from your legs.

Drink
There are a number of bars and cafe bars in Krabi town centre that cater to tourists, expats and natives. A few of them will have live bands at the weekend belting out cover songs, though Rocky Bar has live music every night. Stick to the main areas and it is most unlikely you will have anything but a pleasant time.

Go next

 * Ao Nang
 * Baan Ao Leuk
 * Khao Lak
 * Khao Sok
 * Ko Jum
 * Ko Lanta
 * Ko Lipe
 * Ko Phi Phi
 * Ko Siboya
 * Rai Leh
 * Phuket
 * Nakhon si thammarat
 * Surat thani
 * Malaysia: Penang