15 Best Things To Do In Krabi, Thailand (2026)
Are you planning an upcoming trip to Krabi? You’ve come to the right article.
Krabi Thailand is a gorgeous coastal province in southern Thailand that’s fringed by these picturesque limestone cliffs, and lush jungle.
It ended up being the highlight of my 2 weeks in Thailand, and it has so many interesting attractions packed in the region. This article will cover all of the best things to do and eat in Krabi so you can leave with amazing memories.
From scenic hikes to hot springs, snorkeling, and Thai cooking classes, there’s something for everyone.
Here are 15 things you absolutely cannot miss in Krabi, Thailand.
This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase through these links we may earn a commission. This helps keep our content free, at no additional cost to you.
Take A Longtail Boat To Railay Beach
Railay Beach is the beautiful beach fringed by limestone cliffs that you see in many of the popular photos of Krabi. This beach is only accessible by a short 15 minute longtail boat ride, which you can book directly at the kiosk on Aonang beach.
It only cost 100 baht ($3 USD) for a roundtrip ride, and they have rides available from 8-6pm.
Railay Beach has a hippie downtown area with shops, and many fun activities, from rock climbing to hiking, and kayaking.
It’s the perfect little beach town to spend an entire day, and it was one of my favorite places I visited in Krabi.
Go On An Island-Hopping Tour
Krabi has a variety of beautiful tiny islands offshore, with the most popular being the Phi Phi islands. This is a group of islands that mainly consists of Koh Phi Phi Don, Maya Bay, and Bamboo Island.
These islands are the most popular given that Maya Bay was featured in the film “The Beach” starring Leonardo Dicaprio. However, the other islands are equally beautiful, and you cannot swim in Maya Bay.
I went on the cheapest Phi Phi island tour I could find ($40 USD), and it was fun, but Railay Beach was just as beautiful as Koh Phi Phi Don, without the crowds.
My favorite part of the tour was snorkeling and taking pictures around the limestone cliffs, and our group stopped at Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island.
If you want to go island-hopping, I’d highly recommend booking a private tour, or visiting the Hong Islands. The Hong Islands are a lesser visited island with equally dramatic views, hiking trails, and a hidden lagoon you can kayak in.
Another tour you can do is the “4 islands tour” which includes a stop at the tiny Poda Islands, Tup Island, Chicken Island, and Phra Nang Cave of Railay Beach.
Relax On Ao Nang Beach
Ao Nang Beach is a stunning white sand beach lined with shops, restaurants, and kiosks for the island-hopping tours. It’s the most lively area of Krabi, and one of the best places to watch the sunset, shop around, and dine out in the evening.
Go On A Sunset Island Tour
For an evening of bioluminescent snorkeling and fiery sunsets, book a sunset island-hopping tour. This is a speedboat cruise that visits 4 different stops (Poda Island, Tup Island, Chicken Island, Phra Nang Cave), with a stop where you’ll get to snorkel with bioluminescent plankton at night!
It’s a small group tour limited to 12 people so you won’t have to wait around for your group like the day tours, and it includes free lunch and hotel pickups.
Hike The Tiger Cave Temple
The Tiger Cave Temple is a hilltop 8th century Buddhist temple that you can get to by hiking up 1,260 steps (to be exact)! It’s a strenuous hike up some very steep stairs, but once you reach the top, you’ll be so glad you did it.
At the top, there’s a large golden Buddha, statues, and an incredible panoramic view of the limestone cliffs. I saw tons of monkeys on the trail, and stray dogs laying on the stairs surprisingly high up.
If you’re not up for an intense hike, it’s still worth visiting. There’s a temple at the bottom of the hill, and a shorter nature trail to caves nestled in the jungle. Entrance is 50 baht for tourists, and it’s only a 30 minute drive from Aonang Beach.
Visit the Emerald Pool
The Emerald Pool is a stunning blue lagoon tucked in the jungle, just over an hour’s drive from Aonang. Entrance is 400 baht for foreigners, and it’s a short 0.5-1 mile hike to get to the pool.
This is one of the best day trips to do from Krabi, and there’s tours available if you’re not renting a car/motorbike. This full day Krabi tour covers transportation to Tiger Cave temple, the Emerald Pool, and the hot spring waterfall.
Bathe In The Hot Spring Waterfall (KhongThomNuea)
Another popular day trip near the Emerald Pool is the hot spring waterfall. This is a small heated mineral pool with cascading waterfalls that’s accessible by a 0.5-1 mile hike.
Entrance is around 200 baht for tourists, and it’s just over an hour’s drive from Aonang.
Hike Dragon’s Crest Trail
The Dragon’s Crest Trail is an intense 4.3-4.6 mile roundtrip jungle hike to one of the best sweeping viewpoints of Krabi.
Entrance is 200 baht for foreigners, and it can take anywhere from 4-6 hours to hike. I hiked part of this trail and it wasn’t my favorite because for the first hour it was a steep trail in the middle of the jungle, with no views.
However, once you get further into the hike, you’ll have amazing views of the sea, and the silhouette of green mountains.
Spend A Day Or Two At Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is one of Thailand’s most stunning national parks, and only a 2-3 hour drive from Krabi. It’s home to a beautiful untouched rainforest, but the main highlight is Cheow Lan Lake.
This is a stunning turquoise lake with towering limestone islets, and floating lakeside bungalows you can stay overnight at.
This full day tour explores the main highlights by boat to Cheow Lan Lake, the Emerald Pool, caves, and more. If you arrive at the pier, you can also book a private longtail boat tour for around 3000 baht ($95 USD).
Try Massaman Curry From Kodam Kitchen
Kodam Kitchen is a must-try restaurant in the heart of Aonang, that I ate at nearly every day of my trip.
They make the best massaman curry (flavorful coconut curry with potatoes) I’ve ever had in my life, and other really amazing Thai dishes. If you take one thing away from this article, try their curry!
Try Mango Sticky Rice From Yenly Yours
If you’re a fan of fresh Thai mangoes, stop by Yenly Yours cafe in Aonang beach. They make amazing mango sticky rice, mango smoothies, thai tea and a variety of mango desserts. If you’ve never had mango sticky rice, this is one of the best places to try it in Krabi.
Take A Thai Cooking Class
If you love Thai food, join a cooking class with a local to take some skills back home with you. You’ll get to learn how to make everything from massaman curry to papaya salad, and mango sticky rice!
This is the one experience I regret not doing in Krabi, and I’ve resorted to watching massaman curry cooking tutorials on Youtube.
Visit The Elephant Sanctuary Krabi
The Elephant Sanctuary Krabi is a no-riding, reputable elephant sanctuary, only a 10 minute drive from Aonang Beach.
They offer both a morning and afternoon program where you can feed, bathe, and do a mud bath with the elephants. They only allow 18 people per session, and you can reserve a visit on their website.
Enjoy Street Food & Souvenirs At A Night Market
Krabi has two popular night markets, the Aonang Landmark Night Market, and Krabi Night Market. The Landmark Night Market is a lively daily night market with entertainment, souvenir, and food vendors right next to Aonang beach.
The Krabi Town Night Market (Fri-Sun) is a popular local market on the other side of town where you can try a variety of street food for cheap.
Hike Monkey Trail (Don’t Bring Your Bag)
Monkey Trail is a short boardwalk trail that starts near Aonang, and leads to a secluded beach. This trail is completely overrun by monkeys that are known for stealing people’s belongings in hope to find a snack.
This is a fun tourist attraction, but make sure to leave your bag in your hotel, and don’t bring any traces of food!
What To Pack For Krabi
- Bug Spray: 7/11s in Thailand sell bug spray, however I didn’t find it very effective! I recommend packing a powerful bug spray and citronella wristbands
- Waterproof phone or camera case
- Water shoes
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
Krabi Attractions Map (Save this!)
Summary
Krabi was one of my favorite places I visited in the world, from the spectacular scenery to the amazing food, and friendly locals.
If you have limited time, I recommend spending a day on Railay Beach, island-hopping, hiking Tiger Cave temple, and trying the massaman curry from Kodam Kitchen.
And if you have more time, it’s worth going on a day trip to the emerald pool or staying overnight at Khao Sok National Park.