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After Koh Lanta, we returned to the mainland, this time to one of the most beautiful places Thailand offers. Ao Nang and Railay Beach are located in the province of Krabi and are accurate insider tips among backpackers.
Ao Nang offers a lot of tourism at a low price. So no matter what you are looking for, you will find it in Ao Nang. Railay Beach is located at the southern end of the town and is a true retreat for those who love the reggae lifestyle. Don't miss either spot during your Thailand trip!
Ao Nang
Life in Ao Nang mainly takes place along main road 4203. Most hotels, restaurants, shops and the beach walk are located on this road.
beaches in Ao Nang
Ao Nang Beach
The main beach of the city offers everything for a beautiful beach day. Here you will find clean sand, turquoise water, many shops, restaurants and even massage studios on the beach. As you can imagine, it's very crowded, and you won't find many quiet spots.
Hat Noppharat Thara Beach
If you are looking for a little more peace, you will find it a little further west at Hat Noppharat Thara Beach. You'll also find everything described above here, but fewer tourists.
Insider tip: On the way, you can type No Sunrise, No Sunset into Google Maps, and you'll come to a viewpoint with a quadrant of mirrors. A lovely spot for photos during sunset.
Monkey Trail & Centara Grand Beach
A great excursion is also the Monkey Trail to Centara Grand Beach. The trail is a short walk over wooden steps (sometimes difficult for older people or children) and leads to the beach from the 5-star Centara Grand Hotel. You might encounter monkeys with some luck, so watch your stuff. The beach itself is quiet, clean and mainly used by hotel guests.
boat trips in Ao Nang
We recommend booking a boat tour. You usually choose between the 4 Island Tour and the Hong Island Tour. We informed ourselves on the internet beforehand and decided on the more expensive Hong Island Tour with the speedboat. This way, we could ensure that we didn't lose much time on the way and could enjoy the individual spots for a long time. We booked at the Ao Nang Longtail boat service club on Ao Nang Beach. For the tours, there is an additional fee of 300 baht for the national park, which you should bring in cash.
Hong Island Tour (Koh Hong)
After two snorkelling spots, we went to the first stop at Koh Lao Lading. Koh Lao Lading has a small bay somewhat reminiscent of a miniature Maya Bay. An excellent spot for snorkelling is to the left of the buoys.
We continued to Hong Island, Hong Island Lagoon, Pakbia Island and Daeng Island. Koh Hong is beautiful in many ways. The bay is stunning, the beach clean and uncrowded. There's even the option to climb up to a 360-degree viewpoint. If you love underwater life, this is the tour for you. We could snorkel everywhere and saw hundreds of fish and other animals.
After our Koh Phi Phi tour, we thought it would be hard to top. However, Hong Island positively surprised us, and it can keep up with Koh Phi Phi Leh.
4 Island Tour
On the 4 Island Tour, you will visit the following spots and islands: Phra Nang Cave Beach, Koh Tup, Koh Mor, Chicken Island and Poda Island.
Sightseeing outside von Ao Nang
There's not much sightseeing in Ao Nang, but you can enjoy the beach and nightlife. If you still want to go on a DIY sightseeing tour, we recommend taking a motorbike to Krabi Town. It takes about 25 minutes, and the drive through the giant limestone cliffs is worth it. Be careful where you park at Ao Nang Beach. Parking areas are marked there. You can quickly find your motorbike with a parking claw if you don't follow the rules. Always, but especially at Ao Nang Beach, you should wear your helmet. There are strict controls, and the penalties are not minor.
Krabi Town
The streets of Krabi give you back the long-lost big city flair. There is a shopping district, Thara Park and, most importantly for us, Night Markets and Walking Streets. These are all within a short distance.
Krabi Town Night Market
At the Night Market, you can find all kinds of food, souvenirs, and handmade items. But, unfortunately, we hardly saw any clothes.
Krabi Walking Street
In the immediate vicinity is Krabi Walking Street, where the same goods are on sale.
If you want something different, you can also visit the Black Crab Night Market or the Maharat Fresh Market.
Khaotong Hill Restaurant
One of our highlights during our stay in Ao Nang was the Khaotong Hill Restaurant. It is located about half an hour from Ao Nang and offers a unique view of Phang Nga Bay.
The car park is at the bottom of the hill, so you have to pay a 20 baht fee to transfer to the restaurant. I had delicious Crab Curry Quesadillas, and Natalie had a rice plate with many separate side dishes. However, the highlight of our visit was probably the most beautiful sunset we had ever seen.
Emerald Pool (Tiger Cave Temple)
An even more extended trip is to the Emerald Pool, and if you want to visit it, we recommend a stop at the Tiger Cave Temple. Be sure to take enough to drink. The 1,260 steps take their toll and will tire you out. At the top, however, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view.
Now it's about a 50-minute drive to the Emerald Pool, which lies northeast above Koh Lanta. These are several mineral-rich natural pools with wooden jetties and partly clear water - just the right place to recharge your batteries before making the long journey back towards Ao Nang. The entrance fee is 200 baht. Unfortunately, you also have to pay another 20 baht for parking and changing rooms.
Ao Nang Shopping
During the day and evening, we had a lot of fun strolling past the many shops on the main street of Ao Nang. You find many souvenir shops here and beautiful boutiques with clothes that even Natalie couldn't resist.
Restaurants in Ao Nang
Besides Khaotong Hill Restaurant, we don't have many recommendations for you in this post, but you'll still like our three tips.
Buzz Organic Food & Drink
We enjoyed our first breakfast at Buzz. It is a trendy restaurant that only serves healthy food. Everything is very freshly prepared, tastes delicious and costs a price. I had a tasty wrap and Natalie a smoothie bowl at fair prices.
RCA Streetfood
RCA Streetfood is the food court at the red light district RCA. It is a good option in the centre if you're looking for cheap Thai snacks or meals.
Ao Nang Landmark Night Market
You will find the Ao Nang Landmark Night Market on Hat Noppharat Thara Beach, which also offers food and drinks of all kinds. When we visited, it was already very empty, and some shops were closed. However, it was still enough for a small round of tasty food in the evening. If you don't find what you're looking for here, you can also drive along the beach road, where plenty of restaurants have delicious fresh seafood.
Hotel
We booked our hotel away from the hustle and bustle of the jungle this time. Right in front of the giant limestone cliff in Ao Nang is the beautiful Ao Nang Cliff View Resort. It offers small and more significant natural bungalows, a delicious breakfast and a pool in a beautiful location. We were delighted and had a lovely stay.
Next to Ao Nang, Railay Beach is another jewel near Krabi. In our next article, we will go into detail about it. Be curious because Railay Beach is one of the insider tips in Thailand for many backpackers.
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