Krabi, Thailand
When I think of Krabi, Thailand, I imagined the limestone karsts jutting out of the water with long boats adding vivid colors to the beautiful turquoise water of the sea. Krabi is the capital of southern Thailand’s Krabi Province, It is a resort town near the Andaman coast. I’ve lived in Phuket for about 3 years and never visited Krabi, a mere 2 hours 45 minutes car ride. Krabi has been in our travel list since Shane and I started our annual trip to Malaysia. Today, he made this trip possible.
Ao Nang Beach Krabi
We choose Ao Nang Beach, Krabi to be closer to the beach and main touristy area on this trip. The ride from the airport by Grab Car (car e-hailing) took about an hour depending on traffic. Krabi is more laid back than the bustling Phuket island and we prefer it, really. Ao Nang Beach has a beautiful beach setting and nightlife; the latter could be quite annoying when you go to bed early. Our hotel is located close to the bars and pubs playing loud music that competes with one another. Thankfully the hotel moved us to a different wing where it is quieter. The one strip shops and restaurants offer many shopping opportunities and varieties of local and international food. We do notice that the food in restaurants is quite pricey compare to Phuket and Bangkok. There are also many restaurants serving Indian food!
Mamadeenee Stall at Soi RCA
The staffs in our hotel recommend Mamadeenee Stall at Soi RCA for cheap, authentic Thai food. Soi RCA is a row of street food leading to a burger joint at the end of the street called “Beats and Burgers”. Mamadeenee stall is the 4th stall after the main entrance. Mention us if you do visit her. She will remember us because I helped set up her Facebook page. She is a single mom and takes care of her grandson. A quiet lady, she cooks to our specifications and there is usually a line waiting for their orders. I will write more about her in a new post.
Another mention is the delicious coconut smoothies from the Thai Pancake stall in the corner shop lot opposite Mamadeenee. Delicious refreshing coconut water blended with ice and coconut flesh. It is so, so good.
Ao Nang Beach
Ao Nang Beach is a short 8 minutes walk from our hotel. The main street branches out into Soi Ao Nang 17 with the Longtail Boat Service Club booth on the left corner. This company offers chartered boat services and tours and is often packed with tourists. There is a concrete landing that leads to the sandy Ao Nang Beach below. It’s nice to just stand there and watch the tourists getting on and off the longboats. Very beautiful view, just like the many photos I’ve seen online.
Breakfast by the Beach
We found a restaurant at Phra Nang Inn serving continental breakfast buffet at just 150 Thai Baht (US$4.36). It becomes a routine for us to walk to the restaurant and have our breakfast by the beach. We people watch and simply take it easy for the next hour before deciding on our next activity. The street along Soi 17 has many restaurants and bars offering great places to sit back, relax and watch the ocean.
Cheap Massages
After a lazy morning, one can walk next door to get a massage. “Blooming Massage” is my to go place for cheap massages and pedicure. One hour of Thai oil massage is only $8.70! I am planning to visit this place every day of our trip here. Pure bliss…. Ao Nang Beach, Krabi is certainly a place worth a visit if you are staying somewhere else.
Click our Travel link to read about the places we have visited.