Ao Nang in Thailand is considered the most famous resort in Krabi, adapted for European holidays. It is located in the province of Krabi, two dozen kilometers from the municipal center of the same name. Here the most visited beach is Ao Nang, which occupies a long space between high limestone rocks and the edge of the sea.
The popularity of this place adds to the affordable price range of accommodation and a wide range of leisure options: diving (especially near the islands nearby), windsurfing, snorkeling, numerous cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget.
Ao Nang Beaches
Ao Nang in Krabi includes several well-developed coastal areas of Thailand, the most famous of which are::
- Railay Beach
- Hat Noppharat
- Pai Plong
- Phra Nang et al.
Each of them has its own characteristics and attractive features. The picturesque coastline, the blue of the sea and the fullness of forests with tropical plants can be judged by the famous movie “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. The film was shot on one of the islands of Krabi province and was released in 2000. Thailand’s tourist reputation has grown even more, and the coast of Ao Nang and Krabi province is particularly famous. To be precise, this famous beach is located in the bay of Phi Phi Le Island, which we describe here.
Ao Nang beach is a soft and comfortable light sand interspersed with broken shell fragments, a beautiful beach framed by palm trees, safe and convenient access to the sea with a gentle sandy bottom, warm water throughout the year. The tides are well defined: during the arrival of water, the beach ribbon narrows greatly, and the water that recedes during low tide goes quite far, by 100-300 meters. The bottom is smooth, muddy, recognized as quite suitable for walking at this time.
There are good conditions for high-quality windsurfing. It cannot be said that the infrastructure and beach services are well developed here. There are no umbrellas, sun loungers or sun beds on the beaches, which are prohibited in the province. There may be a bar in the singular. This is also the highlight of this resort in Thailand-the beaches look untouched by civilization, although they are actively visited by tourists.
A trip to the sights of Thailand is offered. So, in Ao Nang beach, Krabi is popular:
- natural attractions of neighboring islands that have preserved their pristine nature, and where divers are heading;
- enjoy the beauty of Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, accessible directly from Hat Nopharat Thara Beach;
- Bokkhorani National Park;
- Tham Lod and Tham Phi Hua To Tham Caves;
- Wat Tham Sua Tiger Cave Monastery (Tiger Temple), reached by 1,237 steps;
- visit Khlong Thom Thermal Springs during a jungle walking tour;
- Hua Said and Khlong Khaeng Waterfalls;
- ethnological museum.
There are also horse and elephant rides through plantations, forests and beaches, and bike tours in the surrounding area.
It should be mentioned separately about diving in Ao Nang – this is a common leisure activity. A dozen diving centers compete with each other, which affects the improvement of the quality of services. Group dives are rated as more profitable. There are offers to sink to the bottom near the coast, near the islands nearby, as well as in the marine park, bay, Shark Point Reserve, on the King Cruiser River. Boat trips are organized for photo safaris with dives to the habitat of sharks and large manta rays. At low tide, the sandbar on Koh Kai is exposed – excursion boats also go here.
Ao Nang Beach
This is the central beach of the eponymous resort of Thailand, with a length of one and a half kilometers. It is not considered the most picturesque, compared to others, but it has its own advantages and is entertaining in its own way. This is, first of all, the natural color of the beach – sand, gently rolling waves, coastal silence away from the hustle and bustle of the city, lots of sun and generally excellent weather. Ao Nang beach in Krabi is chosen not only by independent travelers or those who came as part of a tour, but also by family lovers, as well as visitors of retirement age, both Europeans and Asians.
Typical beach activities are not found here, there are no inflatable bananas, jet skis and related races, skiing or parachuting. Rest on Ao Nang beach is based solely on unity with the nature of Thailand and getting acquainted with its beauty.
The only noisy place on the beach is the boat dock. Longtails (motorboats) are the main water transport vehicle in Thailand, which is actively used by locals and tourists. Another transport artery approaches almost to the beach itself – this is a highway straight from the neighboring highway, with a narrow embankment along the beach edge. The main beach infrastructure is concentrated near it – shopping facilities, cafes, etc.
Limestone cliffs on one side of the beach and other mountain ranges of the province are very prominent and are actively used by rock climbing enthusiasts. And after 5 pm, when the time for tanning expires and the sunset approaches, which opened at low tide, the beach is filled with walkers. According to tourists, the sunsets here are extraordinary and always different.
Pai Plong
The left side of Ao Nang Beach is separated by Rocks from the beach called Pai Plong. The only road leading to it is called the “monkey trail” (monkeys actually live here). A few years ago, the staircase that runs through the mountain was completely renovated, so it became easier, safer and more convenient to get to Pai Plong.
Please note! It is forbidden to feed monkeys here. If you break the rule, you will face a fine of 1000 baht.
The only hotel located near the beach is Centara Grand Beach Resort. There is also one cafe and its prices are much higher than in the city, so stock up on food and drinks before visiting the beach.
Pai Plong itself is small, about 200 m. Quieter coast and significantly fewer people than on the central beach. The sand is fine. Sun beds are provided only for hotel guests. There is a place in the shade-under the trees. After lunch, the tide begins to ebb, the water goes far enough away and it becomes impossible to swim. It is better to come to Pai Plong in the morning.
But Ao Nang Krabi Thailand also has other beaches, some even more colorful, located on neighboring coasts and islands, and you can get to them on those very long-nosed boats.
Railay Peninsula Beaches
This place is recognized as the most beautiful in the province of Krabi. Visitors are particularly impressed by the beaches themselves with crushed sand and a lagoon with corals. They come back here with pleasure to take photos and once again enjoy the tropical seascapes. All the beaches can be easily bypassed on foot, among the attractions there is the famous “diamond” cave in Thailand.
For more information about the Railay Peninsula and all its beaches, see this article.
Hat Noppharathara Beach
Quiet, with a shallow sea, a lot of crabs on the shore, mirror tides, a secret place with growing corals and an abundance of marine fauna worthy of attention of divers. On the beach there are areas that are wilder and, accordingly, less visited by tourists. Hat Noppharat has several islands that are convenient for swimming and family holidays in general. It is not surprising that the beach is part of the National Park of Thailand in terms of its overall qualities.
From the infrastructure near the coast-cafes, restaurants, boat station, tour desk. There is an opportunity to take walks in the surrounding area or have a picnic, and before low tide swim in the sea on the right side of the beach, where the water is especially clear at this time. Hat Noppharat beach is a popular place for relaxing holidays for tourists and locals, it is well-maintained-benches, paths, gazebos.
Infrastructure in Ao Nang
Along the beaches there are basic infrastructure elements-cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, massage parlors. Urban amenities include banks, currency exchange offices, travel agencies, and diving centers. Within a quarter of an hour on foot – food and industrial stores, in half an hour by car you can reach the nearest shopping center.
The place is famous for its abundance of restaurants of all preferences, you can choose European, local and even fast food cuisine, there are pubs and gogo bars. Visitors can enjoy musical entertainment, alcohol, and the opportunity to watch the sunset while sitting at a table and relaxing.
The cost of lunch and dinner is considered too high, but this is quite understandable due to the exclusively tourist orientation of the local economy. So, in inexpensive establishments that practice Indian, European and local cuisine, you can focus on the following prices::
- scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon and toast — 170-250 baht;
- fried rice + vegetables/shrimp/chicken will cost 150 baht;
- pasta carbonara, bolognese, with seafood — 170-280;
- tom yam soup 150-250 baht;
- pad thai – 110-150 baht;
- red or green curry with chicken or shrimp — 170-260 baht;
- papaya salad – 120-180 baht.
In the streets, you can enjoy halal food from local vendors. At the entrances to the beaches, there are also vendors selling drinks and inexpensive snacks. On average, for lunch/dinner with drinks for two in a cafe / restaurant, you can pay from 700 yen to 1200 yen.
Homes and hotels in Ao Nang
When choosing a place to stay, it is recommended to base on the distance to the beach. Since tourism is the main source of income for the population and the entire resort province of Thailand, there are options to stay in a hotel or rent suitable housing privately. The choice of terms, prices and service is very wide. Prices in high season (October-March) for cheap hotels start from 500 baht, in 4-5* hotels prices are higher than 700 baht, accommodation in the highest level hotels reaches 2500, 3000 and even 5000 baht per day.
Most of the hotels are located along the main street leading to the beach, where the bulk of the resort’s infrastructure is located. Just beyond the line of hotels, if you walk 15-20 minutes on foot or ride 5-10 minutes by bike, there are rented houses, they are also comfortable. There are also remote hotels – up to a kilometer and further from the beach. There are no bungalows on the beach, they can be found at a distance from the usual housing offers.
For a long time, you can rent housing from local residents. A separate bungalow will cost from 12,000 baht per month. There are many options in the price range of 20-27 thousand baht. In the low and early high season, there is quite a lot of free housing. But during the New Year holidays, finding a holiday home on the spot will be problematic.
Please note! As a rule, bungalows without kitchens are available for rent in Ao Nang. If you plan to cook on your own on vacation, you will have to look for suitable options.
Krabi Tourist Season
The location of the Thai resort area determines the climatic features and tourist attractiveness. 10 degrees to the equatorial zone provides a comfortable climate for recreation. Despite the fact that Thailand does not have the usual winter, it has its own seasonality. The main factors affecting the weather are monsoon winds and temperature.
In the hot summer months of the low tourist season, the thermometer rises above +30 and reaches +40. In the high season, +28…+30 is maintained during the day and slightly lower at night. The southwest monsoon brings moist air and precipitation (usually at night), while the northeast monsoon brings clear skies and unimpeded sunny weather. However, the rainy season, which usually follows after the end of the hottest month, May, still offers comfortable conditions for recreation, not always beach, but no less meaningful and interesting.
How to get to Ao Nang
By bus
In 40 min. from the beaches of Ao Nang, Krabi Airport is located, from which, as a rule, travelers get to the resort. You can get to the hotel area by taxi, transfer from the hotel or by public transport-a regular shuttle bus.
In the case of a bus, the road will cost much less – 150 baht per person. Travel time is 40 minutes. The bus departs from the main entrance to the airport.
By taxi
The airport building has a reception where you can order a taxi at any time of the day. The trip will cost 600-700 Thai baht.
Boats are used for intra-resort movement. Regular ferries run between some of the islands. And in the village itself and to the beaches, you can take a taxi or local vehicles called tut-tuk and songteo.
Conclusion
Ao Nang (Thailand) appeared on the map as a resort relatively recently. Even 40 years ago, little was known about it, and individual tourists came to explore the beaches of Krabi province. Today it is a rapidly developing tourist center, which is at the peak of popularity and at the same time has every chance to preserve its authenticity. The modern tourist business here is closely intertwined with the natural opportunities of the coast, providing vacationers with a choice of an acceptable combination of beach characteristics. And photos from the beaches of Ao Nang Krabi are some of the most colorful and atmospheric. After all, “Ao Nang” is also translated very beautifully – “Princess Bay”.
Discover Railay Peninsula: The Most Picturesque Spot in Krabi, Thailand
