# Where should you stay in Ao Nang and Krabi? > Where to stay in Ao Nang: the centre by the longtail booth first time, Nopparat Thara for quiet, Railay for the cliffs, Krabi Town for budget and flights. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/where-to-stay-in-ao-nang - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-11-10 **For a first visit, stay in central Ao Nang, within walking distance of the beach road and the longtail boat booth.** Ao Nang is a base rather than a destination: its value is the boats off the beach to **Railay** and the islands, and being able to walk to the booth in the morning, and back from dinner at night, is what makes it work. Choose **Nopparat Thara** next door for a quieter beach, **Railay** for a night or two under the limestone cliffs, and **Krabi Town** for the cheapest rooms and the shortest airport run. We spent 4 days in Ao Nang, from 13 to 17 January 2023, after Khao Sok and before our last stay in Bangkok, and our [Thailand guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/thailand) recommends the beachfront for dining and boat access. ## Quick pick by traveler type • **First visit, 3 to 4 nights:** central Ao Nang, near the beach road. • **Quieter beach, still close to the boats:** Nopparat Thara, the next beach along. • **Cliffs, climbing, a splurge night:** Railay, reachable only by boat. • **Budget, local food, early or late flights:** Krabi Town, on the river. • **Families:** a resort with a pool in Ao Nang or Nopparat Thara; Railay's wet landings are hard work with small children and luggage. ## Central Ao Nang: the best base for most people **What it's like:** the main beach resort town of Krabi province, a strip of hotels, restaurants, shops and bars along the beach road and the streets climbing inland from it. The **Ao Nang Long Tail Boat Service Club** booth is on the beach road; shared boats to Railay West leave when about 8 passengers have gathered and take 10 to 15 minutes, for about **100 baht** one way in recent reports, more after about 6pm. **Who it suits:** almost everyone. 4 Islands tours, Hong Island and Phi Phi speedboats pick up from Ao Nang hotels, and the beachfront restaurants and karst sunsets are on foot. **Downside:** it is built for visitors, with tour touts and souvenir shops along the main road, and the beach itself is more launch point than swimming beach. Hotels up the hill can be a steep walk back in the heat; check the distance to the beach, not just the price. ## Nopparat Thara: quieter, longer beach **What it's like:** the long beach just along from Ao Nang, with fewer buildings and more space. It sits in the national park that covers the 4 Islands, and speedboat day trips to Phi Phi also leave from Nopparat Thara pier. **Who it suits:** couples and families who want a calmer beach and resort pool, with central Ao Nang a short ride or a long beach walk away. **Downside:** fewer restaurants within walking distance, and a ride into central Ao Nang for the Railay boats and the evening scene. ## Railay: under the cliffs, by boat only **What it's like:** a peninsula cut off from the mainland by limestone cliffs, so there is no road. **Railay West** has the main beach and the more expensive resorts; **Railay East** is the mangrove side where boats from Krabi Town land, with bungalows and mid-priced resorts along a boardwalk; **Phra Nang Cave Beach** is reached on foot under the cliffs; and **Tonsai**, around the headland, suits climbers and backpackers. **Who it suits:** climbers, couples, and anyone who wants Phra Nang and the cliffs before the day-trippers arrive. Our Thailand guide suggests an early longtail for the soft morning light; staying there gives you that without the boat. **Downside:** every arrival is a **wet landing**: there is no pier on Railay West, so you wade ashore with your bags, and at low tide boats to Railay East stop offshore across mud flats. The last regular boats to Ao Nang run around 6pm. One or two nights at the end of a stay works better than a whole trip; our [Ao Nang to Railay guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/ao-nang-to-railay-longtail-boat-island-hopping-guide) covers tides and luggage. ## Krabi Town: budget and the airport **What it's like:** the provincial town on the river, a working town of guesthouses, markets and local restaurants rather than resorts. **Krabi airport** is about 7 km east of downtown, and **Tiger Cave Temple** (Wat Tham Suea), with its 1,260 steps to a hilltop Buddha, is on the outskirts. **Who it suits:** budget travelers, anyone with an early flight, and travelers who prefer local food to a resort strip. **Downside:** no beach. Every boat day starts with a ride out to Ao Nang or the pier, which takes time in the morning. Ao Nang is about 40 minutes from the airport by road, so you lose little by staying on the coast. ## Booking advice: seasons and spare days **Seasons.** The calm-sea season on the Andaman coast runs roughly **November to April**, and it is the busiest and most expensive time to stay; book beachfront rooms early for Christmas, New Year and January. From about May to October the southwest monsoon brings swell, island tours are cancelled on rough days, and Railay boats sometimes switch to Ao Nam Mao pier. **Maya Bay** on Phi Phi Le closes every year from 1 August to 30 September. **Spare days.** Every boat day depends on the weather, so book one more night than your plan needs. Our [how many days in Ao Nang](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-ao-nang) guide uses the fourth day as a buffer. **Park fees.** Island tours collect national park fees in cash on the day, quoted at anything from 200 to 400 baht per foreign adult, and 400 baht for Phi Phi; keep cash, not just cards. ## How many nights, and where Ao Nang fits Book **3 to 4 nights**: Railay, a 4 Islands tour, Hong Island or Phi Phi, and a spare day. Add a night or two on Railay at the end if the cliffs are the point. Ao Nang pairs with **Khao Sok**, about 2 hours inland by private transfer, as on our [6-week Thailand route](https://clevertourists.com/resources/thailand-itinerary-our-6-week-route-bangkok-north-to-the-andaman); see [how many days in Khao Sok](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-khao-sok) and our [Cheow Lan floating bungalow guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/khao-sok-cheow-lan-lake-floating-bungalow-guide). From the capital, our [Bangkok to Krabi guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/bangkok-to-krabi-ao-nang-flight-bus-train-guide) compares the options, and [where to stay in Bangkok](https://clevertourists.com/resources/where-to-stay-in-bangkok) covers the last nights. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is it better to stay in Ao Nang or Railay? Ao Nang for a first visit: hotels, restaurants and boats to everywhere. Railay is beautiful but boat-only with wet landings and last boats around 6pm, so it suits a night or two at the end of a stay. ### Where should I stay in Ao Nang for the beach? Central Ao Nang near the beach road for boat access and restaurants, or Nopparat Thara next door for a longer, quieter beach. ### Should I stay in Krabi Town or Ao Nang? Ao Nang if you want the beach and the boats; Krabi Town for budget rooms, local food and early flights. Krabi airport is about 7 km from downtown Krabi and about 40 minutes from Ao Nang. ### How much is the boat from Ao Nang to Railay? About 100 baht one way in recent reports, more after about 6pm. Shared longtails leave from the beach road booth when about 8 passengers have gathered and take 10 to 15 minutes. ### How many nights do you need in Ao Nang? Three to four, with one spare day for cancelled boat trips. We spent 4 days in Ao Nang in January 2023.