The 15 Best Bucket Item List of What to Do in Krabi
If you’re wondering what to do in Krabi then you’ve there’s no shortage of amazing options. This is the Thailand of your dreams! Beautiful beaches, turquoise waters, stunning sunsets and the laidback lifestyle you’ve always dreamt of are right here waiting.
Visit the Tiger Cave Temple
Our first pick is one of our favorite days out in Krabi. So much so that we’ve written a whole article about it! The Tiger Cave Temple doesn’t have any real tigers in it these days, but legend has it that once upon a time a huge, man-eating tiger lived in the caves here.
These days a trip here combines cool caverns, a large temple complex and a great viewpoint. The temple is one of the most important religious sites in the local area, so be sure to remember your monk etiquette to help you navigate your way through a visit!
The Krabi 4 Island Tour
What is Krabi most famous for? Amazing beaches and islands. And what’s the best way to see as many of them as possible in one day? Jump on a boat tour!
The Krabi Four Island tour does exactly what the name suggests, and whisks you round Tup Island, Phra Nang Cave, Poda Island and the intriguingly-named Chicken Island all in one day. Don’t worry about it being too much of a packed itinerary though, because the distances between stops aren’t huge and there’s plenty of time to swim and enjoy the scenery.
Take a Day (or 2) to Visit Phi Phi
OK so this might be slightly cheating as the Phi Phi Islands aren’t technically in Krabi, but they’re so close and they’re so beautiful…
Yes, you really can hop over to the Phi Phi Islands from Krabi! A day’s speedboat excursion will set you back about 50 bucks. True, tourism has taken its toll here and the famous Maya Bay is currently off-limits to visitors due to environmental damage, but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the scenery. Snorkel off the coast, enjoy fresh seafood in a local restaurant on Phi Phi Don and top up your tan as the cliffs rush past.
Take a dip at the Emerald Pool.
Here’s another of our favorite local excursions: a trip to the Emerald Pool. Set in the lush jungle of the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park, the pool is a picture-perfect crystal-clear swimming hole and a great place to come and unwind.
There’s a beautiful waterfall here, plus plenty of local food stalls and some nature-spotting on offer if that’s your thing. If you’re heading this way then we’ve pulled together a handy guide to help you plan your visit.
Take in the Local Culture
It’s easy to get blinded by the beaches in Krabi, and forget that this region has got a whole lot of other things to offer alongside. Krabi Town is a microcosm of Thailand at large, with plenty of tourist amenities rubbing shoulders with traditional shops, local restaurants and fresh food markets.
Head to the riverbank to see fishermen landing their daily catch, or wander the back streets to discover a maze of small temples and shrines.
Krabi Night Market
And of course you can’t visit without Krabi Town without treating yourself to some delicious food at the walking street night market! Pad thai, pad see ew, kra praw, som tam. All the classics are here waiting for you, cooked fresh right in front of your eyes.
Our tip- don’t stop at the first stall you see, because there’s so much to explore here! Krabi is great for seafood so take a wander through the market before you choose a few dishes to try.
Hiking Dragon Crest Mountain
Our next recommendation for what to do in Krabi is a bit energetic, but the views are worth it. A visit to Dragon Crest Mountain means a 1,237 stair climb up to one of the best viewpoints in Thailand!
You’ll get 360 degree views of the whole Krabi area, with limestone karst hills in the foreground and the Andaman Sea on the horizon. Grab a shared taxi or a scooter and get here early to avoid climbing all those stairs in the midday sun! If you want more info then check out our blog which tells you all you need to know.
Wareerak Hot Spring Retreat
Head to the Khlong Tom district for a visit to the Wareerak Hot Springs complex. This place combines all the benefits of soaking in hot springs with a fully-functioning health spa, so you can get a bit of pampering if you’re feeling a bit ropey the day after a pub crawl!
An hour’s massage starts at 1,000 baht, which is expensive compared to the local places but the quality is high. Alternatively, a pass to visit the springs is 500 baht for an hour if you just want to lie back and relax.
Take a Thai Cooking Class
Krabi cooking lessons are a popular way to learn about the local cuisine, with the added bonus of being able to eat what you’ve made afterwards! The best way to learn how to create authentic Thai food is to get a Thai person to teach you after all.
A class will set you back anything from 25 to 40 dollars depending on the experience of the teacher and the number of dishes you make. We recommend finding a cooking school that takes you to the market first, to buy your own ingredients. Haggling for your own vegetables is almost as much fun as cooking them!
White Water Rafting in Krabi
Want an adrenaline hit? Well now you can go white water rafting in Krabi! The Songprak River offers a lively seven kilometer stretch of white water. At grades 2-4 it’s not the most extreme section of river in the world, but it’s plenty exciting enough to get the heart pumping.
Operators are pretty reliable here, and full safety training should be given before you start. If you’re taking a waterproof camera then make sure it’s firmly attached to you though as it’s all too easy to lose your valuables overboard!
Experience the back-to-back delights of Railay and Tonsai
The best bits about Railay and Tonsai beaches are how close to each other they are, and how different they are. You can walk between the two sides of the promontory in about 20 minutes, but Railay offers a polished, higher-end experience whereas Tonsai is all barefoot reggae bars and moonlit beach beers.
Whichever beach you choose, these are some of the most beautiful views in Thailand. The beaches are easily reached on a longtail from Ao Nang, so grab a few Bodegans and put together a day trip to enjoy them.
Rock Climbing in Railay
Talk to anyone about Railay and Tonsai and climbing will inevitably get mentioned. The Krabi area is a climber’s dream, with a ton of differently graded routes on offer up some magnificent cliffs.
If you can’t climb yet then join a beginner’s lesson. If you already have experience then you’ll be in heaven! An operator like Real Rocks can put together a whole-day program to take you round all the best pitches.
The Beautiful Koh Hong island
Another great day trip from Krabi, a visit to Koh Hong island means a visit to an uninhabited natural wonderland. The island is only home to birds, gibbons and lizards, and tourism hasn’t got a foot-hold here.
Longtail boat trips will take you to the islands, and then you can jump into a kayak to explore further yourself. Entry to the area costs 300 baht but a proportion of that is directly channeled to the upkeep of the National Marine Park area.
What to do in Krabi? Have your mind blown!
Bioluminescence is the stuff of sci-fi movies. You might have seen pictures of this phenomena before: microscopic plankton in the water glow slightly when disturbed, and in the waters around Krabi at night this can lead to amazing displays of glowing blue swirls in the sea.
The best thing is that you can create these beautiful blue swirling patterns by swimming through the plankton, and creating the disturbances yourself! It’s an eerie, unmissable experience. Check out local tour operators who will know where it’s good to go depending on conditions on the day.
The Infamous Ao Nang Krabi Pub Crawl
All the best days in Krabi end with our infamous Ao Nang pub crawl! It’s the biggest, wildest party in town. For just 499 baht you get shots shots shots, a t-shirt, a free bucket at the Bodega bar, drinking games, a BBQ and the best night of your life! Check out more info on our pub crawl page by clicking the image below.
Turn up thirsty, see the best bars in Ao Nang and say goodbye to your liver. You don’t need it anyway!
Endless Things to Do in Krabi
Our top tip on how to make the most of a visit to Krabi is to take your time. Don’t think you can rush in and out of here in a couple of days, there’s too much to see! This is one of the best regions that Thailand has to offer and you want to make the most of it. Check in with us, relax and enjoy!
