Should You Stay in Ao Nang Beach or Krabi Town in 2024?

One of the main questions we get here is from tourists who are trying to decide which place should they stay in Krabi. Krabi Town or Ao Nang Beach area?

This is not an easy question to answer so we will give you a lot of information below, and you can make your own decision for your circumstances.

Krabi Town is a Thai town and though it has some infrastructure for tourists, it’s really just set up as a Thai town that has transportation to Ao Nang Beach so you can stay there or reach the islands around Krabi like Ko Phi Phi, Ko Yao Yai and Noi, Ko Lanta, Ko Jum, and Phuket islands.

Staying in town is going to be much cheaper than it would be staying at the beach or at one of the islands, but there are no beaches in town. There is a small park with some sand, but you really can’t consider that a beach.

The only people who stay in town tend to be backpackers that arrive late or, who want to see some of the attractions that are more easily reached from town like the Emerald Pool, Tiger Cave Temple, Hot Springs, Dragon’s Crest mountain hike, or Huay Toh Waterfall.

It is also easier to go from Town to Ko Lanta, Surat, Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, Ko Tao, Ko Jum, Phang Nga, and Phuket than it is from Ao Nang Beach where you must take a boat if you’re going somewhere.

Below we created a table with many criteria to help tourists decide whether Krabi Town or Ao Nang Beach is the better place to stay while visiting Krabi.

Side-by-Side – Ao Nang Beach vs Krabi Town

Criteria	Ao Nang Beach Area	Krabi Town Area
Proximity to the Beach	Very close, within walking distance for most areas	Farther away, requires transport (17 km/10 mi – 25 mins)
Accommodation Options	Wide range of hotels, resorts, bungalows on islands	Hotels, no nice resorts
Dining Options	Local seafood, international cuisine	Fewer options, mainly local eateries “Bistro Monacos!”
Nightlife	Some nightlife scene, but weak compared to Phuket	Very limited nightlife – bars, Thai dance clubs
Shopping Opportunities	Plenty of small shops and boutiques. Makro.	Limited shopping options – Makro, Lotus’s, Big C
Tourist Attractions	Beautiful beaches, island hopping	Cultural sites, temples, hot spring, waterfall, Hiking
Water Sports Activities	Diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding	Boats to islands or Railay Beach
Transportation	Tuk-tuks, taxis, and songthaews	Motorbikes, tuk-tuks, taxis, and songthaews
Scenic Views	Stunning beach and limestone cliffs	Lush greenery, river views, some forest
Family-Friendly	Suitable for families with children	Limited family-friendly options but closer to many more things to do
Budget-Friendly Options	Variety of budget accommodations.	All budget hotels.
Accessibility	Well-connected to nearby islands	Central location, easy to access dozens of attractions
Local Culture	Touristy, with a mix of international visitors	More local and authentic experience
Language Spoken	English more widely spoken	Limited English proficiency
Safety	Generally safe, exercise normal precautions	Generally safer, exercise normal precautions
Health and Medical Facilities	Clinics and pharmacies available, International Clinic	Clinics and pharmacies available, and international hospital (Nakharin)
Climate	Tropical climate	Tropical climate
Peak Tourist Season	May to November	May to November
Local Transportation	Longtail boats for island hopping, motorbikes	Longtail boats for river tours, motorbikes, songthaew
Prices	Higher	Lower, and affordable
Traffic	One main road never too busy	Rush hours can back up traffic for 20 mins.