Ao Nang in Thailand is considered the most famous, adapted for a European holiday resort in Krabi. It is located in the province of Krabi, twenty kilometers from the municipal center of the same name. Here is the most visited beach of Ao Nang, occupying an extended space between the high cliffs of limestone origin and the edge of the sea. Popularity is added to this place by the affordable price range of accommodation and a wide selection of leisure opportunities: diving (especially near the islands nearby), windsurfing, snorkeling, numerous cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget.
Ao Nang Resort Beaches
Ao Nang in Krabi includes several equipped coastal areas of Thailand, the most famous of them:
- Railay beach
- Hat Noppharat
- Pie 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 forest fullness of tropical plants can be judged by the famous film “Beach” with Leonardo di Caprio in the title role. The film was shot on one of the islands in the province of Krabi and was released in 2000. The tourist fame of Thailand has increased even more, and the fame of the coast of the province of Ao Nang and Krabi in particular.
Ao Nang Beach is soft, comfortable, light sand interspersed with run-in shell debris, a beautiful beach framed by palm trees, safe and convenient entry into the sea with a shallow sandy bottom, warm water all year round. The ebbs and flows are well pronounced: during the arrival of water, the beach tape narrows significantly, and the water that has subsided during the ebb goes far enough, by 100-300 meters. At the same time, the bottom is flat, silty, recognized as quite suitable for walking at this time.
There are good conditions for quality windsurfing. It cannot be argued that the infrastructure and beach service are well developed here. On the beaches there are no umbrellas, deck chairs or sun loungers, which are prohibited in the province, there may be a bar in the singular. This also has its own highlight of this Thailand resort – the beaches look untouched by civilization, although they are actively visited by tourists.
Offers travel to the attractions of Thailand. So, in Ao Nang Beach Krabi are popular:
- natural attractions of neighboring islands that have preserved virgin nature, and where divers rush;
- the beauty of the national park Mu-Ko-Phi-Phi, departure to which is organized directly from Hat-Nopharat-Thara beach;
- Bokkhorani National Park;
- Tham Lod and Tham Phi Hua To Tham caves;
- a monastery in the “tiger cave” Wat Tham-Sua (Tiger Temple), where 1237 steps lead;
- visiting the Khlong Thom thermal springs while walking through the jungle;
- Hua Said and Klong Haeng Waterfalls;
- ethnological museum.
And also boardwalks on horseback or elephants in plantations, forests and beaches, bicycle tours in the surroundings.
It should be said separately about diving in Ao Nang – this is a common form of leisure. About 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 proposals to sink to the bottom off the coast, near the islands nearby, as well as in a marine park, bay, Shark Point Nature Reserve, on the King Cruiser River. Boat trips for photo safaris are organized with diving to the habitat of sharks and large manta rays. At low tide, a sand spit is exposed on Koh Kai – sightseeing boats also go here.
This is the central beach of the resort of the same name in Thailand, with a length of one and a half kilometers. It is not considered the most picturesque, in comparison with others, but has its own advantages and is entertaining in its own way. This is, first of all, the natural color of the beach – sand, waves creeping in, coastal silence away from the bustle of the city, a lot of sun and generally great weather. Ao Nang beach in Krabi is chosen not only by traveling tourists or those who have arrived as part of a tour, but also lovers of family vacations, as well as visitors of retirement age, both Europeans and Asians.
You will not find a typical beach pastime here, there are no inflatable bananas, jet skis and related races, skiing or parachuting. Holidays on the beach of Ao Nang is based solely on unity with the nature of Thailand and familiarization with its beauties.
The only noisy place on the beach is the boat pier. Longtail (motor boats) are the main water vehicle of Thailand, which is actively used by locals and tourists. Another transport artery approaches almost the beach itself – this is a road straight from the neighboring highway, with a narrow promenade along the beach edge. Around it is concentrated the main beach infrastructure – shopping facilities, cafes and so on.
Limestone cliffs from one edge of the beach and other mountain ranges of the province are very prominent and are actively used by rock climbing enthusiasts. And after 5 o’clock in the evening, when the time for tanning expires and the sunset is approaching, the shore opened at low tide is filled with people walking. According to tourists, the sunsets are unusual and different every time.
The left side of Ao Nang Beach is separated by Rocks from a beach called Pai Plong. The only road called the “monkey trail” leads to it (the monkeys really live here). In 2018, the stairs laid through the mountain were completely renovated, so getting to Pai Plong became easier, safer and more convenient.
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. The cafe is also one and the prices in it 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. A quieter coast and significantly fewer people than on the central beach. The sand is fine. Sun beds are provided only to hotel guests. There is a place in the shade – under the trees. After lunch, the tide begins, the water goes far enough and it becomes impossible to swim. It is better to come to Pai Plong in the morning.
But Ao Nang Krabi Thailand is also other beaches, some even more colorful, located on neighboring coasts and islands, and you can get to them on those very long-nosed boats.
This place is recognized as the most beautiful in the province of Krabi. Particularly impressive visitors are the beaches with crushed sand and a lagoon with corals. They come back here with pleasure to take a photo and once again enjoy the tropical seascape. All beaches can be easily walked around; of the sights there is the “diamond” cave, famous in Thailand.
More information about the Railay Peninsula and all its beaches is collected in this article .
Quiet, with a shallow sea, many crabs on the coast, mirror tides, a secret place with growing corals and an abundance of marine fauna worthy of the attention of divers. On the beach there are wilder areas and, accordingly, less visited by tourists. Hat Noppharat has several islands, convenient for swimming and family vacations in general. Not surprisingly, in terms of the combination of qualities, the beach is part of the Thai national park.
From the infrastructure along the coast – cafes, restaurants, a boat station, a tour desk. It is possible to take walks in the surroundings or have a picnic, and before the low tide swim in the sea on the right side of the beach, where at that time the water is especially clear. Hat Noppharat Beach is a favorite place for a relaxing holiday for tourists and locals, it is well-maintained – benches, paths, gazebos.
Infrastructure in Ao Nang
Along the beaches, the main infrastructure elements are presented – cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, massage parlors. Of the urban amenities – banks, currency exchange offices, travel agencies, diving centers. Within a quarter of an hour on foot – grocery and industrial stores, in half an hour by car you can get to the nearest shopping center.
The place is famous for the abundance of restaurants of any preference, you can choose European, local and even fast food, there are pubs and gogo bars. Visitors can enjoy musical entertainment, alcohol, the opportunity to enjoy the sunset, sitting at the table and relaxing.
The cost of lunches and dinners is considered overpriced, but this is entirely understandable solely by the tourist focus of the local economy. So, in inexpensive institutions that practice local cuisine, you can focus on the following prices:
- fried rice + vegetables / shrimp / chicken will cost 60-100 baht,
- Tom Yam soup 120-200 baht
- Pad Thai – 60-100 baht
- papaya salad – 70 baht.
European cuisine, like everywhere in Thailand, will cost more.
On the streets you can have a halal meal with local sellers. At the entrances to the beaches, there are also traders of drinks and inexpensive snacks. On average, for a lunch / dinner for two in a cafe / restaurant, you can pay from $ 25. But Russian cuisine is especially expensive: a portion of dumplings – up to 350 baht, soups – from 150, the second – from 200 baht.
Houses and hotels in Ao Nang
When choosing a place of residence, it is recommended to be based 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 settle in a hotel or rent suitable accommodation privately. The choice of conditions, prices and service is very wide. Prices in high season (October-March) for inexpensive hotels start at 1100 baht, in 4-5 * hotels prices are higher than 3 thousand baht and even above 5 thousand for a room in a beach resort.
Most hotels are concentrated along the main street leading to the beach, and there is also the bulk of the resort’s infrastructure. A little further than the hotel line, if you walk for 15-20 minutes or ride a bike for 5-10 minutes, rented houses begin, they are also comfortable. There are also remote hotels – up to a kilometer and further from the beach. There is no bungalow on the beach, they can be found in a distance from the accumulation of ordinary housing offers.
For a long period, you can rent a house with local residents. A separate bungalow will cost from 9,000 baht per month. There are many options in the price range of 12-18 thousand baht. In the low and early high season there is a lot of free housing. But during the New Year holidays to find a house for rest on the spot will be problematic.
Note! As a rule, in Ao Nang rent bungalows without a kitchen. If you are planning to cook on your own on vacation, you will have to look for suitable options.
All prices on the page are for September 2018.
Tourist season in Krabi
The location of the Thai resort area determines the climatic features and tourist attraction. 10 degrees to the equatorial zone provide a comfortable climate for relaxation. Despite the fact that in Thailand there is no winter familiar to us, it has its own seasonality. The main factors influencing the weather are monsoon winds and temperature.
In the hot summer months of the low tourist season, the thermometer rises above the mark +30 and reaches +40. In the high season during the day it holds + 28 … + 30 and a little lower at night. The southwestern monsoons carry humid air and precipitation (usually in the dark), the northeastern monsoons carry clear skies and unhindered sunny weather. However, the rainy season, which usually follows after the end of the hottest month, May, still has comfortable conditions for relaxation, not always beach, but no less informative and interesting.
How to get to Ao Nang
In 40 minutes Krabi Airport is located from the beaches of Ao Nang, from which, as a rule, travelers get to the resort. You can get to the hotel area by taxi, transfer from the hotel or public transport – 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 leaves from the main entrance to the Airport.
The airport building has a counter where you can order a taxi at any time of the day. The trip will cost 600-700 Thai baht.
When moving inland resort boats are used. There are regular ferries between some islands. And in the village itself and to the beaches you can ride a taxi or local vehicles called here-tuk and songteo.
Ao Nang (Thailand) appeared on the map as a resort relatively recently. 40 years ago, little was known about him, and some 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 maintain its authenticity. The modern tourism business here is closely intertwined with the natural opportunities of the coast, providing vacationers with a choice of an acceptable combination of beach characteristics. A photo from the beaches of Ao Nang Krabi – one of the most colorful and atmospheric. After all, “Ao Nang” is translated into Russian also very beautifully – “Princess Bay”.
