What to eat, where to stay, and what to do in Krabi, Thailand
Once upon a time (aka last Fall), Gavin stumbled across a contest on Instagram. The premise was to help announce Chang Beer’s new green bottle by posting a creative photo with the bottle on Instagram. The contest was based on creativity and engagement in order to become the Chang Ambassador. Karen hiked to the most adventurous spot in Austin to get the shot. Sculpture Falls is a breathtaking natural waterfall where locals can hang out and sit in the waterfall once making the 3 mile round-trip hike to the site. Karen’s photo was selected as a top 10 finalist, and after a tie-breaking interview, she found out she won the title of Chang Ambassador and was about to experience the trip of a lifetime! Check out her winning photo on Instagram (link) and please follow us if you aren’t already doing so.
The coastal town of Krabi was one of our three stops in Thailand with Chang Beer, and our journey could not have been more fun! Krabi is on the west coast of Southern Thailand, and is an extremely beautiful beach, diving, island hopping, and rock climbing tourism destination. You know that we quenched our thirst while relaxing on the beach with plenty of Chang!
What to Eat in Krabi, Thailand:
All of the seafood – Being beachside means eating some of the freshest fish and seafood available. The prawns were enormous and we even saw some shellfish that we have never heard of before!
Black pepper crabs – While in Krabi, you gotta eat crabs, duh! MANY people told us that we needed to order the black pepper crabs. To our surprise, many restaurants were already sold out by the afternoon! We finally got our fix. The dish is relatively simple, which helps you to appreciate the delicately sweet flavor of the crab, and it is complemented with a sauce that is loaded with black pepper. It pairs perfectly with a cold Chang beer while you stare out at the ocean.
“The bucket” – It is literally a child’s sandbox bucket filled with a flask of Sangsom rum + M150 (Thai red bull) + soda. Grab a straw and call it a night!
Garlic fried or steamed fish – Don’t be intimidated by being served a whole fish, it is one of the most flavorful ways to enjoy their abundant seafood! We preferred it fried, and make sure to eat it with all of the herbs and the side sauce.
Wingbean salad – This salad was an unsuspecting favorite of ours. Made with wingbeans, an interestingly shaped vegetable, peanuts, dried shrimp, and of course Thai chilis. The dish was crunchy, fresh, and the right amount of spicy.
Kanom-Bueng (Thai mini crepes) – Thank goodness our friend Pimmy basically has a PhD in Thai desserts, or we would probably end up calling it a marshmallow taco in a fortune cookie shell. Because it was basically a marshmallow taco in a fortune cookie shell. Sounds pretty amazing, huh? Watching them get made before your eyes was equally mesmerizing.
For more insight on Thai cuisine, check out our travel guides on Bangkok and Chiang Mai!
What to Do in Krabi, Thailand:
Railay Beach – Getting to this iconic beach is quite the adventure all in its own. Railay beach is known as a pristine beach where you can watch daring rock climbers scaling the cliffs above. You need to take a traditional Thai long tail boat to get here. We went during low tide which meant us walking the equivalent of a few blocks through the wet and muddy shore. Yes, we were drenched by the time it was to climb on the boat, but we had it waaaaay easier than the poor souls having to make the trek while holding their luggage over their head!
Kayaking – Thailand is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Hopping in a kayak is the perfect way to get up close and personal with Thailand. We kayaked in Tha Lane Bay, which took us through mangroves and through the open water. We even glided through the cove where the movie The Beach was filmed. Our guide warned us that the wild monkeys like to hop on your kayak to steal bottled water while kayaking through the mangroves. Although we saw dozens of monkeys chase our car on the drive in, we didn’t see any monkey thieves on our kayak trip. We even offered up a Chang Beer! http://thalanebay.org/
Scuba/Snorkel – Southern Thailand showcases some of the best beaches and coastline on the planet. Impressive rock formations calls karsts, jet out from the ocean which makes snorkeling and scuba diving in Thailand incredibly memorable. Dive alongside massive underwater walls and rock formations.
Listen to live music – Krabi really surprised us with their nightlife. The main streets were filled with small bars offering live music to tourists and locals alike. Head to Coconuts Bar for the most lively ambiance and fantastic classic rock music. Ao Nang, Krabi Town 81000, Thailand
Swim in the mangroves – A last minute addition to our itinerary was to visit Tha Pom Khlong Song Nam or “The Pom”. For a small park entry fee you can see the crystal blue water cascading along the large tree roots of the mangroves. This is a nice, peaceful nature stroll on the elevated walking bridges. You can also opt to hop into the small swimming area for a dip in the breathtaking and refreshing water. The mangroves were a fantastic surprise because they provide a shaded retreat from the heat that you can’t find elsewhere. Moo 2 Ban Nong Chik | Khao Khram subdistrict, Thailand
Where to Eat in Krabi, Thailand:
The Grotto – If you’ve been on Pinterest you’ve probably seen this restaurant because it’s insanely beautiful!!! The Grotto is a beachside restaurant nestled in the grotto of a massive Thai cliff. This dining experience is only available for resort guests, but we were able to convince them to bring us in for a preview in order to share our experience. We took a high-speed boat through http://aonangkrabithailand.com/privatespeedboat/ to get there, which was an experience all in itself. You can expect being seated just before sunset, with live guitar music playing and a filling three-course meal. This was without a doubt one of the most romantic ambiances we have experienced. 214 Moo 2, Tambon Ao-Nang | Amphoe Muang, Railay Beach, Krabi Town 81000, Thailand
D&E Jungle Kitchen – This was our first meal in Krabi and we enjoyed the outdoor sitting with bamboo huts over each table. The restaurant name is very fitting actually because in the middle of our meal it began to storm like we were in the center of a jungle. We chillaxed, ordered a bucket, and listened to the rain hit the bamboo roof above our table. Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Sitti Café – If you need a break from Thai food (or you just have those late night munchies from too many Chang Beers), we discovered a dish called a Rosti that really hit the spot. It was a cross between a Spanish Tortilla and a heap of hash browns. Get it with bacon and cheese and you will not regret it. Since being back in the states every time we’ve seen rosti’s we MUST order them, and they’re indulgently delicious. P.S. Ikea sells these in the frozen section of their market. 459/8 Moo 2 Walking Street, Ao Nang, Krabi Town, Thailand
Khaothong Terrace – After a morning of kayaking, we headed to this spot for lunch. Situated high on a hill, the restaurant boasted stunning views of the water and a vast menu. We probably went through about 10 Chang Beers and 10 plates! 135 Moo 2 | Khao Thong, Krabi Town, Thailand
Seafood shacks along the beach – There are a ton, and every stand features whatever fresh catch they have at the front of their shop. We were on the hunt for fresh crabs, and when we found a stand with many crabs alive in the buckets outside, we picked out the ones we wanted, negotiated them down on price, and selected out how we wanted them cooked. We highly recommend getting the fresh black peppered crab. Various locations
Where to Stay in Krabi, Thailand:
Rayavadee – This is the resort that hosts The Grotto restaurant. It is a dream honeymoon location, but be prepared to pay a pretty penny compared to other Thailand lodging. It’s a beautiful private resort away from the main city of Krabi with all of the amenities imaginable. 214 Moo 2, Tambon Ao-Nang | Amphoe Muang, Railay Beach, Krabi Town 81000, Thailand
Hotel Cha-da – If you can’t swing the cost of staying at the Rayavadee, you can find a number of somewhat affordable hotels near the beach. We stayed at the Hotel Cha-da, and although it wasn’t a luxury hotel, we enjoyed having a swim up pool outside our room’s balcony and the gorgeous view of Krabi’s cliffs. When in Krabi you should plan to be at the beach or in a boat, and worry less about where you’re sleeping. Hotel Cha-da also offered shuttles to the beach, but if you don’t mind walking it’s all downhill and you pass by a ton of restaurants and massage shops on the way to the beach. 500 Moo 2 Tambol Ao Nang, Krabi 81000, Thailand
AirBNB – Although we did not stay at an Airbnb for this trip, we researched the Krabi area and found some pretty sweet places to stay. If you have never used Airbnb, press this link to get a discount on your first booking: www.airbnb.com/c/gbooth
We packed in all of these experiences in only three days while in Krabi. While we wished we could have stayed longer, we hope our recommendations give you some insight on the best things to do while in Krabi, Thailand!
6 Comments
Arshad
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Karen Reinsberg
January 5, 2018 at 9:43 pmWe couldn’t agree more!
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Karen Reinsberg
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Karen Reinsberg
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