The best things to do in Krabi are on the water and on the rock. By boat you reach the 4 Islands, the Hong Islands, Phi Phi and the beaches of Railay. On land you climb the 1,260 steps of the Tiger Cave Temple and swim in the Emerald Pool. Plan three to four days. We checked prices, park fees and dates on 14 November 2026, and we mark every figure that is only reported.
Tours and activities to book in Krabi
These four outings are among the most booked in Krabi, with live prices and availability.
Krabi: Premium 4-Island Day Trip by Longtail Boat with Lunch
A day by longtail boat around four islands off Krabi, with lunch included.
- Duration: 6 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.6(6,477 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $33per person
Krabi: Hong Islands Day Trip by Speedboat with Lunch
Day trip by speedboat from Krabi to the Hong Islands, with lunch.
- Duration: 7 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.6(4,896 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $41per person
Krabi: Elephant Bathing Session at Krabi Elephant Shelter
A bathing session with the elephants of the Krabi Elephant Shelter.
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.9(2,636 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $44per person
Krabi: Ao Thalane Mangrove Kayaking Tour with Pickup
Kayak tour through the mangroves of Ao Thalane, with pickup.
- Duration: 4 to 5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Pickup included
4.7(655 reviews)
See prices & availabilityFrom $24per person
Things to do in Krabi at a glance: prices and hours
| What | Price | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Cave Temple | Free | About 6 am to 6 pm, reported | Near Krabi Town |
| Emerald Pool | 200 to 400 THB, reported | About 8 am to 5 pm, reported | Khlong Thom, about 75 km from Ao Nang |
| Hot Springs waterfall | About 200 THB | Daytime | Khlong Thom |
| Railay Beach | Longtail 100 THB each way | All day, 50 THB more after 6 pm | 15 minutes by boat from Ao Nang |
| 4 Islands tour | 600 to 1,200 THB, plus park fee | 4 to 5 hours | Ao Nang |
| Hong Islands tour | 800 to 2,200 THB, plus park fee | Half or full day | Ao Nang or Ao Thalane pier |
| Phi Phi day trip | 1,200 to 1,800 THB, plus park fee | About 7:30 am to 4:30 pm | Ao Nang |
| Rock climbing, half day | About 1,900 to 3,600 THB | Morning or afternoon | Railay and Tonsai |
| Dragon Crest hike | 200 THB, reported | Start early | Khao Ngon Nak, north of Ao Nang |
| Krabi Town weekend market | Free | Friday to Sunday, 5 pm to 10 pm | Maharat Soi 8, Krabi Town |
Tour prices are those of local operators and booking sites in 2026, for shared boats. The national park fee often comes on top, so the real cost of a boat day is the price on the flyer plus 200 to 400 THB a person.
Krabi island tours: 4 Islands, Hong Islands and Phi Phi
Most visitors take at least one boat trip, and the three classics all leave from Ao Nang. The 4 Islands tour is the shortest and cheapest. The Hong Islands are greener and calmer. Phi Phi, often ranked among the best islands in Thailand, is the longest day and the most crowded.
| Trip | National park | Reported fee, foreign adult |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Islands | Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi | 400 THB, 200 THB according to one local guide |
| Hong Islands | Than Bok Khorani | 200 to 300 THB, often paid at the pier |
| Phi Phi and Maya Bay | Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi | 400 THB |
Krabi 4 Islands tour
The tour stops at Phra Nang Cave beach, Chicken Island (Ko Kai), Tup Island and Poda Island. At low tide a sandbar links Tup to its neighbour, and you can walk across. Shared longtails cost about 600 to 1,000 THB a person and speedboats 800 to 1,200 THB, according to a local guide updated in May 2026.
Half-day boats leave Ao Nang around 9 am and 1 pm. A private longtail for the same loop costs about 1,500 to 3,000 THB for up to eight people, which is good value for a family. An afternoon start means fewer boats at each stop in high season.
Hong Islands
The Hong Islands sit north-west of Ao Nang, in the national park of Than Bok Khorani. Ko Hong hides a lagoon ringed by cliffs, which you explore by kayak. Tours usually add Ko Lao Lading and Ko Pakbia. Reported prices run from 800 to 1,500 THB for half a day by speedboat and 1,200 to 2,200 THB for a full day. A kayak in the lagoon costs 200 to 300 THB more.
Phi Phi Islands from Krabi
A speedboat day to Phi Phi costs about 1,200 to 1,800 THB and runs from about 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, with Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Viking Cave, Monkey Beach and Bamboo Island. Maya Bay was closed from 1 August to 30 September 2026 and reopened on 1 October. Boats tie up at a pier and you walk in, swimming is not allowed, and the bay is reported to cap visitors at 380 an hour.
To sleep on Phi Phi Don rather than visit for the day, the boat from Klong Jilad pier in Krabi Town costs about 400 to 500 THB one way. It lands at Tonsai pier, not at Maya Bay, and runs less often in the monsoon.
Tiger Cave Temple Krabi: steps, dress code and monkeys
Wat Tham Suea, the Tiger Cave Temple, sits on a limestone peak just outside Krabi Town. The stairway to the top had 1,237 steps on the old sign. A local guide updated in August 2026 counts 1,256 since one section was rebuilt, and others round it to 1,260. The summit is about 280 metres above sea level, with a large Buddha statue and a view over the karsts to the Andaman Sea.
Entry is free. Most people need 45 minutes to an hour to go up and 30 minutes or more to come down. It is often around 31°C on the stairs, so start early, or around 4 pm for sunset, and carry water. The stairs have little lighting, so leave the top before dark.
Cover your shoulders: no tank tops, no swimwear and nothing see-through. A local guide says shorts are accepted. Shoes come off before the tiled area at the top. Macaques live on the stairway and grab food, bags and sunglasses, so keep everything zipped and do not feed them.
Emerald Pool and the Krabi Hot Springs
The Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) is a spring-fed pool in the forest of Khlong Thom, about 75 km and 1 hour 15 minutes by road from Ao Nang. A path of about 800 metres, or a boardwalk of 1.4 km, leads from the car park. The Blue Pool is 400 metres further up, and you look at it without swimming.
The fee for foreign adults is reported at 200 THB by a local guide in 2026, and at 400 THB by other sources. The edges have no ladder and are very slippery. Arrive at 8 or 9 am, as crowds build from 10 am and weekends bring school groups.
The Hot Springs waterfall, also in Khlong Thom, has warm water running over rock into cooler pools. Tour listings give about 200 THB for adults. Do not confuse it with the saline hot springs nearby. Most day tours combine the Emerald Pool, the hot springs and the Tiger Cave Temple.
Railay Beach, rock climbing and kayaking
Railay in short
Railay is a peninsula cut off from the road by cliffs, so a longtail from Ao Nang is the way in. Its beaches include Railay West for sunset, Phra Nang for its cave shrine and Tonsai for climbers. A steep path with ropes leads to a viewpoint and the Princess Lagoon. Wear shoes with grip and skip it after rain.
Railay works as a day trip or as a base for two or three nights. Longtails cost 100 THB each way from Ao Nang and take about 15 minutes.
Rock climbing in Railay and Tonsai
The limestone of Railay and Tonsai draws climbers from around the world, and beginners can start with a half-day class. Booking sites list group half days from about 1,900 THB and private ones at about 3,600 THB, with gear and an instructor. Climb in the morning, before the rock heats up.
Kayaking around Railay and in Ao Thalane
Kayaks are rented on Railay beach, reported at 200 THB for an hour and 800 THB for a day. Paddling around the cliffs to Phra Nang is the easy outing. North of Ao Nang, about 25 km by road, Ao Thalane has mangrove channels between limestone walls, explored by guided kayak tours.
Dragon Crest hike, elephants and cooking classes near Krabi
The Dragon Crest trail climbs Khao Ngon Nak to a rock ledge above the coast. A blogger who did it reports a fee of 200 THB, paid in cash at the rangers' station, and two to three hours each way. Start at dawn, take plenty of water and avoid it after heavy rain.
The Krabi Elephant Shelter runs bathing sessions. If you want to see elephants, choose a place without riding or shows. Some sanctuaries elsewhere, like Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, have moved to watching only.
Thai cooking classes are run in Ao Nang and Krabi Town, a good plan for a rainy morning. On a longer stay, Khao Sok National Park is about three hours north by road, and Koh Lanta is reached by boat or by road and ferry.
A one-hour Thai massage costs about 200 to 300 THB in Ao Nang, according to a travel blogger, and some shops on the seafront cut prices between 10 am and 2 pm. Ask before you lie down.
Ao Nang or Krabi Town: where to base yourself
Ao Nang
Ao Nang is the beach resort, and most visitors stay there. It has the longtail beach for Railay, the island tour desks and the widest choice of hotels and restaurants. It is also the most built-up stretch, with prices to match on the seafront. For a quieter beach, Tub Kaek, north of Ao Nang, looks out towards the Hong Islands.
Krabi Town
Krabi Town sits on a river estuary, about 20 to 30 minutes by car from Ao Nang. Rooms and food cost less, the night markets are better, and it is the closer base for the Tiger Cave Temple and the boat to Phi Phi. There is no beach.
Things to do in Krabi at night: markets and glowing plankton
The Krabi Town Weekend Night Market fills Maharat Soi 8 from Friday to Sunday, from about 5 pm to 10 pm, with food stalls and a small music stage. The Chao Fah pier night market, also in town, is reported to open from Wednesday to Sunday. Plates cost about 40 to 80 THB.
Ao Nang has its own night market, with the same kind of food at similar prices. On dark nights, some Railay operators run kayak or paddle board outings to see plankton glow in the water.
How many days in Krabi: a 3-day itinerary
Three days cover one boat trip, the inland sights and Railay. Stay four or five to add the Hong Islands or Phi Phi, and to keep a spare day if the sea is rough.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon and evening |
|---|---|---|
| 1, the islands | 4 Islands tour from Ao Nang | Ao Nang night market |
| 2, inland | Tiger Cave Temple early | Emerald Pool, hot springs, Krabi Town in the evening |
| 3, Railay | Longtail to Railay, Phra Nang beach | Kayak or climbing, sunset on Railay West |
Put day 2 on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday for the weekend market. Krabi pairs well with things to do in Phuket, and many travellers fly down after a few days of things to do in Bangkok. Koh Lanta, 2 to 3 hours south by road and ferry, is the next of the Thailand destinations on the Andaman coast.
Best time to visit Krabi and the monsoon
The dry season runs from November to April, with calm sea and the most boat trips. May and October are in between. From June to September the monsoon brings rough sea, and a local guide reports that island tours are cancelled about one day in three.
Rain can also hit outside those months. In mid-October 2026 heavy rain led to flood and landslide warnings in Krabi, reported Khao Sod English. Lifeguards put up red flags on rough days, and red means do not swim.
Getting to Krabi: airport, ferry from Phuket and bus
Krabi International Airport (KBV) has direct flights from Bangkok and some international routes. Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card before flying if Krabi is your first stop in the country.
| Route | Reported price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Airport shuttle to Ao Nang | 150 THB | About 45 minutes |
| Airport shuttle to Krabi Town | 90 THB | About 30 minutes |
| Airport taxi to Ao Nang | 600 to 700 THB | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Fast boat, Phuket Rassada pier to Ao Nang | About 30 to 45 USD | About 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Bus, Phuket Terminal 2 to Krabi Town | 200 to 280 THB | 3 to 3.5 hours |
From Phuket, the fast boat lands at Nopparat Thara, just west of Ao Nang. A slower morning boat goes through Phi Phi and takes most of the day. The ferries carry no cars, so a road trip means the bus or a minivan.
Getting around Krabi: songthaew, longtail and scooter
White songthaews, pick-ups with two benches, run between Krabi Town and Ao Nang for about 50 to 100 THB. Flag one down anywhere on the route. They thin out after dark, when tuk-tuks take over at a price you agree first.
Longtails to Railay leave from Ao Nang beach once eight passengers are on board. The fare is 100 THB, with about 50 THB more after 6 pm, paid in cash at the ticket booth. Grab works but has fewer drivers outside Krabi Town.
Renting a scooter in Krabi
A 125cc scooter costs about 200 to 300 THB a day in Ao Nang and 150 to 200 THB in Krabi Town. A scooter is the easy way to reach the Tiger Cave Temple and the Emerald Pool, but you need a motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles.
Krabi tourist traps: park fees, longtails and scooters
The most common surprise is the park fee left out of a cheap tour. A 4 Islands trip sold at 600 THB becomes 1,000 THB once the 400 THB fee is collected at the beach. Ask before paying, and get it written on the voucher.
At the longtail booth, a short wait for the boat to fill is normal. A boatman who offers to leave at once is selling you the whole boat. With scooters, never leave your passport as a deposit, and photograph the bike from every side before riding off.
Wild macaques are the other risk, at the Tiger Cave Temple and on the beaches of Ao Nang and Railay. A bite needs a rabies check at a clinic.