When you live in paradise, your holidays look a little different. Instead of flying halfway around the world, you just hop on a boat and a bus to find yourself in a whole new setting, with different landscapes, weather, and food to discover.
We’ve visited Ao Nang in Krabi a few times for a change of scenery. So, I thought I’d share our personal recommendations for the area, including things to do, places to eat and drink, and where to stay in Ao Nang.
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So without further ado, here is our mini guide to Ao Nang, Krabi…
Things to Do in Ao Nang
There’s plenty to keep you busy in Ao Nang, from local cooking classes and day trips, postcard-perfect beaches and colourful shopping streets packed with bargains, there’s something here for everyone.
I’m sharing a mix of activities, including the Thai cooking class we loved on our first visit (fun fact: even Gordon Ramsay has cooked here!), unmissable boat trips, plus why it’s essential to research ethical animal experiences while travelling.
Ya’s Cookery Class
If it’s good enough for Gordon Ramsey, it’s good enough for us!
If you’re a foodie (or just love eating Thai food as much as we do), Ya’s Thai Cookery School in Ao Nang is an absolute must-do! Ms. Ya has even taught Gordon Ramsay how to whip up the perfect Thai dish, so you know you’re in good hands.
The class kicks off with an overview of the most common ingredients in Thai cooking. From there, it’s all hands-on as you prepare all the ingredients to make spring rolls, creamy curries, stir-fries, and more. One of the highlights? Learning how to make curry paste from scratch the traditional way, by pounding the life out of herbs and spices.
After all that hard work, you get to sit down and enjoy your colourful, homemade feast. The portions are pretty big, so if you don’t finish it all, they will pack it up for you to enjoy later.
By the end of the class, you’ll have a whole new set of skills that allow you to recreate some of your favourite dishes at home. Don’t worry about forgetting the ingredients or the method, as you’ll be given a recipe book to take home with you. Thai cooking classes are one of the best ways to experience Thai culture, and we highly recommend Ya’s Cookery Class.
👉 BOOK YOUR TICKETS FOR YA’S COOKERY CLASS HERE
Day trip to Railay Beach
A day trip to Railay Beach should NOT be missed. If you’re wondering how to visit Railay Beach from Ao Nang, it’s super simple. There’s a ticket office right by the T-junction (on the left as you face the sea) that sell longtail boat tickets to Railay. Boats leave regularly from around 8 AM, take around 20 minutes, and cost 100 THB each way. You’ll need to wade through the water to get on and off, so we recommend wearing sea shoes and packing light if you’re planning to stay the night, as large, heavy suitcases will not be your friend here.
Although not technically an island, Railay is only accessible by boat, which gives it a lovely remote, chilled-out feel. Think reggae bars, Thai restaurants, limestone cliffs, and the occasional weed or mushroom shake on the menu.
It’s a great spot for kayaking, swimming, hiking and if you’re into rock climbing (or fancy giving it a go), this is the place to try it. If that sounds like your vibe, you might want to stay overnight and soak it all in. For those keen to climb, check out this brilliant beginner-friendly rock climbing tour that starts from around £35 per person.
Railay is relaxed, beautiful, and easy to visit for a day—but fair warning, you might not want to leave.
4-Island Day Trip by Longtail Boat
If you only have time for one boat trip while visiting Ao Nang, make it this 4-Island Day Trip by Longtail Boat. It’s the perfect mix of snorkelling, sightseeing and tropical beach time, with a traditional Thai lunch and all transfers included.
You’ll visit some of Krabi’s most iconic spots, starting with Chicken Island, where you can snorkel in crystal-clear water surrounded by colourful fish and coral, and snap a photo of the famous chicken-shaped rock formation. Next up is Koh Tup, home to the incredible natural sandbar that connects to Koh Mor during low tide.
Afterwards, you’ll stop at Koh Poda for a beachside lunch of classic Thai dishes, before heading to the final stop at Phra Nang Cave Beach near Railay. This beach is framed by towering limestone cliffs and is home to the unusual Phra Nang Cave, plus it’s a great place for a swim or just soaking up the scenery. Whether you choose a shared tour or go for the private version with an early morning or sunset option, it’s an epic day out, and at around £25 per person, it’s incredible value for the experience.
👉 Click here to book your 4-Island Longtail Boat Tour
Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool and Hot Springs Tour
If you’re looking to squeeze a little jungle, wellness and culture into one day, this full-day tour to the Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool and Hot Springs is a fantastic option—and comes highly recommended by friends who’ve done it recently. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Ao Nang and whisked off to explore some of Krabi’s most scenic and unique spots. First up is a swim in the stunning Emerald Pool, tucked away in the middle of a lush forest, followed by a visit to the magical Blue Lagoon, where the bright turquoise water is framed by huge, overhanging tree roots. It’s a great place to cool off and take a few dreamy photos.
After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues to the natural hot springs waterfall, where you can soak in the warm mineral-rich water before heading to the last stop: the legendary Tiger Cave Temple. The temple itself is incredible, but the real magic is in the 1,200+ step climb to the top. It’s definitely a workout—but those who make it up say the panoramic views and mountaintop Buddha statue are more than worth it. If the stairs feel a bit too ambitious, no worries—there’s still plenty to enjoy around the base of the temple. It’s a full day of adventure, culture and nature all wrapped into one, and for around £40 per person, it’s great value too.
👉 Click here to book your tickets
Shopping
Do not skip out on shopping opportunities in Ao Nang. To be honest, you’l find much of the same around Thailand when it comes to clothes, bags, shoes and souvenirs, but it’s the prices that change. We live in Koh Samui and I would guess that it’s about four times cheaper in Ao Nang for the same item. For example, I bought my friend a passport cover at Fisherman’s Village market in Koh Samui, it cost around ฿350 (£8.00) with her chosen charms. I got myself one in Ao Nang (FOMO), and this cost me only ฿80 (£1.85).
There are some fantastic clothing shops along the seafront road in Ao Nang, beautiful beach dresses, co-ord sets, tropical print shirts, cute sandals and wicker beach bags, all for really reasonable prices. Highly recommend stocking up whilst in Ao Nang.
Before I wrap up this section, I wanted to mention that you’ll likely see tours to a so-called “elephant sanctuary” advertised around Ao Nang. While it might sound like a unique and beautiful experience, it’s important to do your research before visiting any animal-based attraction.
Many of these places allow tourists to bathe with elephants, which is not considered ethical. True sanctuaries do not allow bathing, as this can be stressful and unnatural for the elephants. If you’re passionate about animal welfare (as we are), we recommend supporting only genuinely ethical sanctuaries where the focus is on observation, feeding, and care—not performance or forced interaction. Your travel money has power—let’s use it wisely.
Image is from a visit to Samui Elephant Sanctuary – you can read more about my visit here.
The best restaurants in Ao Nang
Honestly, we felt the restaurant scene in Ao Nang is lacking. It’s a popular spot for tourists and so we just expected there to be more choice. There’s a large Indian population here and so we were excited to try some really authentic Indian cuisine, but sadly some of the Indian restaurants we tried we found the food was bland, almost ‘watered down’ to Western tastes and the portions were TINY, just overall very disappointing. Kiran Kitchen was an exception to this and actually had some really delicious and flavourful Indian dishes and we would highly recommend checking them out.
We did find a few gems but our biggest recommendation to anyone travelling to Ao Nang is to check the reviews before heading out to a restaurant. On our first day we just walked into a restaurant along the beach expecting to enjoy a nice leisurely lunch and sadly that was not the case, when we checked the Google reviews we realised why and understood very quickly that if you’re looking for good food, follow the reviews.
Cafe 8.98 Ao Nang
This cute little cafe sits proudly at the top of our list, for two reasons; the food quality and prices are brilliant and the staff are absolutely fabulous. We had a brilliant time here, enjoying a nice leisurely lunch with a bottle of prosecco.
They open bright and early at 7 AM each day so is a great spot for breakfast, they have a huge selection of teas and coffees, as well as cooked breakfasts, pastries, smoothie bowls and lots of juices. But don’t overlook this place for lunch, we enjoyed a juicy and delicious vegan burger, crispy fries and also a hearty and flavourful spaghetti bolgonese. Easily one of our favourites in Ao Nang.
Image credit to @cafe8.98 Instagram
KAZE’ Japanese Restaurant
The food was superb and we couldn’t fault the service, the only thing about KAZE’ is that the environment is a bit stark. It’s a hotel restaurant and felt a bit like a cafeteria and I’m not really sure why, maybe it was the furniture, as the design itself is actually very cute with lots of Japanese inspired artwork.
We opted for a selection of sushi rolls and a sashimi set, the portions are a decent size and we actually ended up taking some home with us as we couldn’t finish everything. When we visited they also had a buffet offer available (on Saturday’s and Sunday’s) which was incredible value so make sure to check out their socials for any special offers.
If you’re craving Japanese cuisine we would highly recommend stopping by KAZE’ during your visit to Ao Nang.
Image credit @kaze.krabi Instagram
Diver’s Inn Steakhouse
A busy European and Thai restaurant along the main road in Ao Nang. The one thing I remember from this restaurant was just how HUGE the portions were! We enjoyed a steak and a local fish dish served with all the trimmings and we were not disappointed.
We felt the quality and prices here were pretty decent for the area and they also had a really large craft beer selection available, if that’s your thing. Certainly worth stopping by if you’re looking for quality European cuisine, just make sure to bring your appetite.
Image credit @diversinnsteakhouse Instagram
REEVE Beach Club
The setting is lovely, the wine list is great and the food is actually pretty tasty. We’ve visited REEVE on a number of occasions for breakfast, lunch and sometimes just a few drinks. It’s a very pretty location, as you are directly on the beach here and can watch the longtail boats heading off on their adventures for the day.
It’s not the cheapest of places, but they do have a focus on western cuisine, so as we know, this is always more expensive than the local Thai restaurants. Our biggest issue with REEVE Beach Club is that the service always seems to be lacking. It’s generally quite slow, and sadly we have had incorrect or completely missed orders in the past. We have fed this back to management and I have to say the most recent visit was marginally better. If you do choose to visit REEVE, and you should, because it really is quite lovely, just make sure you have plenty of time and bring extra patience.
Rakhang Thai Bistro & Bar
We actually only found this restaurant on our last day in Ao Nang which we were gutted about to be honest as it was such a beautiful space and the menu was full of delicious Thai fusion dishes and European classics.
We enjoyed a peaceful lunch inside, enjoying the air-conditioned space but they also have a beautiful outside terrace, where they have live music every evening. What made this restaurant so special was the staff, they are outstanding, super friendly, keen to stop and talk with you about where you were from and how long you’d be in Ao Nang with lots of great recommendations.
Definitely consider visiting Rakhang Thai Bistro for a leisurely lunch or an unforgettable evening meal.
Image credit @rakhangthaikrabi Instagram
Kiran Kitchen Restaurant
There are many Indian restaurants in Ao Nang and we found a lot of the food to be quite mediocre, serving small overpriced portions of bland food. Now, we really do love great Indian food, with Carl’s Mum being half Indian we appreciate bold flavours, smoky Tandoor dishes, rich, tomatoey sauces and of course, a selection of rices and breads to mop it all up with. And Kiran Kitchen delivered!
This is easily the best Indian restaurant we tried in Ao Nang, the tarka dhal in particular was phenomenal. The aloo gobi was rich and flavourful with big chunks of roasted cauli and soft potato. The butter roti was flaky and delicious and the curries are moreish, creamy, bold and plentiful.
Would highly, highly recommend a visit to Kiran Kitchen if, like us, you’re a fan of great Indian food.
If you have any recommendations for other must-visit Indian restaurants in Ao Nang, please drop us a comment, we’re always keen to try new places.
The best bars in Ao Nang
Beach Bar @ Aonang Villa Resort
This cute little beachside bar is the perfect spot to enjoy a gin and tonic at sunset. There is limited seating here so we’d advise getting here half an hour to an hour before to secure front-row seats.
There’s not much more to tell you about this spot really, just that we really enjoyed stopping by on our way out for dinner as it was a peaceful little bar, with table service and beautiful views.
The Last Fisherman Bar
Cute little beach bar and restaurant. We did eat here on one occasion but didn’t feel like it was real value for money. The portions were very small and the service was quite slow, but 10/10 for the location. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a nice cold beer with your feet in the sand.
WHERE TO STAY in Ao Nang
Ao Nang has no shortage of places to stay, whether you’re after a sociable hostel for under a tenner a night or a swanky 5-star resort with poolside cocktails and pillow menus. You’ll find everything from budget guesthouses and boutique hotels to big-name resorts, and there really is something for every type of traveller and budget.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing your hotel: location matters. Most restaurants, bars and beach access points are concentrated near the seafront, so ideally you’ll want to be within a 15-minute walk of the main strip. The hotels we’ve listed are places we’ve personally stayed at , and we’re happy to recommend them for their location, comfort, and facilities. Whether you’re planning a short break or something longer, these are our top picks for a great stay in Ao Nang.
Blue Sotel SMART Krabi Aonang Beach [Adults Only]
We spent ten nights at Blue Sotel SMART hotel which is an adults only resort and includes breakfast. They have a range of rooms including swim-up rooms but we opted for a deluxe double with balcony and we had the most stunning views.
The hotel is located just a few minutes walk from the beach, just leave reception and turn right. You’ll have The Last Fisherman’s Bar on the left-hand side when you arrive at the beach, so it’s a nice easy spot to stop for a drink or a light bite. Walking to the ‘main strip’ in Ao Nang takes around 10 minutes, this is where you’ll find all the bars, spas and restaurants.
During our visit, we spent a lot of time hanging out at this rooftop pool, that also has a lovely little bar and seating area – but, they do also have a pool on the ground floor, this seemed to be busier during our stay, which is why we opted for the rooftop.
We did eat in the onsite restaurant during a couple of rainy evenings, where we weren’t in the mood to venture out, but it’s not very warm and welcoming, it feels a bit like a cafeteria. The food and wine, however, was decent and not too badly priced, the service was always great.
As it’s an adults-only hotel it does feel more peaceful and relaxed. We stayed here during ‘low-season’ so the prices weren’t too expensive, so if you’re looking for a nice hotel, with a decent price tag then we would highly recommend Blue Sotel SMART. Note, there is another Blue Sotel further away from the beach which is maybe a 15 – 20 minute walk.
BOOK YOUR ROOM AT BLUE SOTEL SMART HOTEL HERE
Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa
If you’re looking for a resort with direct beach access, Centara Ao Nang Beach Resort & Spa ticks a lot of boxes. It’s one of the only hotels in Ao Nang with a pool right on the beach, and the location really is unbeatable, you’re just a short walk to Ao Nang’s night market, shops and restaurants.
This place works well for couples, families or solo travellers, with room types ranging from deluxe kings to family-friendly options. Rooms are spacious, air-conditioned, and come with a balcony, minibar, and everything you’d expect for a comfortable stay. That said, not all views are created equal—some rooms overlook the pool, others… not so much. If you’re after something a little more peaceful, we’d recommend checking with the hotel directly before booking.
There are two pools onsite, and if you’re travelling with kids, they’ll love the waterslides and splash zone. The beachside pool has more of a relaxed, grown-up vibe with bar service and aqua aerobics at 11 am if you’re feeling energetic. The live music and beach fire shows are a nice touch too, especially if you’re staying in and don’t fancy wandering into town.
Food-wise, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Breakfast has a huge variety to choose from and 10/10 for quality, but the onsite restaurant for lunch and dinner is similar to Blue Sotel SMART, it’s ok but there are definitely better restaurants outside the hotel. But, luckily, you’re within easy walking distance of plenty of great restaurants and street food stalls.
Service is friendly and extremely welcoming and the in-house tour desk is handy if you want to book local activities.
Overall, this is a solid choice for those wanting that beachside resort experience with a great location, lovely staff, and good facilities. It might not be the most luxurious option in Ao Nang, but it has a lot going for it, especially if you’re travelling as a family.
BOOK YOUR ROOM AT CENTARA AO NANG BEACH RESORT HERE
Image credit Centara Ao Nang
Aree Tara
The staff here are wonderful, we arrived very early in the morning and they took all of our information straight away, so that as soon as the room was ready we could check straight in, no waiting around. They did offer us pool towels and were very happy for us to use the facilities until our room was ready. And if you’re interested in booking excursions, they can arrange this for you onsite.
The rooms are spacious, well maintained, very clean and comfy. They have complimentary snacks and drinks in the room. A decent sized bathtub, powerful shower and a selection of toiletries are also available. Literally the only thing I can complain about would be that I didn’t have a bedside table or plug socket on my side of the bed.
Breakfast is available from 7 am until 10 am and has a great selection. Fruit, salad, pastries, cold meats and cheeses, hot breakfast items, noodles and an egg station – the omelettes in particular are very good. Make sure to include the breakfast when booking your room to save a few ££’s. Rooms here are reasonably priced and start from around £30 a night (depending on what time of year you visit, of course, high season is more expensive and usually around £85 a night).
Location-wise, you are a short walk from the main strip and beach, maybe around 10 – 12 minutes, but it’s a pleasant walk, lots of shops, bars and restaurants to check out. And if you don’t fancy the walk, you can hop in a tuk-tuk for just ฿100 (£2.25) and they’ll take you straight to your preferred restaurant or bar.
BOOK YOUR ROOM AT AREE TARA HERE
Image credit Aree Tara Ao Nang
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