We’ve heard the stories. We’ve seen the pictures. We knew Thailand was one of the top destinations in the world and that it’s usually the number one country for first time travelers to Asia.
So when we got to visit Krabi province in the south, we couldn’t wait. We’d been in Bangkok for a week and although we loved the city, it was time for us to do what we do best: explore the beach. Even though we greatly wished we could have stayed longer, 3 days was just enough time to visit some islands, get to know the villages and people and see beautiful sunsets.
If you’re planning a trip to Thailand and Krabi is on your list of places to go, here is the itinerary of our 3 days in Krabi. But if I were you, I’d plan a couple more days because this area is stunning!
3 days in Krabi: Day 1 Massage/hot springs, Krabi boat lagoon marina, Koh Klang Village
After catching an early morning flight on Bangkok Air, we headed straight to the Waree Rak Hot Spring and Spa. Our first activity was to indulge in a Thai massage and hot springs. If Yeison and I were traveling by ourselves, I would have definitely chosen this hotel. It’s so peaceful and relaxing!
First, we got our Thai massage. Yeison and I had gotten a massage the day before but this one was a thousand times better. You may have heard how painful they are and as someone who is extremely ticklish, I loved this one. It was only slightly painful on my sore spots but it felt so good afterwards.
After our ahhh-mazing massage, we got dressed up in traditional Thai clothing for the hot springs. Instead of bikinis and board shorts, we were given large cloth pants and I had a strapless cloth top. Even though it felt really weird to wear clothes into the springs, I have to admit it was kinda fun!
We were given about five minutes in each of the three pools of varying temperatures: cold, warm and hot. In the hot pool we did a bit of yoga and stretching, but honestly I was more interested in relaxing in the springs and enjoying the scenery.
After a delicious Thai lunch, we headed to the Krabi boat lagoon marina. We speedboated to our hotel for the night on Klang Island.
Klang Island
We got to our hotel just in time to catch the sunset. The Islanda Eco resort has a beautiful pool with a great view of the ocean, so we set our things down in the room and saw a cloudy but colorful sky.
Day 2: Koh Klang Village, Kayaking at Bor Thor, Ao Nang
We woke up bright and early to watch the locals fish and hunt crab, shrimp and other crustaceans during low tide. This was a fascinating experience. We trekked through ankle deep mud to walk out to their nets to see what the catch of the day was.
After, we had breakfast and packed up our things to explore the village. We made three stops. First, to the leader’s house to learn about paint screening. Second, to the leader of the model boat builder’s where Yeison discovered a new way to make fire and third, to where they process the rice grown on the island.
Next, was lunch. The seafood in Krabi is so fresh and flavorful and we got a feast at the local restaurant by the docks.
Kaykaing at Bor Thor National Park
After our feast, we headed to Ban Boh Toh village by boat and then to Bor Thor National Park to go kayaking through the mangroves.
Kayaking through the mangroves was so calm and peaceful, all around us we saw tall green cliffs looming over the trees, making for incredible landscapes. We reached the first cave filled with stalagmites and as we quietly glided through the caves, our guide shared with us the incredible story of the caves as his father was the one who discovered them years ago.
Next we stopped Skull Cave which has paintings over 3000 years old. It’s believed that people used to live here as they found skulls when they discovered the cave.
It was incredible to explore the caves, knowing that a group of people survived here years ago. I felt like we were stepping back in time, getting a glimpse of their lives as we observed the various cave paintings.
We had a bit of time left so our guide asked if we wanted to go to one of his favorite spots in the mangrove. Of course we said yes and followed him through what looked like a normal clearing through the trees and into a cave. What was on the other side took our breath away.
Secret Cave
It was like entering Jurasic Park, into a secret lagoon dating back hundreds of years. We put our paddles down and sat there quietly, listening to the slow drip of the water from the trees and the birds singing above us.
I didn’t want to leave, but unfortunately it was time for us to go to our hotel in Ao Nang. We kayaked back, all of us full of joy and wonder as we left the mangrove forest.
The rest of the day we spent exploring Ao Nang city and resting at our hotel, the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra. Sofitels are one of our favorite hotel chains and this one didn’t disappoint. They had a huge pool, great view and like always, incredibly comfortable beds. And free cookies!
Day 3: Hong Island, Bangkok
For our last day in Krabi, we went island hopping and snorkeling which is usually the highlight of Krabi and the reason why people visit. Unfortunately due to all the fires in Indonesia, the sky was shrouded with smoke, making the water and sky look grey and muggy.
But when we got closer to the islands, it cleared up and we could see the striking emerald green cliffs and water. Without the smoke, I imagine it would have been sensational. Even so, it was still mesmerizing to walk on the beach with crystal clear waters and tall cliffs.
At Hong Island, we got off to go snorkeling in the lagoon. I was blown away by the snorkeling in this small lagoon. It didn’t look like there would be much but as soon as you stepped in the water, there laid an abundant, thriving underwater world.
Sea cucumbers 3 feet long, parrotfish bigger than my arm, electric blue giant clams, silvery angelfish. They were all ours to explore for the next hour.
After snorkeling, we hopped back on the boat to go back. Along the way we went through another shallow lagoon, where we could see all the way to the bottom from the boat.
We got back to our hotel in the afternoon, changed and packed up to head back to the city. Our flight was in the evening so we got back to Bangkok at night.
Our Thoughts
We loved Krabi. Adored it. Wished with every cell of our body that we could stay longer (and that the Indonesia fires would stop). But for three days, we saw and did so much, not to mention we learned a great deal about the locals and the culture.
If you’re thinking about visiting Krabi, this is a great itinerary. I do recommend spending more time in Ao Nang for island exploring, snorkeling and scuba diving. One day was not nearly enough! There are so many islands to explore like Phi Phi, Chicken and Bamboo.
For our first time in Thailand, this was an amazing 3 days in Krabi and the southern area of the country. The beaches, landscapes, food and people were wonderful. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our Thailand trip!
We spent the last two days in Thailand in Bangkok visiting temples and markets. Although we didn’t have too much time in Bangkok, two days in the city was all we needed.
What We Recommend
- Stay longer! Even though we had 3 days, I felt like we could’ve stayed a lot longer in Krabi and been fine. Since we don’t love staying in the touristy areas, we would have stayed at least 3 nights at Klang Island and probably two at Ao Nang.
- Bring mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes love me and I got bit a lot!
- Do the private boat tour around the islands. There were a lot of tourists at Hong Island and the others and the public boats looked super full and cramped. We had a blast on our private boat and loved that we had it all for ourselves.
- Wear reef safe sunscreen. There are a lot of corals! Be a responsible traveler and help the coral and fish out.
You can read about our other Asia adventures below!
Thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand for hosting us!
There are affiliate links in this post.
Steph says
Thanks for the article, just wondering (maybe I missed it) did you book a tour for the kayaking? If so, who did you book through? We are heading over seas in October and looking for some good kayaking. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Steph, we did book a tour for the kayaking. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name but we did it through departing from Ban Boh Toh village, Ao Ruk District. I wish I took his card because he was a great guide, super funny and took us to some amazing kayaking places. I remember he was tall and kind of a big guy. Super sweet and his father was the one who discovered the caves.
Neel says
Sunset at the AO Nang Beach was beautiful.We spent two days at Krabi. Both the days we went for Island tours. Krabi and Phi Phi…Chicken, Poda and Riley beaches exceptionally beautiful.
I wish we had some more time to cover the Tiger Cave Temple as well.
Ness says
Did you have a tour guide ?
Sammi says
Hi Ness, we did!
Tiana says
Hi! Great post and very helpful for my upcoming trip. Just a question, how did you travel around everywhere? Did you have a driver? Did you drive?
Sammi says
Hi Tiana! We had a driver and we flew from Bangkok to Krabi.
Sonya says
Hi there,
We’re planning a trip to Thailand in late June, early July. We heard that tends to be the rainy season. What month did you do your trip?
Sammi says
Hi Sonya, we went in October and the rainy season was just ending. We didn’t get any rain but we got awful smoke from the fires down in Indonesia
yagnesh says
hi sammi ,
nice comment , we plan our trip as per your guideline post, thanks for valuable suggestions.
yagnesh
Kristi says
Hi,
Thanks for this itinerary. I see that you stayed in two hotels while in Krabi. Did you have a lot of luggage? I would like to do the same but i don’t know if it’s easy to hop around hotels with luggage. Do you think that’s better or just have one central point hotel?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Kristi, we had each a backpack and 50 L luggage, but I think if you’re going to Krabi for a few days, it’d be easier to stay in one hotel for sure. And there’s a lot of hotels in and around the main town so it’s convenient.
Sammi says
Hi Kristi, I would stay in one place in Krabi especially if you’re just there for a few days. It’d be a lot more convenient to stay around town to be close to shops and restaurants. We had a carry on and large 50 L luggage each but we had a private shuttle so we were comfortable with the luggage. If you’re going by public transportation, I would recommend staying in one place.
Kristi says
awesome, thanks for a quick response. your pictures are amazing!
If you were to recommend where to stay, (hotel or location), what would you recommend?
Sammi says
The most convenient place in Krabi is Ao Nang, the town. It’s closest for the island hopping boat tours and has lots of hotels in town and on the beach. It does get crowded though but it’s the most convenient so it’s easy to get to and book tours, shop, etc. Have a great time!
Andrew says
My wife and I will be visiting krabi for our anniversary next week.. Anything in particular we should not miss….tq
Sammi says
Definitely take a boat trip around the islands and go snorkeling!
Jennifer says
Where did you rent the kayaks from?
Sammi says
I can’t remember the exact guy we rented from but if you go to Bor Thor, you’ll find a lot of places to rent kayaks.
Sarah says
Hi! Your post has gotten me very excited about a trip my husband and I have planned for November! I wanted to ask– how did you book your massages/ hot spring adventures, kayaking through caves and snorkeling? Any particular company or service? Thanks in advance!
Sammi says
Hi Sarah! That’s awesome! We worked with the Thailand tourism board but you can ask your hotel to set up your tours.
Priyanka says
Hi,
Loved reading your post! I would be visiting Krabi this year and would like to go kayaking at Bor Thor. Can you help us with the name of the operator with whom you booked the tour?
Thanks a lot!
Sammi says
Hi Priyanka, honestly I can’t remember the name of the guide. But if you go to the national park there are several kayak operators or you can ask your hotel for a tour company recommendations.
Loritta says
I am planning a trip to Thailand with my two daughters in Sept. I loved your post. We are planning on flying into BKK and heading to Chiang Mai to spend a day at the elephant sanctuary. After that, we thought about heading to Phuket. But, after reading your blog, I am having second thoughts and thinking about Krabi. Do you recommend a tour guide? What guide did you use and how $much was it? Im in the planning and budget stages right now. Any information helps
Loritta
Bend, OR
Sammi says
Hi Loritta, I have heard Phuket is very fun but it’s a huge party area and super touristic. I guess it just depends what you want, Krabi still had a lot of tourists but the party atmosphere probably isn’t as much, we haven’t been to Phuket so I can’t comment accurately. You can sign up for tours easily at your hotel/hostels. Have fun!
Sofia says
Hey! It was worth reading this post as I am looking forward for my solo trip in Krabi! Couldn’t wait any longer and I wonder how’s the security/safety issues there? Is it safe for female travelers? Such as scammers and etc. Hope to hear from you soon!
Sammi says
Krabi town is very touristic and you’ll find lots of solo travelers and hostels so it’s easy to meet people. I would just be aware and use your common sense.
Lisette Victorero says
Hello, thank you for sharing your wonderful trip with us! My husband and I are going in May for our anniversary and I can’t decide how many days to stay in each place. I will be flying in and out of Bangkok and have 9 days. How many days for Bangkok and how many days for Krabi would you recommend? Would you say Krabi is better than Phuket? Also if in Krabi would you recommend staying the whole time in the same hotel or to hop around? Don’t know which is best. Thank you very much!!!!
Sammi says
Hi Lisette, depending on whether you’re a city or beach person, I’d say spend at least 2 full days in Krabi so you can go boating and see all the islands. Most people stay in the town since it is most convenient and close to all the boat launches, and I’d say if you’re only staying in Krabi for a couple days, stay in town for your entire time there. If you just want to sightsee Bangkok, a few days there should be fine. You can hit up the main palaces which are the main attractions, go shopping, eat, etc. We haven’t been to Phuket so can’t comment on that.
Samantha says
Hi, great post. Thailand is on our list and I am so jealous right now, lol. The pictures look amazing and the beach look inviting. I bet the snorkeling is wonderful there. Not sure what part of Thailand yet, but thanks for all the great info. I will pin it to go back and look at before our trip. Thanks for sharing.
Adrenaline Romance says
Amazing adventure! Did you try rock climbing there? Krabi is a world-renown rock climbing site.
Sammi says
We didn’t and I didn’t know that! Though not a rock climber that would be really fun to try. Have you guys rock climbed there before cause I know you guys are crazy good at it!
Madi @ Restless Worker says
I would absolutely LOVE to visit Thailand. I’ve pinned this for later – looks absolutely gorgeous. I’ve heard amazing things about Krabi, and could definitely use one of those massages right about now!
Sammi says
You definitely should one day! Thailand lives up to the hype, truly it does and Krabi was beautiful! And the massages are the BEST!
Arielle Taylor says
Your trip sounds like it was amazing! Definitely going to add Krabi to the bucket list.
Sammi says
It was pretty awesome I have to say! Krabi is definitely worth visiting when in Thailand
Duke Stewart says
Krabi looks just amazing you guys! I spent some time in Koh Chang back in the day and was always envious of those who’d made it to this place. Only thing I’d add is to have a massage every day but that’s just the spoiled traveler in me. I can’t get enough of a firm elbow or knee in my back. Your pictures of the lagoon and throughout Krabi are just amazing! Thanks for sharing this with us, Sammi. Keep the hits coming!
Sammi says
Thanks! Haha I definitely would not mind a massage every day either… those were amazing!
Nick @ Goats On The Road says
Ah, beautiful Thailand! Absolutely loved reading about your adventures there; we think it’s a truly incredible place to be and it makes us happy to hear you enjoyed it! You packed so much into those three days…awesome how much you got to see.
Sammi says
The itinerary was pretty packed but it was great, got to see and experience a little of what Krabi is! Thailand sure is pretty, hope we can go back one day to explore more. I can see why so many people love it now!