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A Travel Guide to Ao Nang, Thailand – Vacations spent in serenity

Don’t ever assume the awesomeness of a destination based on its size. Small towns also have many surprises for travellers, and Ao Nang in Thailand is one such beautiful example.

Getting to Ao Nang

Since Krabi International (KBV) is located so close to Ao Nang, you can easily come here on a domestic flight. If not, busses and boats (or ferries) are available as good options.

Getting around

Choose to get around Ao Nang by tuk-tuks or scooters. You don’t have to spend much on these, and the experience is just so wow. Since Ao Nang is small, you may also choose to cover the distances on foot.

Best time for your tour

From December to March, Ao Nang will be all dry and pleasant. Beach getaways tend to get ruined if there is rainfall, and much more awesome with ample sunshine.

Accommodation facilities

Ao Nang hotels the likes of Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort offer the best accommodation facilities in the town. They also offer the best dining facilities.

Must-have experiences

In addition to enjoying the Ao Nang Beach, explore Railay, and the four islands Koh Poda, Koh Gai, Koh Tup, and Koh Mor.

Incredible Things to Do in Ao Nang, Krabi – A Splendid Holiday

From discovering islands of mesmerising beauty and hiking through verdant rain forests to exploring exquisite temples, there’s a lot you can do while in Krabi.

Relax at the Beach

After experiencing the constant hustle of Bangkok, Ao Nang is an ideal place to chill and relax. It is blessed with the most incredible beaches making it quite popular among beach bums. This is something you simply must do while holidaying at a hotel Ao Nang Krabi has to offer such as Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort.

Explore Hong Island

A spectacular island that you simply mustn’t miss during your trip to Ao Nang, Hong Island is located in the Than Bok Khorani National Park. The striking turquoise lagoon is the main highlight of this island besides the soft-powdery beaches that are fringed by coconut trees.

Caitriana Nicholson from 北京 ~ Beijing, 中国 ~ China, Hong Island tour (4442329613), CC BY-SA 2.0

Visit the Emerald Pool

Spend a day at the Emerald Pool to experience a different slice of nature. This is a favourite spot for hikers and wildlife enthusiasts. The water is surprisingly warm, which makes it ideal for a great swim.

Treat Your Taste Buds

Ao Nang night market is the best place to relish mouthwatering Thai food. One may come across a variety of vendors selling a range of delectable food including mango sticky rice, pad thai, and more.

Hidden Gem Attractions in Krabi, Thailand – Explore the beauty of hidden treasures

Krabi is often known as a great destination for family getaways. Forget the attractions that everyone visits, rent a car and go after the hidden treasures. You’ll be truly happy you did!

Emerald Pool and Blue Pool

Are you spending your vacation at a hotel in Ao Nang Krabi the likes of Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort? Allocate time for a two hours’ drive and head to the Emerald Pool and Blue Pool. They are located in the same park.

Scorewith German, Emerald Pool at Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve, near Krabi (Thailand) – panoramio, CC BY 3.0

Nam Tok Rawn

They are the Krabi Hot Springs. Visit the hot springs on a cooler day (or maybe early in the morning) and enjoy the best of relaxation.

Tiger Cave Temple

What you’ll love the most about the Tiger Cave Temple are the views you get to enjoy once you reach the top after climbing all the stairs. You may also enjoy the unique architectural styles of the temple.

Ban Bor Thor Caves

Are you someone interested in cave art? Then, here is the place for you. You can either take a speedboat tour or a kayak tour to enjoy the cave art in peace.

Visiting the Emerald Pool in Krabi – A Mesmerising Natural Attraction

A site of great natural beauty in Krabi, where you can also enjoy a refreshing dip, the Emerald Pool is well worth a visit; here is more to help you plan a trip to this attraction.

What to Expect

Set amidst the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park, the Emerald Pool is light green though becomes turquoise when the water temperature changes! Ideal for excursions from properties like Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort, this pool features freshwater from natural streams and is a great place for a swim.

The Blue Lagoon

Those visiting from a hotel Ao Nang Krabi has to offer by the coast, can also head to the Blue Lagoon, about 400 metres from the Emerald Pool. While you are not permitted to swim here, you can take in the sight of this beautiful lagoon that is fed by a hot underground spring, surrounded by the forest.

Other Things to Do

On your visit, you can enjoy other captivating things to do including trekking through the forest where you will come across everything from waterfalls to exotic wildlife. Also within the same reserve is another natural attraction, the Klong Thom Hot Springs fed by underground volcanic chambers, perfect for a relaxing soak!

Planning Your Visit

The Emerald Pool is about an hour’s drive from Krabi town; some resorts organise excursions here, while you can take a tuk-tuk, sign up with a tour group or rent a car or motorbike and get there yourself. There aren’t changing rooms and remember to bring a towel; additionally, weekday visits will feature fewer crowds.

The Therapeutic Klong Thom Hot Springs in Krabi

While Krabi is known for its idyllic beaches, it also has nature reserves and jungles to explore; it’s in such a place you will find the rejuvenating Klong Thom Hot Springs.

Planning a Visit

This site is close to the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve and is around 70 km from the main town. Those staying at properties such as Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort will find it’s only a little over an hour away. The hot springs are open from 07:00am to 06:00pm and don’t forget to bring your towel!

Scenic Setting

One of the great things about the Klong Thom Hot Springs is the idyllic setting; those visiting from a hotel Ao Nang, Krabi has to offer will find this site set amidst a tropical rainforest which forms a shaded canopy above. The cascading waters form small baths or pools in which to enjoy a therapeutic soak!

Healing Properties

The thermal springs from which these waters flow originate from underground volcanic chambers; the waters are around 35 to 42 degrees Celsius, while they are also rich in natural mineral salts that some believe have healing properties which can help those with ailments like rheumatism.

Maksym Kozlenko, 2016-04-08 Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot) 02, CC BY-SA 4.0

More to Do & Explore

Once done, you can head downstream to where these waters flow into a stream and have a refreshing dip. Within easy reach of this site is the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park which is worth exploring too; here, you will find the Emerald Pool and Blue Lagoon, two other mesmerising natural attractions in Krabi.

A visit to the Emerald Pool Krabi & Krabi Hot Springs

If Krabi is your choice of destination for your next vacation, then you are clearly after an exciting holiday and this is exactly what the place offers. But you will need some relaxation as well and that’s where the hot springs and emerald pool come in.

Getting to Emerald Pool

The best way to get here would be by renting a motorbike so you have enough freedom to stop along the way if you want to. Once you reach the parking lot, park your vehicle and then walk through the Thung Teao Forest National Park where the pool is well hidden among the greens.

Entrance fees

There is a fee of 200 baht for entrance to the Crystal Pool. Also, parking for a motorbike costs 10 baht while parking for cars cost 30 baht.

Best time to visit

If you want to avoid the crowds, the ideal time to visit would be in the morning. You can have the pool all to yourself. Later in the afternoon, the place tends to get a little crowded when kids come to enjoy themselves after school.

Places to stay

You are most likely to find a hotel in Ao Nang Krabi the likes of Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort. Most of the hotels are located in this part of Krabi, nonetheless, it is easy to get to any place from here.

The Phra Nang Princess Cave in Krabi

Many travellers simply visit the Phra Nang Beach to soak up the stunning Krabi scenery; however, some locals visit with the intention of making offerings to Phra Nang herself. Located close to many a hotel Ao Nang Krabi has to offer such as Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort, this cave is a must-visit attraction in the region.

History

The legend states that Phra Nang was a princess that was killed during a shipwreck. Another story states that she was the wife of a fisherman who got stranded on this island and whiled her time away awaiting her husband’s return.

Getting There

From Ao Nang Beach, you can board a longtail boat that will directly take you to Phra Nang Beach. It would cost around 200 Baht per person to complete the trip. A long-tail boat would usually wait until there are at least 8 passengers before departing to Phra Nang Beach.

Mark Fischer, Phra Nang Beach, CC BY-SA 2.0

Offerings to Phra Nang

Nowadays, one can witness the local fishers making offerings such as flowers and incense asking for safe travel on the sea.

Cave of Fertility

Over the years, Phra Nang Princess Cave became associated with fertility and virility. Locals place wood carvings of phallic symbols that can be seen at the entrance of the cave.

Visits to the Emerald Pool and Blue Lagoon in Krabi

Looking for a change of scenery while enjoying a sublime coastal escape in Krabi? Head inland to an ancient forest where you will find the idyllic Emerald Pool and Blue Lagoon.

Planning a Trip

These two sites are in the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park in Khlong Thom about an hour away from the main town. An ideal place for excursions from local properties like Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort, the Emerald Pool is open from 07:30am to 05:30pm; weekday visits are best to avoid weekend crowds.

The Emerald Pool

Locally referred to as “Sa Morakot”, the Emerald Pool has water sourced from natural streams and has a distinct colour that befits its name. Ideal to visit on a day tour for those staying at a hotel Ao Nang, Krabi has to offer, this pool is a great place for a relaxing swim; remember to bring your own towels!

Maksym Kozlenko, Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot), CC BY-SA 4.0

The Blue Lagoon

Around 400 metres away is the Blue Lagoon with heated water from an underground spring. While you are not permitted to swim here, the stunning azure of the water amidst the forest makes for a soothing sight and some amazing Insta pictures! This site is not always open so check ahead.

Forest Treks

One of the best things to do in Krabi for nature lovers is to combine their visit here with some trekking at the Thung Teao Forest Natural Park. You will come across diverse flora and fauna, charming waterfalls and plenty of birdlife; if you’re lucky, you may spot the Gurney’s pitta, a bird once thought to be extinct!

A Handy Guide to Sail in Hidden Islands in Krabi

Around two hundred islands and islets are sprawled around Krabi’s magnificent coastline, with many outcrops rising precariously out of the sea, which can only be admired from a distance. Others, although largely uninhabited, offer enrapturing white sand beaches, and ethereal cave exploration opportunities.

Best Times to Sail

Since Krabi is located to the equator, it has a tropical monsoon climate, which means that it’s quite hot and humid, with April and May being the hottest months of the year. Stormy weathers frequent the region between May and October, during which not all islands can be visited. November to March is considered the best time to visit.

Accommodation

Ao Nang beach is where navigators usually anchor off when they arrive at Krabi. One can find a myriad of facilities around the beach such as restaurants, spas, and many a hotel in Ao Nang. Krabi offering all kinds of accommodation from guesthouses to luxury properties such as Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort.

Sailing Charters

You can select from a variety of choices from powerboats to motor yachts and super yachts to sail around the Krabi Islands. Yacht chartering to Krabi is ideal for a sense of adventure.

Best Sailing Locations

Talabeng Island, Phang Nga Bay, Thalane Bay, and Bor Thor Village are some of the best places you can have leisurely sailing experience.

Boat Trips to Hat Chao Mai- Marine Park

The Hat Chao Mai is a Marine Park that boasts beauty just as it does species. It is a protected region in the city that nature lovers almost always fall in love with. It houses an array of endangered species some of which you would have never seen before. This atmosphere combined with the gentle beach side breeze and the unspoilt scenic appeal makes it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

The Hat Chao Mai was proclaimed a marine national park on 14 October 1982 and it spans over the two districts; Kantang and Sikao. The coastline itself runs for around 20 km of which 5km is made up of crystal white sand beaches set amidst beautiful limestone hills and caves. In addition to its magnificent scenic appeal the park boasts historic significance as well. Most of the caves found here actually belonged to the prehistoric era and certain human remains from that period were found here as well.

There is an array of beaches that makes up for the land based attractions of the park. The names include Pak Meng, Chang Lang, San Beach, Yao Beach, Yong Ling and Chao Mai Beach. All can be rather easily accessed by car. The park also consists of 7 other islands and features the Marine Natural Study Center. The islands are spectacular in beauty and are to be accessed by boat. The boat trips to the islands are a highlight of the Hat Chao Mai Marine Park. The water perfectly clear and sparkling makes an excellent base against the most exotic skyline giving one the perfect backdrop for the perfect boat trip. With the park names of endangered species includes the rare black necked stork, wild pigs, pangolins, macaques, pacific reef egrets, and several dugong can also be found.

There are several good resorts scattered across Krabi but if you are looking for the best of the best choose the Anantara Si Kao Thailand. This Trang resort is absolutely fantastic in everything it offers and actually leaves you craving for more. Known as one of the top Krabi resorts, Anantara is one of the prominent hotel chains in the world.