The Best Beaches in Thailand (Krabi)

phra nang beach — Phra Nang Beach, Krabi

Part of the reason I love being location independent is because it allows us to pack up and go anywhere for any amount of time. Okay, so maybe that’s the biggest, most important reason why I love being location independent. Anyway, in the spirit of that notion, we spent winter 2022 soaking up the warmth, culture, and cuisine in some of the most beautiful places in Thailand.

Over the three months that we called Thailand home, we spent a good chunk of time chasing the best beaches in Thailand, many of which are found in the province of Krabi. In fact, Krabi is home to the best beaches in Thailand and beach-hopping is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Krabi.

But what are the best beaches in Krabi? With so many to choose from you may find it overwhelming to even know where to start. So to help make your beach bum planning a bit easier, I’ve listed the beaches in Krabi that we visited and loved.

One important thing to note, though, is that when we visited Thailand it was a very, very unique period in time. This was January 2022, when Thailand was still heavily locked down to outside tourism because of the pandemic. We had to jump through several hoops to even be allowed in the country and, because of that, we saw the most beautiful places in Thailand, absent of the typical millions of tourists that visit each year. It was incredibly rare. The reality is that the best beaches in Thailand are often shared with many, many other visitors.

Still, it is undeniable that these beaches are beautiful. So if you want to know where to start, may I suggest these….

Phra Nang Beach

You've probably heard of the famous Railay Beach — the beach off of mainland Krabi that is only accessible by boat. Well, on the other side of the point is another gorgeous beach surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and pocketed with caves.

Phra Nang Beach has a gentle crescent of golden sand, turquoise water, and, what I found to be quite interesting, a cave with literally thousands of carved penis shrines. Here's why: The cave is said to be a spot for fertility because the spirit of Phranang is said to live along the coastline. It is a supremely sacred spot, so please keep that in mind when visiting. This isn't really a place to get "the shot" for the Gram, but more to learn about an interesting part of Thai culture.

Penises and tradition aside, the beach is also a great spot for trekking up into the rainforest. The view from one of the top of the hills is stellar, with a panorama of the sparkling waters and limestone islands off in the distance.

Muya Bay is one of the best beaches in Thailand.

Muya Bay

What's neat about Muya Bay is that you would never really know it was there unless you talked to someone in the know. David and I travel together so much that sometimes we like to schedule separate tours to do our own thing, which is how I discovered Muya Bay. I signed up for a four-island day trip, which left directly from Ao Nang, and took me to four beautiful islands off the coast of the mainland.

These islands are uninhabited and known for their shockingly white sand and clear water. Muya Bay (which is different from Maya Bay, made famous by The Beach) is a really small beach that is sandwiched between two soaring, slate-gray cliffs. It's a top spot for snorkeling and you can hire a longtail boat to take you for the day. Or, you can do it the way I did, and sign up for a longer tour.

Actually, speaking of Maya Bay, you may notice that it is absent from this list. That’s for a variety of reasons, the first being we didn’t go. But the reason we didn’t go is because the beach made famous by “The Beach” saw so much overtourism that they have actually had to restrict the number of people who can visit per day. And to help the coral reef regenerate, swimming is now forbidden. So basically you’re just walking to look at a beach from a Leonardo DiCaprio movie and….I didn’t need to do that.

Ao Nang Beach

I'm going to preface this by saying we were in Thailand at a very peculiar time. When we visited Krabi, we were living there when the majority of Thailand was not open to tourism. We were seeing beaches as they had not been seen in at least two decades.

This is all to say that while Ao Nang Beach was one of our favorite beaches in Thailand, the landscape may look a bit different with borders fully open. In our experience, Ao Nang was spectacular, particularly at sunset when the sky erupted into smoldering oranges and plumes of purple.

Typically Ao Nang beach is humming with long tail boats and tourists looking to take off for the day to the many quieter islands that scatter out to sea. But with the absence of tourists it was easy to appreciate just how naturally beautiful the beach is, with its rocky limestone outcrops, gently lapping surf, and thriving strip of bars and restaurants that back the sand.

Tub Island Beach is one of the most beautiful places in Thailand.

Tub Island Beach

Part of the tour I signed up for also took me to Tub Island. This fleck of green in a sea of blue is actually breathtaking. Seriously, it had major deserted island vibes. Tub Island is the second island in a three-island chain. At low tide you can walk across a sand bridge to get to the largest island, Koh Gai.

Things to do in Krabi — Island hopping is one of the best things to do in Krabi.

Koh Gai Beach

Speaking of Koh Gai, this uninhabited island has several spectacular beaches, as well. The island’s name translates to “Chicken Island” because of a rock formation that looks remarkably like the head of a chicken. But it’s not so much the rocks you’ll be paying attention to when you’ve got a seductive stretch of sun-bleached beach out in front of you.

Nopparat Thara Beach

You'll get a little bit of everything at Nopparat Thara Beach. It's the main boat launch for people heading off on day tours, so the constant whir of long tail boat motors is a consistent backdrop. But the west side of the beach is saved for a conservation area, so it's the perfect spot to hop in the water. One of my favorite things to do at Nopparat Thara is to hit the string of bars and restaurants on your way back into Ao Nang. This is where you'll find a night market, as well, which is always a lot of fun. Tip: We loved Leon Bar. If you go say hey to Bao, the owner. He’s the best.

Long Beach

I absolutely adore Long Beach. In fact, I’d go so far to say as this is one of the best beaches in Thailand. While we were camped out on Koh Lanta for the first two weeks of January, Long Beach was our “local” beach. Long Beach faces west into the Andaman Sea. It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous view of sparkling turquoise with the faint rounded heaps of islands in the distance. Along the beach are many boutique, locally owned hotels and guesthouses, as well as fabulous restaurants. Our favorite was Fat Turtle, which served seriously excellent steaks and burgers all with a mesmerizing sunset view.

Klong Muang

From what we've heard from other travelers, it sounds like Ao Nang is incredibly busy. There is no way around that. So for those who want to get a bit off the beaten path, Klong Muang Beach is a really great option. In fact, if we were traveling in "normal" times, we probably would have skipped Ao Nang altogether and opted for Klong Muang.

This peaceful retreat is a paradise with sleepy beachfront bars and a few scattered restaurants that dot the mile-long beach. You can hire a long tail boat from shore to do island hopping at a much more relaxed pace than some of the tours that you'll snag in Ao Nang. And if you DO want the energy of Ao Nang, it's only about 10 minutes away by motorbike.

Best beaches in the world — Bamboo Bay can be found on the island of Koh Lanta.

Bamboo Bay

If you can get yourself down to the southern tip of Koh Lanta, it will be worth it for many reasons. But one of the main reasons is Bamboo Bay, which is just inside Mu Koh Lanta National Park. The crescent-shaped beach has beautiful soft, white sand and is fringed all around with a lush, thick blanket of jungle. Because it’s in the national park, you won’t find this beach to be very crowded at all. That said, it doesn’t have any facilities; you'll have to bring everything in with you for the day.

Koh Poda

Koh Poda will have your jaw on the floor. Part of the Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park, Koh Poda is yet another unspoiled tropical island within eyesight of the Krabi mainland. You'll probably visit Koh Poda if you book an island hopping tour. It's known for its snorkeling, white sand, and limestone mountains. There are no facilities on Koh Poda, but a tour will likely include lunch. If you hire a long tail boat to take you, you'll have to bring everything yourself. But a picnic on this pristine beach is a can't miss opportunity.

Is Thailand Open?

As of July 1, Thailand no longer requires a Thailand Pass to enter. Vaccinated travelers will only need to show a copy of their vaccination certificate before boarding and on arrival. PCR tests are no longer needed for entry.

Unvaccinated travelers, however, will need to complete a PCR test within 72 hours before departing for Thailand.

The Best Beaches in Krabi….according to me