Things To Do In Krabi Town – Budget Travel In Thailand

Visit Krabi Town in Thailand to experience a relaxing market town that, despite an increasing amount of tourists, has not lost its charming, traditional Thai atmosphere.

Upon arriving in Krabi, most tourists head to the more well-known destinations such as Phi Phi and Koh Lanta without staying long enough to appreciate the authentic and traditional Thai culture that Krabi offers. Whilst there are bars and restaurants that are aimed at foreign visitors, the town is not entirely focused on tourism.

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Things To Do In Krabi

Krabi is said to be one of the most relaxing parts of Thailand with incredible islands and stunning scenery. Krabi Town itself has a wonderful vibe. It has not lost its identity due to over-tourism.

Andaman Cultural Study Centre

We came across this completely by accident when we noticed the huge dinosaur outside the centre. On further investigation we discovered it had a couple of art galleries and A BEAD MUSEUM! Once we discovered it was free admission, there was no stopping us. What a random thing to discover in Krabi town! The museum is actually good fun with some interactive elements. Map.

Andaman Cultural Study Centre Opening Times: 9 am – 4 pm, Mon – Sat.
Andaman Cultural Study Centre Entrance Fee: Free admission.

Ao Nang

Whilst we are certainly glad that we stayed in Krabi rather than Ao Nang, it’s worth a visit and is very easy to get to. Songthauws run from Krabi bus station, through the centre of town on Maharaj Road and cost 50 baht.

Ao Nang is more of a beach resort compared to Krabi town which has more of a small city feel. Consequently, the shops here are mainly tourist shops and not anything of any real interest. The beach is clean but it does get very hot with no sign of anyone renting beach umbrellas. Check out the mountains on the way! Map.

Animal Statues Of Krabi

You will notice these all over the city. The road signs also have small sculptures of various creatures. Many Thai cities have something that is unique about them and this is Krabi’s ‘thing’.

Chaofa Park / Thara Park

As there is no beach in Krabi town, you could go and chill out in this small riverside park. There is a children’s park, some sort of learning walk, a small lake and a few food and drink options. There’s even a 7-eleven! Start at the pier and walk through Chaofa Park onto Thara Park. Map.

Fresh Food Market

We loved this place! This is when it really felt like we were back in Thailand. Lots of small restaurants and takeaways and also fresh fruit and shakes/smoothies. I bought some durian from here and we ate here a number of times. A true Thai experience. Map.

Krabi River

You will undoubtedly walk alongside the river during your stay. There are many monuments and it is a great place to relax for a while. Why not do as I did and buy some durian from the local market and sit and eat it here, overlooking the karsts.

Krabi Town Night Market

Located near the pier, this is the place to come if you want fresh fish. Lots of stalls all selling pretty much the same thing, we didn’t have the fish but instead opted for some mango and sticky rice. Map.

Krabi Town Night Market Opening Times: 5 pm – 10 pm, every day.

Krabi Town Walking Street

Most places in Thailand have a walking street and Krabi is no exception. The walking street here is quite big and has bars and live music as well as the usual street food. It’s a vibrant market and a must visit in Krabi. Map.

Krabi Town Walking Street Opening Times: 5.30 pm – 10.00 pm, Fri – Sun.

Maharaj Market

Maharaj is a real local market that opens at 6 am. This is the place to come if you want to buy local produce at low prices. Or if you’re like me and just love the hustle and bustle of a local market place and want to see a real, authentic Thai market up close. Map.

Maharaj Market Opening Times: 6 am – 1 pm, every day.

Tiger Cave Temple Krabi

Anyone would think that, after Phuket, we would have had enough of climbing mountains to see big Buddhas up close. But no, here we were again!

For some reason, we booked through our hotel and paid 200 baht each for a private transfer. We could have easily done this at half the price using songthauws so I would recommend doing that.

We were picked up early and it was only a 20 minute drive to the temple. Stepping out of the van, we saw what we were about to climb.

We spent some time walking around the rather big grounds of the temple with its impressive buildings and monuments before starting our climb. Unlike other climbs on our trip, this one was made up entirely of steps.

The stairs are periodically numbered which I think makes it easier. At least you know how far you’ve gone and, more importantly, how far you have to go. It’s still a challenge, though!

You get your reward when you finally reach the top!

After we’d the climbed down the 1,200+ steps, we decided to investigate an area we’d spotted earlier called ‘Wonderland’. This meant climbing more steps but thankfully not 1200. On the other side, we found a jungle with caves and incredible trees. I don’t think many people know about this part of Tiger Cave as it wasn’t busy but I recommend you include it in your visit. Just watch out for the spiders!

Tiger Cave Temple Opening Times: 8 am – 5 pm, every day
Tiger Cave Temple Entrance Fee: free admission.

Wat Kaew Korawarem Temple

A temple right in the heart of the old town. It is only small but very pretty and a nice place to escape the heat. Usual temple rules apply (no hats, cover shoulders, knees etc.) The temple is free admission. Map.

Is Krabi Town Worth Visiting?

We LOVED Krabi. After Phuket, this felt like we had properly returned to Thailand. Food and drink is cheaper than on the islands and the street food is delicious. There are plenty of good restaurants and bars to keep you happy for a lengthy stay. We both agreed that Krabi is a place we could stay in to take a break from travelling and refuel! It’s a great town and we were both sorry to leave. However, we had some island-hopping to do!