The Krabi restaurant guide - April 2005

• Back to Flyer Restaurants (current issue)

On the waterfront: we track down the best spots to eat and chill out

ON the shore, next to lapping waves; by a calm, green lake stretching in to the distance; or on the banks of a gushing forest river: nothing is quite like eating close by water.

It’s one of Thai people’s favourite pastimes. At the weekend, families will drive out into the country in search of a shady spot where they can relax for a whole afternoon and the kids can play happily, splashing about.

As the temperature rises, we seek out Krabi’s best waterside restaurants, all great stop-off points when you’re touring the region with a rented car or bike.

Krabi Fishing Park
A BEAUTIFUL, secluded lake and a gimmick: catch your own lunch. You can while away several hours here in your own private pagoda with a a rented rod and line (or just a book). The odds of hooking something are high: the lake is teeming with catfish, tilapia and carp and the park’s restaurant will cook whatever you catch. You can also choose directly from the wide-ranging Thai menu and be served lakeside by charming staff on bicycles.
Off Route 4, 6km north of Krabi Town, in the direction of Phuket. Open daily until 9pm

The Beach House
EXQUISITE views over the nearby Hong Islands make this a perfect spot for a pitstop on a driving tour. The Beach House is the only one of our recommendations to feature a good European menu, including excellent sandwiches - for that picnic feeling, without the sand in your bread! Early risers can also enjoy a hearty English breakfast; or try an early supper of lamb chops while watching the sun go down. The sound of the waves will make you want to linger.
Klong Muang Beach, after the bridge. Open daily until 10pm.

Klai Wang Water Garden
A COOL spot to spend an afternoon. Lunch is served in rickety old wooden pavilions dotted around a clean, rushing river, in which you can bathe. The restaurant is well-known for its excellent fried catfish, bred on the premises; and the other dishes on the good value Thai menu are equally tasty, in particular the spicy salads. After lunch, take a stroll around the shady botanical garden (the whole place is set in deep, green forest: don’t forget the mosquito repellent).
On the road to Klong Muang, just past Klong Son Temple. Open daily until 7pm

Laem Sak Seafood
REGARDED as one of the places in the province to eat seafood, this restaurant’s location at the end of Sak cape affords it open vistas across the expanse of water and islands of Phang Nga Bay. The daily catches from the nearby fishing port make up the bulk of the fare: giant oysters and glistening mud crabs are some of the delights on offer. All fish can be simply steamed or grilled, or else served Thai-style in a spicy salad or curry. Make the 30km detour worthwhile by visiting the caves at Pee Hua To on the way.
At the end of route 4039 from Ao Luk. Open daily until 6pm

Tha Sai Seafood
TECHNICALLY in Phang Nga province (just over the border with Krabi), this charming riverside restaurant makes a good stop on the way to Phuket. All tables overlook the wide, mangrove-lined waterway and a ‘waterfall wall’ adds to the peaceful ambience. The seafood is excellent - the place is always packed with locals at the weekend - and comes in a good variety of dishes.
On the road to Phuket, turn left at Ban Tha Sai. Open daily till 7pm

MORE WATERFRONT RETREATS
ON the Nateen-Klong Son road, Suan Kluay Mai, or ‘Orchid Garden’, as its name translates, is a good restaurant on a shady bend in the river. Closer to Ao Nang, Wang Sai Seafood enjoys a good location directly on Nopparat Thara beach, while the legendary beach hangout, Last Café, at the far end of Ao Nang beach has re-opened after the tsunami. In Krabi Town, try Ruen Phae, a converted barge on the river on Utarakit Rd.