Where to stay in Krabi? A guide to Krabi Town

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KRABI Town is the provincial capital of Krabi. Located at the mouth of the river, it is a small, typically Thai, bustling market town. The river and sea used to provide Krabi with its main industry, fishing, but now commerce and services play a larger role.

As the seat of government, banks and the province's only in-town supermarket and department store, the town is busy throughout the day; night-time sees a young, local crowd out and about at the many cheap pavement eateries, karaoke bars and live music clubs.

While it is possible to visit Krabi on a day-trip from Ao Nang or Klong Muang, some people do choose to stay here one or two nights before moving on to the coast or the islands. If you are after an 'authentic' Thai experience, this is where you'll find it. There is a large range of accommodation in Krabi, from the five-star Meritime to the most basic 100B a night backpacker rooms. Across the board, prices are much cheaper than the equivalent on offer near the beach areas. Tourist information, dive and tour programmes are widely available; there are also a small number of restaurants and bars catering to foreigners.

You should note that Krabi Town has no beaches of its own; however, it is very well connected to Ao Nang and Klong Muang by local bus (around half an hour), as well as having daily connections to the islands of Jum, Phi Phi and Lanta from the new pier, which opened last year. The main inter-provincial bus station is in town, as well as the international airport, only 9km outside of the centre.

Krabi has its own attractions on the river: kayaking in the mangrove forest and visiting local fishing communities are popular options. The caves in Krabi's most famous landmark: Khao Kanab Nam, the two 'dog-ear'-shaped rocks, visible from Utarakit Road, are also worth a visit. Shopping is also better here than in the beach areas, offering a wider range of goods, often at lower prices.

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