Ao Nang is the main tourist resort of the Krabi province and it is an extremely versatile destination for all tastes and ages. Whatever your expectations from your Thai holiday are, they will be exceeded in this cosmopolitan seaside town.
Ao Nang offers great choice of local and international dining opportunities, plenty of shops and bars where you can chill out our party until late. The long sandy beach will suit family and couple on holiday but also backpackers travellers looking for relaxed vibes and easy-going atmosphere. The beach is a great place to watch the sunset, have a drink and listen to music or dance the night away.
In terms of accommodation you will find all budget options for luxury resorts, to mid-range hotels and apartments or jungle resorts well connected to the beach through free shuttle buses.
This town is also the starting point to access the inland waterfalls and beauties or visit the wide range of gorgeous Krabi islands that can be reached in no time. Among the downsides we should consider that the town is pretty busy and that the water is not crystal clear and not nice for swimming due to the muddy seabed.
Ao Nang mainly consists of a seaside main street dominated by hotels, restaurants, bars and convenience shops and tourists. Long tailed boats are lined up along the beach and are the quickest and best option to visit the other popular and stunning beaches such as Railey Beach.
My favourite area in this lively town is Ao Nang’s Seafood Street especially at night. This long and narrow seaside promenade is the most frequented dining area for the stunning sunset views over the beach, the delicious fresh Thai food cooked and served in front of you and the romantic atmosphere.
Prices are higher compared to the average Thailand prices but it is worthy and still a wonderfully cheap treat for foreigner travellers. We stopped in a restaurant serving grilled octopuses, squids and all sort of seafood prepared according to your wishes. The ambiance was magical thanks to the soft music, the dimmed light of Thai lanterns and the crashing of the waves close by.
I want to recommend the jungle resort we stayed in for mesmerising cliffs views and scenery. I felt like a 18th century explorer in the middle of nature waking up at the sound of tropical birds’ singing and monkeys’ jumping on our cabin’s roof. The name of this cheap and adventurous resort is Ao Nang Cliff Resort.
This three stars resort provides a rich breakfast surrounded by exotic plants, ferns, palms and bananas trees, and features a spectacular open-air swimming pool frequented by nice and fluffy little monkeys looking for food. It is priceless to sunbathe or swim listening to the monkeys calls and watching them jumping freely on the cliffs behind you. The resort offers a free beach shuttle bus, a useful trip information desk and nice restaurants in the middle of the jungle where books and pillows are available. Isn’t this paradise?!
Walking along the rightfully famous seafood restaurant street, you will come across Thai Thai Restaurant. This lovely place will welcome you with a vast menu offering all fish options cooked with all kind of local sauces or simply grilled and it will be cooked in front of you by the promenade.
The relaxing music and the colourful Thai lanterns brushed by the sea breeze will accompany through this memorable dining experience. I recommend this restaurant for the nice views over the beach or for a refreshing floral drink watching the sunset. Prices are higher than average and portions not so big, but we thought it was justified by the location and the nice views.
Reaching Ao Nang from Phuket is quite cheap and it will take around three hours by bus. Tourist kiosks in all the main towns will sell boats or bus tickets at about 600 Baht per person including a free hotel pick up.
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