Krabi, Thailand is a city that covers a significant amount of distance. It can be hard to properly prepare and plan for your hotel stay if you don’t fully understand the layout of the Krabi community. As people who have lived, worked and played in the city, we can suggest the best accommodations for your time in Krabi.
The best place for tourists to stay in Krabi Thailand are:
- Pak-Up Hostel
- Phulay Bay
- Centara Grand Beach
- Amari Vogue
- Hogwortz Hostel
- Slumber Party Hostel
- Sand Sea Resort
- Rayavadee
Obviously, different strokes for different folks. Everyone visits Thailand for different reasons, so we will offer recommendations if you’re after a good party. If your group is more interested in sightseeing and luxury, we can steer you in the right direction there, too.
Pak-Up Hostel
For those adhering to a budget, the best place to stay near the city center is a hostel named ‘Pak-Up’. The hostel is a reconverted school – hence why each room is named after a different school subject. It’s a great place for those who are looking to make friends.
Every evening, the guests receive a voucher for free food. Almost the entire hostel comes downstairs for chicken skewers and shortly thereafter, a beer pong tournament ensues. As the winner of this tournament, I can guarantee you that the prize is no laughing matter. The winner receives a bucket (yes, a literal bucket) filled with Red Bull and Vodka.
Of course, this quickly becomes an issue. The winner isn’t decided until the bar is about to close at 2 am. All the bars close at this time. What is a young traveler to do after consuming a bucket of Red Bull at this hour? I jumped in the river (and struggled to get out). What will you do with your prize?
All in all, I highly recommend staying here. It’s a friendly, clean, and fun hostel experience.
Phulay Bay
However, not everyone is after a hostel experience (and rightfully so). If you’re looking for a posh resort in the middle of tropical paradise, then look no further than the Phulay Bay Resort. This hotel is actually owned and operated by Ritz-Carlton. It’s about 45 minutes away from Krabi Airport and only 15-20 miles away from Ao Nang, which is where the best beaches in Krabi are located.
Some resorts are located right next door to each other, but this is not the case at Phulay Bay. In fact, the beach is in a very remote and charming area of Krabi. This isolated experience is blissful and romantic for travelers. Everybody leaves in a state of mind that could only be described as “in awe”.
Centara Grand Beach
Another fantastic resort is named Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas. This Krabi staple can be found on Pai Plong Bay. This hotel makes a special introduction for visitors of all origins. The resort sits on a beach that is located South of the famous Ao Nang beach and is usually reached exclusively by traditional longtail boats.
This resort is known for its traditional Thai architecture. The style is referred to as ‘Lanna’ building. Behind the resort, one can find jaw-dropping cliffs that sit perched above hundreds of tropical plants like palm trees. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, the Wi-Fi is quite reliable. This is the case for just about every accommodation in Thailand. Wi-Fi is great throughout the entire country.
Amari Vogue
Another luxurious resort experience in Krabi is the Amari Vogue. Like the Centara Grand Beach, this resort features traditional Lanna architecture. Like every grand and beautiful hotel in Thailand, this resort is also located right on the beachfront.
Most of the impressive and expensive accommodations in this area are close to Ao Nang Beach. There is a reason for this. The exclusivity and privacy are only available outside of the Krabi city center. The Amari Vogue certainly lives up to its fancy name.
Hogwortz Hostel
The name of this inexpensive hostel sounds a bit familiar to those who enjoyed the famous Harry Potter series. I’m sure they were able to narrowly avoid copyright issues by adding a ‘Z’ to the end of the word. This hostel is less party-focused than the Pak Up hostel. The decorations actually fit a theme of Harry Potter’s magic world (though, certainly less hokey than what you may imagine).
The hostel specializes in wood-framed architecture and extremely clean living conditions. The bunk beds are paper white and perfectly manicured. Hostels don’t always allow for a great night’s sleep, but this one certainly does. It’s a great place for adventurers who want to make the most of their day, but not necessarily their nighttime.
If you want a place to stay close to Krabi Town, this is a great option. We just hope your roommates are more like Hufflepuffs than Slytherins!
Slumber Party Hostel
For those who are looking for a polar opposite hostel experience, I recommend the Slumber Party Hostel. After all, the hostel has the word ‘party’ in its name. This hostel is a bit far away from the city center, but that’s why so many travelers choose here for their accommodations.
Slumber Party Hostel is located in Ao Nang, which is undoubtedly the best beach destination in Eastern Thailand. Slumber Party is a popular hostel franchise, so they have established and trusted tours, programs, and bar crawls that you can enjoy. They even offer a beach clean up, where attendees can earn a beer for picking up a bag of trash on the weekends.
Sand Sea Resort
Sand Sea Resort is another gorgeous resort experience in Krabi. This resort is located in Railay Beach near Ao Nang. (Hopefully, you’re starting to understand which section of Krabi people flock towards!)
Sand Sea Resort offers a modern approach to the charming bungalow beach lifestyle. There are several beaches that are in close proximity to the resort, so you’ll have no shortage of crystal clear waters and fine, white sand beaches. Make sure you pack your sunscreen! The Thai sun is known to leave a serious sunburn.
Rayavadee
Rayavadee is a great resort option considering it’s not very close to Ao Nang or Railay Beach. Don’t stress that it’s not in the traditional resort area, in fact, this sense of reclusiveness only adds to the appeal. For approximately $400/night, you can stay in one of the most beautiful hotels in the world.
The bright blue water will leave you dumbfounded. It’s access to city center offers you an easier route for dining out on the town, too. This resort is nestled in the middle of the jungle and could truly be described as paradise on Earth.
All in all, you’ll be hard pressed to find a bad hostel or hotel in Krabi. This city is an enigma because of its incredible balance of culture, food, and sights to see. I personally loved climbing up to the Tiger Cave Temple, but others want to lounge at the beach. No matter what sort of activity you’re after on your vacation, Krabi offers something for every single type of traveler.
Krabi is one of my favorite cities in Thailand. It’s a shame more people don’t explore the area. In the coming years, I certainly predict that Krabi will increase drastically in size and scope. Once you take your first look at the beaches, you’ll think to yourself, “how could it not become famous soon?”
Related Questions:
Which is the best area to stay in Krabi?
Many people choose to stay in the Ao Nang region because it is close to Railay Beach. The majority of the accommodations in Ao Nang are resorts. Others opt for the city center of Krabi, which features more hostels than resorts.
How do you get to Krabi?
Most people fly into the Krabi airport as domestic flights are traditionally inexpensive. However, there are other ways to reach the city. Some choose to take a ferry from Phuket or the Phi Phi islands. Others decide to get on an overnight bus from Bangkok or Pattaya. All are great options (and the prices are usually about the same).
