Day Twenty Three – Krabi
Deja vu! And we are not complaining!
An early, stressful (don’t get Katie started), delayed flight to Krabi put us enjoying memory lane as we took the hour-long drive from the airport to our hotel, the same one we stayed at 12 years ago, the Amari Vogue Krabi.
There’s a little backstory on how we ended here. Our original plan, to stay three nights on Railay Beach didn’t seem like the best idea. We feel like we have been dodging storms since we arrived in Australia. There have been multiple cyclones, earthquakes in the region, and even monsoons. Somehow, we have dodged it all and have had great weather so far. But just in case bad weather was coming our way in Krabi, we went back to old faithful for a better option. But in all honesty. Katie was afraid of a Tsunami 🙂 🙂
Fun for us to look back and read some of our old blog posts from our first visit to Krabi :).
Check in, quickly get settled and straight to the pool over looking the Andaman Sea, just on the edge of the Phang Nga Bay. We are thankful for the great weather here, especially when it is considered rainy season and it has been raining quite a bit the last few days in Krabi!
Tiny bit of rest and we do something that has become familiar to us, use the Grab app to catch a ride into town. Cheaper than taxis and they seem to be all over SE Asia.
Land in town and immediately devour some of the best pad thai we have ever had! And a couple of Chang beers to help recover from another day of travel ( all for $7)!!!
After dinner we walk along Ao Nong Beach, make a couple purchases in the shop,
and one last pit stop at a beach side bar for more Chang beer. Literally, walking down memory lane!
Grab for the transport and back to our hotel to get ready for our first longtail boat journey tomorrow morning.
Day Twenty Four – Krabi, Islands, & Railay
Morning jackpot! Resort style, SE Asia breakfast. The food options seem endless, from traditional western options to Asian favorites.
After gorging through breakfast, we are excited for our first day out on a longtail boat.
Longtail boats, or rua hang yao in Thai, have a rich history rooted in Thailand’s riverside and coastal communities. Originally developed as a practical solution for navigating the country’s narrow canals and shallow waters, these boats became essential for fishing, transportation, and trade. Their defining feature, a long propeller shaft connected to a car engine mounted on the stern (wild to see a car engine sitting on the back of the boat), was introduced in the mid-20th century, allowing for greater speed and maneuverability. Over time, longtail boats evolved from purely functional vessels to iconic symbols of Thai culture, especially in tourism. Today, they are ideal and a fun way for tourists to explore parts of Thailand. Fancier than we remember, but that is okay with us 😎.
Ahead, four great stops! First one is a narrow cruise through two limestone rock formations that dot much of this area. It really is spectacular, especially since many of them have small beaches formed on sides that are quite inviting.
Next stop, Hong Island. Hong Island is known for its crystal-clear waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and hidden lagoons. Part of a protected national park, perfect for snorkeling and relaxing in our hammock. The island’s name, “Hong,” means “room” in Thai, referring to the hidden lagoon surrounded by towering cliffs. Hour long stop didn’t disappoint.
Next stop, Ko Lao Lading — often nicknamed “Paradise Island” — is a serene jewel tucked into the Hong Islands archipelago within Than Bok Khorani National Park, Krabi Province. Famous for its picture-perfect curved beach, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and dramatic limestone cliffs draped in lush vegetation, it offers a peaceful escape from crowded tourist hotspots. We arrived to a somewhat crowded beach, but within a short period of time, everyone left and we literally had this gem all to ourselves!
And lastly on this awesome morning, a cruise over to another lagoon (no beach) for a little snorkeling before we head back to the mainland.
Loved it!
Back to the hotel for a reset, and get ready for the uniqueness of the rest of today.
Back to us switching hotels, we actually decided to keep the hotel on Railay Beach for one night, just in case we wanted to pack a backpack and have a different experience in Krabi. So, that’s exactly what we did. Ordered a Grab to Ao Nang Beach for an evening and overnight stay in Railay.
A bit of a challenging transition to get to Railay Beach on a longtail. This is one of those times where we realize, traveling here isn’t for everyone. We trudge through sloppy, mucky water to the longtail in crashing waves. Scott cuts his foot and everything is getting soaked (including us). Our hearts went out to the family of 4 who had just arrived on holiday with luggage. The 20 minute longtail wet ride seemed like an hour as water crashed into the boat over and over again.
Finally arriving at Railay and after calming down a bit, we enjoy walking this unique side of Krabi, and our hotel, the Railay Beach Resort & Spa.
Railay Beach in Krabi is a breathtaking peninsula accessible only by boat, giving it a secluded island-like charm. Towering limestone karsts draped in jungle form a dramatic backdrop to the soft, white sandy beaches and turquoise seas — a postcard-perfect setting treasured by travelers . The peninsula is divided into four distinct areas: the bustling East Railay arrival zone with its restaurants and boardwalk; idyllic West Railay, perfect for sunbathing and spectacular sunsets; the renowned Phra Nang Beach with its iconic cave shrine; and tonal, bohemian Tonsai Beach beloved by climbers .
A world-famous rock‑climbing destination, Railay attracts climbers from around the globe to its limestone cliffs
We slow down in this small town and enjoy dinner at the Railay Beach Cafe.
And a stop at Baan Tree so Katie can get dessert.
Day Twenty Five – Railay back to Krabi to Poda
Start the day with another great Asian breakfast. It’s windy, but a beautiful breakfast on the water.
Railay beach is pretty amazing. It’s not a big town, but it has pockets of hidden beaches, limestone cliffs, markets, and rock climbing throughout. Railay Beach in Krabi is world-renowned for rock climbing, with climbers drawn to the limestone cliffs rising straight from the sea. Pretty cool place to climb with turquoise waters below, making it one of the most breathtaking climbing destinations on earth.
As we wait for our longtail, we are greeted by one of our newest friends in Krabi, a beautiful Parrot!
Pack up, smooth boat ride to pier. Let’s be clear, we could have had a smooth ride on the way to Railay, but we got our longtail in Ao Nang Beach. Bad idea! Take the longtail to the other side of Railay, from the pier. Seriously, there are so many reasons this is a better choice and should have been our choice! Smooth, calm and dry. Live & learn!
Grab a Grab and head to our Krabi hotel. So, this move, wasn’t a good one. As the day goes on, we wish we were back out, checking out some of the surrounding islands on a longtail. We scramble and decide to go for it. It may not be early in the day, but the weather is good, looks like calmer seas, and today is our last day in Krabi, so time to take our weary bodies to the islands. Back to Ao Nang Beach to get a longtail to Poda Island. Poor choices have been made today, but we are making the most of it!
Getting on and off long boats isn’t for everyone, especially with setup at Ao Nang Beach.
But it’s definitely worth the end result. A 20 minute long tail brought us to Poda Island. Mission accomplished!
Poda Island, located just off the coast of Ao Nang in Krabi, is a stunning tropical escape known for its powdery white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and dramatic limestone cliffs. Part of the Mu Koh Poda archipelago, it’s a popular stop on island-hopping tours and ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling. Pro tip: get off the longtail and walk to the left. Nearly everyone goes to the park and the beaches directly in front of drop off. Beaches to the left, basically empty!
You can see why it was worth the scramble to get to Poda.
Another adventurous situation getting off the long tail back in Ao Nang Beach. But with a reward waiting for us, a toasty from 7 Eleven! These toasties are famous, and Katie heard about them on Tiktok. Buy it, they press it, we devour it!
Catch another Grab and we are back at our hotel in time for sunset & dinner on our last night in Krabi.
After twenty five days of traveling, we could use another day or two in southern Thailand, but not this time, we are headed north to the mountainous region of Chiang Mai in the morning.
Two Wayfaring Wanderers 
The stone elephants by the hotel pool would look great by your backyard pool! Maybe a quick Fedex? 🙂