It's evident that Ao Nang is a hotspot for tourists, largely due to its nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, and budget-friendly accommodations.
Here are a few of the most popular sights with their prices:
- The Beach (Free)
- Noppharat Thara Beach for ฿400
- The Ao Nang Night Market (Free)
The biggest draw to Ao Nang, is their sandy beaches. The best views will all be along a shoreline, so grab some flip-flops and start exploring. Fossil Shell Beach, for example, is also known as the "Seashell Graveyard." This area is a bit of a tourist-trap, but it's worth it to see the compressed, 40 million year old shellfish. Bring your wallet, as the entrance fee can be pretty hefty.
Nopparat Thara Beach is more picturesque. At the western tip of Ao Nang, this beach is designated as a national park. Before venturing into the water, ask the locals of it's "jellyfish season." That's not a risk you want to take, trust me.
For a more isolated afternoon, head over to Rai Leh Beach. This beach is a bit of a trek, as you have to travel there via long-tail boat. The limestone hills separate it from the mainland. In the off-season it may be a hassle to get there, as many of the boats for crossing wait for the required number of passengers to take off. IT can be worth the wait and the fees, though, because Rai Leh is a bit cleaner with lots of caves for exploring.
If lying on a beach is just not enough of a vacation for you, peel yourself off the sand and try some of Ao Nang's many activities. Several dive shops are located in town that offer dive courses and dive trips. You can visit some fascinating underwater spots like the Nang Bay, Phi Phi Marine National Park, the King Cruiser wreck site and the Shark Point Marine sanctuary. For the adventure-seeker, you can even do some amazing cave diving at the islands of Ko Ha Yai.
If you'd rather stay above the water, there are one day, speedboat tours available to explore the islands surrounding Ao Nang like Bamboo Island, Chicken Island, Tup Island, Poda Island, Hong Island, Lading Island, Pakbia Island, Rai Island and Daeng Island. They're all worth the day trip and there are discounted rates for groups.
If you're really ready to get away from the water for a little bit, try rock climbing. Talk to your hotel staff or the Ao Nang travel agencies who will gladly arrange travel, lunch and all the rocks you can conquer.
Then, of course, there are the staples of a tourist town including it boarding. Lessons and rentals are available through many tour agencies around town. Ask your hotel for more information.
Scuba Diving & Snorkeling:
The allure of scuba diving makes it one of the top activities in Ao Nang. There are plenty of dive shops that offer both snorkeling and dive excursions to nearby areas.
A nice way to explore destinations in Ao Nang is with local tours that last just a few hours. This way you can see as much as possible in an efficient way with knowledgable guides. Prices vary by the type of activity or tour, the dates, and the size of the group. Here are a few of the highest rated tours by previous visitors:
- Krabi: Saitai Mountain Tail ATV Adventure for $29 details
- Kayaking klongroot and atv adventure for $34 details
- Krabi: Morning or Afternoon Culinary Adventure at Smart Cook for $42 details
Definitely recommend Ao Nang! The cheap and delicious food at the quick restaurants was fantastic. We also found a clean place to stay that was really cheap not far from the beach, and it had a pool. We walked almost everywhere along the main stretch which had all of the shops down to the beach.