Ao Nang, Thailand - The Perfect Balance of Coastline and Culture (Updated for TravelFeed)

Highlights:

• Ao Nang is low key compared to the popular destination Phuket
• A half day at Tiger Cave Temple is a wonderful way to spend the morning
• E-San Seafood is our favorite restaurant Thailand!

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When people talk about Thailand, you usually hear about the crazy parties in Phuket or the late nights clubbing in Bangkok, but that's not really our style. Don’t get me wrong, we like to drink and party, but more so on the low key end. Ao Nang is a place where you have access to all the sights and scenes, but are far enough away from the busy crowds of tourists.

Maya Bay

You still have access to all the island hopping tours, though they weren't our favorite parts of the trip. Don't let my heavily Photoshopped photo above fool you, there were what seemed like hundreds of tourists at Maya Bay.

Where is Ao Nang and how do you get there?

Ao Nang is located in southern Thailand's Krabi Province. It is one of the many take-off points for the long-boats in the area. It is right off the Andaman coast beachfront and provides access to the dive/snorkeling sites on nearby islands.

“Our flight from Bangkok to Krabi was only $45 USD!”

Getting to Ao Nang is relatively simple. First catch a flight out of any major Thai city to Krabi (KBV). Our flight from Bangkok to Krabi was only $45 USD! Next, you’re going to have to take either a bus or taxi into Ao Nang. This will take roughly 30 minutes, but I would suggest you stay awake during the car ride. The landscapes you will pass are absolutely breathtaking. It is also an excellent way to get an idea of things to do during your stay.

Travelling in a truck bed is a great way to cover ground quickly

Where should you stay?

We’ve been fortunate enough to visit Ao Nang a couple times so here is a list of places we’ve stayed at and how much we paid (prices may have changes since):

• Aonang Phu Petra Resort - A beautiful resort located off the main strip. You get your own bungalow with a sizable porch and tropical mountainside views.
  $65 USD/night
• Vogue Resort & Spa Ao Nang - Located in the middle of the main strip, this hotel keeps things very close at an extremely affordable price! Just a 5 minute walk to the beach too.
  $50 USD/night
• Aonang Villa Resort - Right on the coast, this hotel sports two huge swimming pools and many options to eat/drink. This place puts you smack dab in the middle of everything!
  $60 USD/night
• Bluesotel - Centrally located and brand new location. Some parts were still under construction during our 2018 trip, but the staff was wonderful and the facilities were spotless.

They are quite the romantics over at Aonang Villa Resort

What can you do when you to Ao Nang?

There is so much to do in this town, having been there for about two weeks I feel like we haven’t even scratched the surface. While you can spend your days eating food, drinking beer, and relaxing on the beach, here are a few other highlights from our trips to Ao Nang with tips that we’ve learned along the way.

Island Hopping

One of the more popular touristy activities is of course island hopping. You can organize a group tour to travel via long-tail boat to many of the surrounding islands (Phi Phi, James Bond, and Hong Island to name a few).

Pulling the anchor before we take off

Each spot felt like going to a tropical Disneyland. If you are on one of the many group tours, they will drop you off at a specific beach, then 30 minutes to an hour later you’re herded back to the boat. Beautiful locations and scenes, but far too many people.

Wouldn't be complete without a monkey or two :)

An Evening at the Ao Nang Thai Boxing Stadium

If you happen to be in Ao Nang on a weekend, you will definitely come across a truck with music blasting out of a loudspeaker promoting Thai Boxing matches. These events are filled with all types of people: tourists and locals alike. If you are interested in seeing trained athletes duke it out and crowds of screaming supporters, check this place out. This cost us roughly $20 per ticket.

It wasn't busy when we went, but the energy was still high!

A Walk Up Tiger Cave Temple

At first we walked into a cave area where the monks gathered and prayed. We noticed a small staircase in the front and figured that was the beginning of the long journey to the top everyone talks about. Come to find out, this led to a separate area where the tiger of the temple was said to have been.

This area does not take you to the steps, but is still nice to visit

We walked back and went further down the road to come across the true beginning of our 1200+ step voyage. I still suggest paying your respects inside the cave. There always seems to be a lot going on in there.

Be careful, the monkeys may try and steal you belongings!!

We came across monkeys, passed the elderly, got passed by the elderly, but eventually made it to the top. The view was amazing and 100% worth the hike up the mountain. You can spend as much time as you want once on the top, just give yourself enough daylight to come back down. While there are steps leading down, not all of the are even/equal height and you don’t want to tumble down 1200 stairs.

There are many shines and vantage points at the top.

Visit Krabi for the Day

Take a short taxi or bus ride into downtown Krabi and you’ll find even more places to explore. We spent a half day just walking around the town, grabbing a bite to eat, soaking in all the sights of the city. To be honest though, we preferred hanging out in Ao Nang much more. There was less traffic and it was a more laid back experience overall. I would recommend going into Krabi for shopping, night markets, or buying supplies.

Try All the Food You Come Across

There are so many delicious Thai and Indian restaurants in this town! One place we loved in particular was E-San Seafood, but we like to call it “Mama and Papa’s Kitchen.” This two-person operation is nothing fancy, but the magic that they are able to produce cannot be rivaled. They are the nicest couple to talk to and some of the best cooks in town.

Mama & Papa's restaurant

2018 UPDATE: We love this restaurant so much, we cut our Sri Lanka trip short just to re-visit our favorite spot!

The seafood in Ao Nang is all fresh and deliciously prepared. Whether you go to a fancy sit-down restaurant or stop by one of the many food carts on the street, you will not be disappointed!

We will return!

Having been to Ao Nang 3 times now, we consider this coastal town very near to our hearts. We will definitely return. I hope this article inspires you to travel here as well!

Happy Traveling!
Bradford Tennyson

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Thanks for checking out my updated post on Ao Nang. I didn't change much from my previous post, but wanted to include it in the #travelfeed Curation Trail. I really like what the people maintaining this feed are doing and want to promote their effort as much as I can.

Bradford Tennyson

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Follow me @bradfordtennyson! Thank you so much for your support!