Discover one week of kid-friendly activities in our ultimate family travel guide to Ao Nang, Thailand, a beach town in the province of Krabi. Ao Nang is located on the Andaman Sea with striking views of the karst limestone cliffs with many fun activities like island hopping by long boat, walking by the ocean-front shops, going on a jungle hike to the Tiger cave and seeing the giant sitting buddha, finding delicious authentic Thai food, and chatting with the friendly locals. We spent 7 nights exploring Ao Nang with our family of five in September 2022, and enjoyed our time there immensely.
In this blog, I will share with you how we spent our week here, what activities we did or wanted to do, and why you should bring your family to visit this wonderful beach town.
Is Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand good for families?
Yes! Ao Nang, Krabi is good for families! The locals of Ao Nang are so kind and friendly towards families, especially children. To further explain how friendly the locals are, here is one of many magical experiences we had. We went for dinner and the fireshow at Reeve restaurant, and a waitress organized snacks for our 2-year-old and personally attended to her (and squeezed her in) during the fireshow in the front row! Another helped get our daughter and son a fluffy bean bag chair to relax on during the show, then asked a firedancer to come give them a cool close-up of the act. Next, after the show, we heard “happy birthday” over the speakers and a really sweet couple we met earlier bought a birthday cake for our little girl – it wasn’t her birthday! They just did it to be sweet and Maddie loved the attention. The couple snagged a photo with her before heading home.
How many days do you need in Ao Nang, Krabi?
You should spend a minimum of 4 days in Ao Nang, Krabi. Each day, you can plan to do a fun activity like hiking the Tiger Cave and climbing the stairs to see the sitting buddha, hiring a longboat to take you island hopping for 5 hours, shopping and eating along the waterfront, swimming in the sea and playing on the beach, and maybe even some time to explore an animal sanctuary. Our family spent 8 days in Ao Nang, and some days we did absolutely nothing except sit by the pool!
How to travel to Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand with a family
You can travel into Krabi city by ferry, plane or car, and then you can travel by car, local bus or tuktuk to Ao Nang. If you’re traveling as a big group or family, then I would opt for the car since it offers seat belts. Also, since you pay a flat fee usually, you can have your private car pull over to a 7-11 or a street stall so you can pick up food if you’re hungry from your travels.
Plane
Krabi airport is a major airport for this part of the country, and offers many flights to the capital city of Bangkok and other airports in the country and other surrounding countries.
Ferry
We arrived in Krabi on the ferry from Koh Phi Phi.
Private car
From the ferry terminal, we hired an air-conditioned SUV to drive us 25 minutes to Ao Nang.
The private car ride from the Krabi ferry terminal to our hotel in Ao Nang cost us 400 bhat per person, or 2,000 bhat for a family of five.
Book private transport from Krabi airport (KBV) to Ao Nang
If you want peace of mind so that you have private, socially-distanced transport to your hotel in Ao Nang when traveling from the Krabi airport, then you book a private, air-conditioned van here through Viator.
You can rather easily find transport upon landing by many of the taxi drivers waiting. A word of caution is to make sure that they have a taxi sign posted and you negotiate your rates up front and/or that they use the meter if it isn’t a flat fee transport fee to your hotel.
How to travel around Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand with a family?
Tuk tuk or converted pickup truck
When staying in Ao Nang, we affordably traveled around by tuktuk or converted pickup truck (like a non-air-conditioned minibus). We paid 200 bhat ($5.70) one-way from our hotel to Ao Nang beach or city for a family of five with these forms of transport.
We preferred the truck for our family of five more than the tuk tuk since it was higher off the ground. The tuk tuks basically slowed to a stop at times to get over some bumps due to our weight.
Private car or van
You can also hire a private car and driver for transport between cities like we did when we traveled from Ao Nang to Koh Lanta (400 bhat per person or 2,000 bhat [roughly $50 USD] for a family of five). Our hotel was kind enough to help us book this trip.
13 family-friendly things to do in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand | Guide to Ao Nang
Check out our favorite activities to do in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand with a family. If you’re looking for a more extensive list of activities or want to schedule a tour ahead of your arrival, then check out these affordable family tours hosted by Viator.
Beach
The beach is completely free and a kid-friendly way to spend an afternoon for all ages and groups. Additionally, food is close by across the street when everyone gets hungry. We found the beaches to be clean and uncrowded when we visited in September.
Family travel photo shoot
What a special way to commemorate a trip of a lifetime and to make relatives envious on your next Christmas card! In all seriousness, it is a lovely way to spend family time together, get dressed up and then see your family from a different lens.
Longboat tour and island hopping
We charted a private longboat tour for 5 hours to take us to 4 popular islands off of Ao Nang: Koh Gai, Koh Mor, Koh Tub and Koh Poda. As part of the tour, the captain provided a delicious pineapple that he carved as a refreshing snack, water bottles, masks and snorkels. Prior to departure, make sure the captain has life vests that fit small bodies. We had to make our captain grab vests that would fit our 2, 4 and 5 year olds in case the boat capsized (unlikely but a real risk).
As a young family, we enjoyed this casual atmosphere of this private boat tour because it was relatively fast to hop between the islands, swim, snorkel and plan for bathroom and food breaks at Koh Poda.
When the tour is complete, the captain will pull up to shallow waters on the beach and drop you off. This means you should be prepared to get at least your feet wet.
Koh Poda
Koh Poda was the first island we visited on our tour, and the waters are crystal clear. The island is a national park that charges an entrance fee of 400 bhat per adult and 200 bhat per child you pay to the boat captain as you pull up to the island – it’s not included in your boat tour price.
Koh Mor and Koh Tub
The two tiny islands of Koh Mor and Koh Tub will be connected by a cool sand bar during low tide, which makes it a really special way to island hop and check out the bar on one.
Koh Gai
Koh Gai is also known as “Chicken Island” because a cliff rock formation on it looks like a chicken head. We planned to snorkel here but actually got rained out. Before the sky turned dark, you could see all the way to the bottom and loads of fish.
Koh Phi Phi
We spent one week in Koh Phi Phi prior to arriving in Krabi, and it was an absolute dream with clear water, secret coves, fire shows in the mountains, cute downtown, and wonderful people. You can easily reach Koh Phi Phi by ferry or by speedboat. My acquaintance, Becca, offers a lot of guidance here on trips, day tours, and top attractions to Koh Phi Phi.
Muay thai gym
Muay thai is Thailand’s national sport and popular among locals and foreigners. If you’re into this sport or boxing, then finding a gym nearby like Bull Muay Thai would be a fun activity. It appears that some gyms even offer children’s after school programs as well.
Tiger Cave and Sitting Buddha
Our resort sat at the foothills of this statue so when we walked around the neighborhood, we could usually spot the sitting Buddha on the mountain. Though we didn’t make the trip to Tiger cave and the hike to the sitting Buddha, we really wanted to. Our youngest is 2 and oldest is 5 at the time of the trip and hiking up 1,200+ stairs just wouldn’t work for our tiny legs unfortunately. If you make the trip, leave a comment down below about how the experience was for you.
You’ll see the Tiger cave, sitting Buddha, Emerald pool and Krabi hot springs.
Massage parlors and spas in Ao Nang
There are a number of massage parlors and spas in Ao Nang that can be found. In Ao Nang, the starting one hour Thai massage price is going to be 300 bhat, though nicer establishments or add-on services will make that price go up. At roughly $10/hour for a Thai massage, this is one activity you can afford to do many times and should. Though this activity is not necessary kid-friendly, it is parent-friendly, and that is really important too!
We’ve never booked ahead for a massage and have not had an issue with not scheduling ahead in any Thai massage parlor.
The Blue Spa and Massage in Ao Nang
I visited The Blue Spa and Massage in Ao Nang and splurged on a luxurious 1.5 hour service: an aromatheraphy relax massage with herbal compression for ~1,125 bhat (~$35 USD). They do offer a number of affordable alternatives, and the spa has over 77 5-star reviews on Google at the time of this post. Included in the service was a customary foot wash prior to the massage, a change of clothes (including little undies), and tea with little cookies after.
As a note, I am a woman and my masseuse massaged me top to bottom, front to back, very thoroughly. All nipples and chests are created equal… but it was a little surprising when she took my towel down on my front half and went to work. It was the best massage though.
Tipping isn’t compulsory in Thailand, but I did tip my masseuse 40 bhat after the service. My husband and kids showed up immediately after my massage and the owner brought out extra cookies for our little ones.
Ao Nang Night market
This night market runs every day of the week, except Sunday, so you don’t have a reason to miss it! You’ll find loads of street vendors selling many types of foods like authentic Thai food, ice cold drinks and western foods like pizza. This is a big hit with families since even the pickiest of eaters can find something to eat.
Address: Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Hours: Monday-Saturday from 4pm to 10pm
Ao Nang Wednesday Evening Market
Pop by the Ao Nang Wednesday Evening Market to experience loads of street vendors offering everything from authentic Thai cuisine to more western food. There is a little bit of something for all ages here, which makes it a great trip for families and picky eaters.
Address: 2RX6+RRV, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Hours: Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm
Fireshow
You’ve got to experience a fireshow when in Thailand! Reeve Beach Club Krabi on the beach of Ao Nang has one every night at 8pm. We recommend showing up early for dinner and to grab a good seat before the fireshow. Our kids (and mom and dad) were so impressed by the fire dancers and the variety within the show!
Luminescent Plankton Swim at Khea Reux Bin
In order to get the full glowing experience from the luminescent plankton at Khea Reux Bin, you’ll need to experience this adventure at night. It isn’t widely spoken about from my internet searches and no tour guide advertised it to us, which is shocking. As I wrote this blog post, I only discovered that there was a luminescent plankton swim available in Ao Nang and I am so sad that we missed it since it is a bucket list item of mine.
I stumbled upon this 7 island hopping tour by long boat that includes a beach BBQ and visiting the luminescent plankton. The tour is about 8 hours long and you get off the boat probably after 9pm, which could be too late for little ones; however, you can customize a tour directly with your boat captain if you’re booking a private tour.
Emerald Pool & Krabi Hot Springs
The mineral hot spring is a popular tourist activity and for good reason. The mineral springs offer many healing benefits and the waters are crystal clear. You’ll frequently see tours to the Emerald pool offered as a full day Jungle tour where you’ll also visit the Tiger cave, sitting Buddha and warm Krabi hot springs.
This jungle tour may be too physically intense for little children, which is why we opted for a longboat tour instead on this trip.
Krabi Fun Park
This high-adventure ropes course and zip line through the jungle looks like a blast! Our kids are still too young to experience this event but I know they cannot wait until they meet the height requirements!
Address: ตำบล ไสไทย อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81000
Authentic Thai Restaurants in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
There are a number of good authentic Thai restaurants in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand. I don’t think it’s possible to find “bad Thai food” in Ao Nang, because every place we’ve eaten at has been delicious. We just stumbled upon them through exploration. The restaurants we list here are a sampling of what the beach town has to offer, and this is our personal experience with them.
บ้านขนมจีนจ๊ะเหลี๊ย Rice noodles
This cozy restaurant was colorful and offered plenty of safe places for our kids to explore while dining in a traditional Thai setting and authentic Thai food. The owner and her family were so kind, and grandma even taught our kids Thai words like elephant, cat, drink, and eggplant. You’ve got to get grandma’s spicy rice and the fried chicken! We walked here almost every day from our hotel at the Ao Nang Bamboo Pool Resort.
Meal cost per person: 50-100 bhat
Address: ตำบล อ่าวนาง เมือง กระบี่ 81180
Phone: 0843192993
Hours: 8am-2:30pm Saturday to Wednesday
Ton-Soi Kitchen • ต้นซอย
This family-owned restaurant offers authentic Thai food and a large menu of options available. There is plenty of seating available outside, and plenty of places for kids to safely play as well. Our kids enjoyed playing with the kids from the nearby homes and the owner’s daughter. I can’t pronounce what I ordered in Thai but it was a fried egg on rice with chicken and veggies with the chrysanthemum herbal sweet tea.
Meal cost per person: 50-100 bhat
Address: 2RVR+8VP ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81180
Hours: 12pm to 9pm most days
REEVE Beach Club Krabi
Reeve is a nice dining establishment situated on the waterfront of Ao Nang. The drink and food selection is varied, from authentic Thai food to European options. Every evening they offer a fireshow on the beach that lasts for about 20 minutes. The staff are incredibly friendly, especially towards children.
Meal cost per person: 600 bhat
Address: 31, ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81180
Phone: 0936317599
THE COFFEE CLUB – Ao Nang
This cafe offers a fantastic selection of fun drinks like the butterfly pea peach tea and avocado espresso as well as a full menu of more western style foods like eggs benedict on croissants. It’s going to be a bit more expensive than dining at a traditional Thai restaurant, but the dining experience is worth experiencing in my opinion, especially if you’re looking for a cool blend of old and new Thai, with a little mix of the west.
The shop is located on the waterfront and offers AC with fast WiFi. I believe its a small franchise as well and can be found on several islands.
Meal cost per person: 350 bhat
Address: 273 Moo 2, ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81000
Website: http://www.thecoffeeclub.co.th/
Which month is best to visit Ao Nang, Krabi?
In post-pandemic Ao Nang, we found the area to not have many tourists in the low to mid-season. Therefore, we were not fighting big crowds, feeling pressure from some shop keepers to buy or tuk tuk drivers calling out “taxi” too much. We felt very relaxed during our entire family trip. We spent 7 nights exploring Ao Nang with our family of five in September 2022.
What’s the weather like in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand in September?
We traveled to Ao Nang in September. The weather was warm (average of 26 degrees celsius) with moderately high humidity, and one to two rain showers a day lasting between 10 minutes to one hour. No thunderstorms. After the rain, the sky was clear again and the sun would shine.
Budget family accommodation in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
We enjoy staying at budget family accommodations with a minimum of wifi (internet), air conditioning and a pool on most of our travels since it makes our travel happier and our budget stretch further. For days that we don’t leave the resort, the pool is a wonderful amenity to have on hand in sunny and warm south Thailand. We stayed at the Ao Nang Bamboo Pool Resort with our family of five for 7 nights at about $24/night.
Read about the Ao Nang Bamboo Pool Resort in this blog.
Conclusion to the ultimate family travel guide to Ao Nang, Thailand
This ultimate family travel guide to Ao Nang, Thailand is our family’s labor of love dedicated to a wonderful town. We experienced its beautiful beaches, islands and limestone cliffs up close, dined at some great restaurants, and met some kind locals.
Have you been to Ao Nang with your family? Tell us what your favorite things to do were in the comments.
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