Getting Around
Krabi

If you're spending several days in Krabi and planning to hit multiple spots, renting a car is usually the most worthwhile and comfortable option, especially in a group or with family, since many attractions sit outside town and away from public transport lines — places like the Emerald Pool, the hot springs, Tiger Cave Temple, or beaches beyond Ao Nang. Having your own car means you can go whenever you want without waiting for a ride or haggling with a taxi. Prices start around 700 baht a day for a small car and rise with vehicle size and during high season. Both major rental chains and local operators are available at the airport and in town, and many let you pick up and drop off at the airport so you can start your trip the moment you land.

Something to prepare for: Krabi's roads use Thai-style left-hand driving, with motorbikes weaving through traffic both in town and on secondary roads. By law you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your regular license, and it's worth taking out full coverage insurance since damage costs can run high if there's a collision. Before taking the car, photograph and film all the way around it as proof of its condition, and check the tires and brakes carefully. One key limitation: cars can't get into Railay since there's no road, so you'll need to park in Ao Nang and continue by longtail boat. Parking near the beach in Ao Nang in the evening can also be tight, so check with your hotel about parking beforehand.

Renting a motorbike is the cheapest and most nimble way to get around Krabi day to day. A standard scooter rents for around 200–250 baht a day, and renting by the week or month brings the daily rate down further. Parking is easy, you can weave past Ao Nang traffic with no trouble, and it's a convenient way to reach nearby spots like Nopparat Thara Beach, the shell cemetery, or restaurants outside your accommodation area. Rental shops are scattered through both Ao Nang and Krabi Town, making this a good fit for solo travelers or couples who want to save money and already know how to ride.

But to be blunt about it: tourist motorbike accidents in Thailand happen, and they happen often, especially to riders unused to driving on the left, on provincial roads where traffic moves fast, and on wet roads during the rainy season. By law you need a motorcycle license alongside an International Driving Permit (IDP) specifying the motorcycle category — checkpoints do catch people out and fines apply. More importantly, if an accident happens while you're riding illegally or without the proper license, insurance typically won't pay out, leaving you to cover the damage yourself. Wear a helmet every time (it's the law), choose a shop that takes a cash deposit rather than holding your passport as collateral, and photograph any existing scratches before you take the bike. If you're not genuinely confident in your riding, a rental car or Grab is far safer.

Krabi doesn't have a citywide songthaew network like Phuket's red trucks, but there is a main line connecting Ao Nang with Krabi Town, and it's the cheapest way to travel between the two areas. The fare runs around 50 baht per person. In Ao Nang, songthaews line up in front of the beachfront restaurants (the well-known pickup spot is near Tanta Pizza, the same spot where boats leave for Railay) — just flag one down as it passes, tell the driver your destination before boarding, and pay in cash when you get off. It's a good fit for budget travelers heading into town for the market, malls, or the bus terminal, and gives you a slice of local atmosphere that a taxi or app ride can't.

The catch to know is that Krabi's songthaew only covers the main route and runs limited hours. It doesn't go to every beach or out-of-town attraction — for the Emerald Pool, hot springs, or Tiger Cave Temple, you'll need to switch to another vehicle or use your own transport. Most songthaews run from daytime into the early evening; after dark, service drops off sharply or stops entirely, making a late return difficult. Another thing to know: if you want to charter the whole vehicle for a direct trip without waiting for other passengers, the price rises considerably and needs to be negotiated beforehand — always confirm clearly whether the quoted price is per person or for the whole vehicle. In short, the songthaew is great value if you're just moving between Ao Nang and town during the day, but it's not the right choice for nighttime trips or destinations off the main line.

Krabi has both taxis and ride-hailing apps like Grab and Bolt, but both come with limitations compared to big cities. Most taxis don't run the meter and charge fairly high flat rates — you'll find them at tourist spots, night markets, and around town, or your hotel can call one for you. A popular route like the Krabi bus terminal to Ao Nang runs around 250–350 baht. Grab and Bolt do work, but drivers are still few, particularly in Krabi Town where cars are harder to find than in Ao Nang — sometimes you'll request a ride and wait a long time, or a driver cancels and you have to try again, and it's even harder to find one in the early morning or late at night. The upside of the apps is that you see the price before you book, so there's no haggling, and it's usually cheaper than a taxi.

Approximate app fares run around 100–200 baht for short trips within Ao Nang or town, rising to 300–600 baht or more for longer distances such as an airport run or out-of-town attractions. At the airport, some app drivers ask passengers to walk to the parking area to avoid friction with the local taxi group. So if you need to travel at a critical time — heading out for an early-morning tour or catching a flight — don't rely on Grab alone. It's worth booking transport in advance through your hotel or using a transfer service as backup, since if you request a ride and no driver accepts, you could lose time and miss your booking.

Railay is a peninsula ringed by tall limestone cliffs with no road cutting through, which makes the longtail boat the only way to reach Railay, Phra Nang Cave, and Ton Sai Beach. Boats leave from Ao Nang beach at the same spot where the songthaew picks up, with a boat cooperative managing the queue and pricing. The standard fare is around 100 baht per person one-way on the Ao Nang–Railay route, rising to around 150 baht after 18:00. Boats run shared, so you'll wait until around 8 passengers are aboard before departing; the crossing itself takes about 10–15 minutes. If you don't want to wait, or you're traveling in a larger group, you can charter the whole boat for around 800 baht (equivalent to 8 seats).

One thing worth knowing before you board: most of the time you'll be wading into the water to board and disembark from the beach rather than a proper pier, so you'll usually need to take off your shoes and wade in up to your shins. Pack anything that shouldn't get wet in a dry bag or hold it above the waterline. In rough seas or during monsoon season, the boat can rock and you may get soaked. Main service hours run roughly 8am to 6pm; after dark, boats become scarcer and pricier. If you plan a late return from Railay, budget extra time and money for it, and on some days the seas get rough enough that boats stop running temporarily, so check conditions with the pier staff before planning a same-day round trip.