🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Krabi Town is the provincial seat, about 25–30 minutes by car from Ao Nang Beach. The town stretches along the Krabi River, with Maharaj Road as the main street that gathers almost all the shops, markets and photo spots. The charm here is that it's still a genuinely local town — it hasn't been made over for tourists the way the Ao Nang strip has. People go about their normal lives, food is still cheap, and everything sits close enough to walk.
The most comfortable times to walk are the morning (around 8:00–10:00) when the morning market is busy and the sun isn't harsh yet, or late afternoon after 4pm when it cools down and the walking street starts setting up. If you land on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you get Maharaj Walking Street at night as a bonus.
Black Crab Plaza — the town's number-one photo spot
Black Crab Plaza (Lan Poo Dam / Black Crab Monument) is a wide riverside plaza on the Krabi River that's become the first thing people picture when they think of the town. The highlight is the large, jet-black black crab monument raising its claw in the middle of the plaza (the black crab is one of Krabi's signature catches). Next to it stands a sea eagle statue, and most importantly, from here you get the clearest view in town of the two Khao Khanab Nam peaks flanking the river — the scene that's become the provincial symbol. It's free, no entry fee, and you can walk and take photos any time of day.
Photo tip
Come to the Black Crab Plaza in the late afternoon, around 4:30–6:00pm, when the light is soft and it's not hot. You can shoot the black crab backlit with Khao Khanab Nam behind it. At midday the sun is brutal and it gets very hot, since it's an open plaza with no shade.
Want more out of Krabi? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
The Ancient Human junction — a landmark in the centre
As you drive into town you'll hit the Ancient Human junction, where prehistoric human figures holding clubs stand atop the traffic lights on all four corners. It's the landmark everyone uses to orient themselves in town. The backstory: Krabi has uncovered evidence of prehistoric humans in the area, so these figures were made as the town's signature. You can photograph it, but it sits in the middle of a junction with traffic, so be careful crossing the road — shooting from the pavement is safer.
Wat Kaew Korawaram — the white temple in the centre
Wat Kaew Korawaram is a royal temple and the town temple of Krabi, sitting in the middle of town on Maharaj Road, diagonally across from the Ancient Human junction. The highlight is the clean white ordination hall set on a low rise — you climb a short flight of stairs to reach it. The architecture mixes Thai with a contemporary look, and the white building against the sky photographs well. From the upper terrace you get a broad view over Krabi Town. It's a temple where locals genuinely come to make merit, not a staged tourist set-piece. Dress modestly; open every day, free entry.
Maharaj Walking Street (Maharaj Soi 8) — Fri–Sun evening market
Krabi Walking Street, commonly called Maharaj Walking Street, is set up on Maharaj Road Soi 8 and opens only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, from around 5:00pm to 10:00–11:00pm. It's the biggest and liveliest walking street in town, with over 70 stalls covering street food, snacks, clothes, souvenirs and crafts, plus a stage with live music and Thai dance in the middle. The vibe is still genuinely Thai — locals come out just as much as tourists. Most food starts at just 10–40 THB, and you can buy from several stalls and sit at the seating area in the middle of the market.
- Days & hours: Friday–Saturday–Sunday, around 5:00–10:00pm (on other days this becomes a normal road again)
- Popular eats: grilled seafood, prawns, squid, mud creepers, pork skewers, fried chicken, pad Thai, and local sweets like khanom kho
- What's for sale: clothes, souvenirs, crafts, household goods · free entry
- Seating area: there are tables in the middle of the market so you can buy from several stalls and eat together
Straight talk
If you're in Krabi on a weekday (Mon–Thu), there's no Maharaj Walking Street. Don't be disappointed — head to the Chao Fah Pier night market instead, which is open every day, or save the walking street as a reason to line your dates up with the weekend.
Markets and food in town — where to eat
Beyond the walking street that only runs on weekends, Krabi Town has regular food markets worth a stop. We've picked the ones that are genuinely open and well talked about, ranked by how worth a visit they are if your time is limited.
Maharaj Walking Street (Krabi Walking Street)
The biggest and most fun evening market in town — street food, grilled seafood, local sweets, souvenirs, plus a live-music stage. Food starts in the low double digits. One visit covers both eating and shopping.
Chao Fah Pier night market
A night market along Kongka Road near Chao Fah Pier, open every day. It leans into made-to-order dishes and serious local food, with locals as the main crowd and easy prices. Great for weeknights when the walking street isn't on.
Maharaj fresh market (morning market)
The town's fresh market on Maharaj Road, open early, selling vegetables, fruit, spices, flowers and southern-style breakfast foods. Good for taking in local Krabi life in the morning and grabbing fruit and breakfast sweets to start the day.
Crab market (across from Black Crab Plaza)
A small local market across from the Black Crab Plaza selling food and local goods. It's a natural follow-on right after your Crab Plaza photos — handy for a snack while you shoot the Khao Khanab Nam view.
The Krabi riverside & Chao Fah Pier — a breezy stroll
The riverside walkway along the Krabi River in town runs from the Black Crab Plaza toward Chao Fah Pier — a spot where locals come for an evening stroll in the breeze, with longtail boats lined up and Khao Khanab Nam in the background. Chao Fah Pier itself is where you board boats to Koh Poda and some of the 4 Islands tours. The evening atmosphere is easy, and it's a good place to walk and shoot the sunset.
Tip
If you want to get even closer to Khao Khanab Nam, Chao Fah Pier has longtail boats that ferry you across to the Khao Khanab Nam side (there are caves and walking trails). The fare is negotiable, around a few hundred THB per boat — worth it if you have a spare half-day.
Doing Krabi Town in full — a timed plan
Morning market + temple + landmark
Crab Plaza + riverside + walking street
Getting there & good to know
- From Ao Nang about 25–30 minutes by car · from Krabi Airport about 20–30 minutes
- Getting around town the town is small and the main spots are within walking distance — the Crab Plaza, temple and walking street are all an easy stroll apart
- Local transport there are cheap red songthaews running around town, or you can call a Grab/taxi
- Line your dates up with the weekend if you want Maharaj Walking Street, it has to be a Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening
- Bring an umbrella/hat the Crab Plaza and the junction are open and sunny in the middle of the day — it's more comfortable to walk in the cooler hours
Plan a full Krabi trip covering the town, the sea and the food
See the Krabi travel guide →