Aonang Cliff Beach Resort — A Cliff-Top Infinity Pool in Central Ao Nang at a Price You Can Reach
If your mental image of an Ao Nang holiday is sipping a drink in an infinity pool whose edge seems to spill into the Andaman Sea and limestone cliffs — Aonang Cliff Beach Resort delivers exactly that, at a starting rate that's lower than you'd expect. This cliffside resort opened back in 2008 and was later renovated and rebranded as Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort. It sits in the heart of Ao Nang, within walking distance of the beach and the walking street. What guests love most is the rooftop pool and the location — but you'll want to choose your room carefully, since some face the road and can be noisy. From approx. ฿2,000/night.
Aonang Cliff Beach Resort is a cliffside property set on a rise in the heart of Ao Nang. It first opened in 2008, then went through a renovation and moved under the Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort brand in 2020 — so if you search the old name and land on the Avani listing, it's the same place. The resort has 178 rooms ranging from Superior up to sea-view rooms and a pool villa. The selling point every review agrees on is its central Ao Nang location — you can walk down to the beach, the walking street, restaurants, massage shops and the pier in minutes, while the resort itself sits high enough to catch wide views.
What guests remember most is the rooftop infinity pool, whose edge opens onto the full sweep of the Andaman Sea and Ao Nang's limestone cliffs. Reviews repeatedly say "the view from the pool is the best thing here," especially at sunset. Besides the rooftop pool there's a second pool lower down, two in total, and The Peak rooftop bar up top for a sundowner in the evening breeze. Add to that the Avani Spa, a 24-hour fitness center, and occasional yoga and Muay Thai classes.
"Went up to the rooftop pool in the evening and saw the whole bay — sea and limestone cliffs, cool breeze — that alone was worth half the room rate. But the road-facing room really was loud, so we asked to move the next day."
The rooms after renovation are clean and modern, with a balcony, a sitting area and a rain shower. Sea View rooms earn praise for the outlook and the light. But this is where you have to choose carefully — some rooms face the road at the front (the side with the McDonald's and shops), and many reviews note noise and thin soundproofing, with sound carrying from the corridor and neighboring rooms. The safe move is to request a higher-floor room on the sea-view or cliff-view side and avoid the lower road-facing rooms.
Breakfast is a buffet with a freshly made egg station and noodle station; many reviews call it varied and filling, though some say the taste is ordinary on certain days. Staff earn praise for being friendly and helpful. Another thing to note from reviews is that the resort layout is fairly complex — the buildings climb the cliff, so getting from the lobby to your room or the pool can mean several lifts and corridors. Anyone with mobility needs or small children should factor that in, and a few reviews ran into weak or noisy air-con, which staff can fix if you flag it.
With 8.5 from 173 reviews on Trip.com, a location score of around 9.4 on Booking.com from over 690 reviews, and roughly 8.4 on TripAdvisor, the numbers paint a clear picture: this is a resort where location and views are the stars, while the small details of noise and upkeep are things you manage by choosing the right room. What makes it genuinely good value is the approachable starting rate — a Superior room outside high season can start around ฿2,000/night, which is a strong price for an infinity pool over the Andaman.
In short, Aonang Cliff Beach Resort suits travelers who want a central Ao Nang base and a great pool view without paying luxury-resort prices. It's not directly on the sand (it's about a 5-minute walk down) and it isn't a self-contained retreat, but if you want to be near the buzz of Ao Nang, walk everywhere, and bring home some beautiful infinity-pool photos, it delivers that on a sensible budget — you just need to invest a little effort picking the right side of the building.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Central Ao Nang location, walkable to the beach, walking street and restaurants
- ✓ Stunning rooftop infinity pool over the Andaman Sea
- ✓ Friendly and helpful staff
- ✓ Varied breakfast buffet with egg and noodle stations
- ! Road-facing rooms are noisy, with thin soundproofing
- ! Complex resort layout; reaching rooms and pools means several lifts and corridors
- ! Some rooms have weak or noisy air-con
- ✓ The pool and rooftop-bar views are hard to match elsewhere in the area
- ✓ Renovated rooms are modern, clean and have balconies
- ✓ Strong starting price for the views and location you get
- ✓ Close to everything, easy for island trips and the beach
- ! Road-view rooms are noisier and darker than the sea-view ones
- ! Breakfast quality is ordinary on some days
- ! Not directly on the beach — about a 5-minute walk down
- 💡If you're a light sleeper — the front road-facing rooms are noisy and the soundproofing is thin → request a higher-floor sea-view or cliff-view room and note 'no road/lift-adjacent room' when booking.
- 💡If you want to step straight onto the sand — this sits up on the cliff in town, not on the beach, so it's about a 5-minute walk down → if you need true beachfront, look at Krabi Resort or a Tubkaak-Klong Muang beach resort instead.
- 💡If you have mobility needs or are traveling with small children or older relatives — the layout climbs the cliff, so reaching rooms and pools means several lifts and corridors → ask for a room near the lift or lobby at the time of booking.