Krabi by Road: Buses, Songthaews and Vans
The vehicle you will ride most in Krabi is a pickup truck with two benches in the back and a roof over them. Road travel here is mostly about getting between bases and out to the inland forests, and that is where a seat in a van earns its keep on days when the boats stay in port.
From the airport
A shared air-conditioned coach runs from Krabi International Airport (KBV) to Ao Nang in about an hour, and fares are usually quoted at roughly ฿150 a head. Confirm the price and the next departure at the counter before you queue. A taxi goes door to door, which matters with heavy luggage or after a late landing, and you can compare airport transfers on Viator if you want one waiting.
Between Ao Nang and Krabi Town
Ao Nang is the beach hub and Krabi Town, the provincial capital, is 17 km inland on the river. Songthaews, the covered pickups, shuttle between the two through the day, and the fare is roughly ฿60 per person. Have small notes ready for the driver. Arriving overland from elsewhere in the south, you will pull into the Krabi Town bus terminal. Along the Ao Nang strip itself, a tuk-tuk ride is a flat ฿80 to ฿100.
Inland days by van
The most useful road tours head inland to the forests and temples, where rough seas make no difference.
- Khlong Thom pools. Hot Springs Waterfall has terraced natural tubs at 40 to 45°C and charges ฿200 for adults and ฿100 for children. Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot), in Khao Phra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary, costs ฿400 per foreign adult (some sources say ฿200). Both are cash only and open 08:30 to 17:00. Many day tours add the Blue Pool. Compare Emerald Pool and hot spring days on GetYourGuide .
- Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Suea). This working forest monastery lies a short drive from Krabi Town, and its summit stairs number about 1,260. Cover shoulders and knees, and keep food and plastic bags hidden from the macaques near the bottom. The grounds and valley caves are free, with donations welcome.
- Khao Phanom Bencha. The Huai To waterfall trail starts near the visitor centre. The gate at Khao Phanom Bencha National Park takes ฿100 per adult and ฿50 per child, plus ฿30 per vehicle.
Verdict: on a first visit, a shared van day to the Khlong Thom pools is better value than renting a scooter for it. The roads are long, the gate fees are the same either way, and you arrive without having ridden unfamiliar highways in the heat.
Where the road stops
No vehicle reaches Railay. Cliffs cut the peninsula off, so the last stretch is a longtail: ฿100 per person from Ao Nang beach or from Ao Nam Mao pier, more after dark, or a longer ride from the river pier in Krabi Town. A combined bus-and-boat ticket to Railay still finishes with that longtail. The Railay Eco Tour guide to the Ao Nam Mao boat shows the pier crossing.
Scooters instead of seats
A day’s scooter hire runs about ฿150 to ฿250, fuel extra. Thai roads rank among the deadliest anywhere, so ride in a helmet, confirm that both your licence and your insurance cover motorbikes, and hand over a cash deposit rather than a passport. The Foreign Office Thailand safety advice adds that many rental bikes are unregistered.
Read more: Krabi day trips covers the island boats, and the two-day Krabi itinerary pairs a road day with a sea day.
Tip: in the May to October monsoon, leave one inland road day unbooked as a spare, so a cancelled boat morning can turn into a day at the Khlong Thom pools.