Krabi or Phi Phi Island?

Old Apr 19th, 2012, 09:58 AM
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Krabi or Phi Phi Island?

Hi all!

We´re planning a trip to Thailand in December for our Honeymoon and will have about 5 nights to relax on a beach.
We are almost certain about going to the southewst (Phi Phi) instead of the southeast (Samui), and also, after reading a lot of posts saying bad thigs about Phuket (too touristic), we decided not to go there.

So the question is: Where is it better to get a hotel, in Phi Phi Island or in Krabi (or somehwere else around there)?

We actually would like a good and comfortable hotel in a quiet, but not completely isolated place. I mean, we´d like to stay in some quiet place, but having the opportunity to go out for dinner and not having to dine everyday in our hotel because there is nowhere around.

I really appreciate any tip you guys might have
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Old Apr 19th, 2012, 06:21 PM
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Having stayed in both places Id highly suggest Krabi. You arent just on an island this way and can explore. From Krabi you can still visit all the beautiful islands via boat and then you can do other things if the weather decides to turn such as a cooking school, a visit to the Emerald pool which is amazing or to the hot baths. Of course it all depends what your extra activites are that you are wanting to do. Will be amazing!
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Old Apr 19th, 2012, 11:58 PM
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I would second the recommendation of Krabi (or to be pedantic, Ao Nang, since Phi Phi is technically also in Krabi). As the previous poster says, you'll have more options on the mainland than if you stay on Phi Phi, and IMO, while Phi Phi has a beauty to it, I thought it lacked much charm, unless you went for one of the isolated resorts.

You can still get quiet but accessible around Ao Nang if you opt for either Railay (which is practically an island anyway) or the away-from-center beaches such as Klong Muang or Nopparat.
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Old Apr 20th, 2012, 04:24 AM
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Thanks, guys!
So, when staying in Krabi, you would recommend Ao Nang?
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Old Apr 20th, 2012, 05:39 AM
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We stayed at Aonang Beach and thought the islands around it were beautiful Was not particularly impressed with Aonang itself,--the beach there or the town. The town is a typical beach resort with a bunch of tourist shops and restaurants & the beach is nothing special. But as said above u can go to the nearby islands which are beautiful. have a wonderful Honeymoon!
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Old Apr 21st, 2012, 11:51 PM
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We also stayed at AoNang. The area is good if you dont wish to do much but lie by the pool and stroll down the street for some good food or a few drinks. Its also the best spot to base yourself to visit all the tourist places. Its really what you make of it. I liked AoNang Beach. Slightly touristy but very relaxed compared to the chaos of Patong in Phuket! Make sure you look into doing the Emerald Pool, amazing crystal clear pool in the middle of the jungle. Impressive! We use a good website all around the world called viator.com and booking.com for hotels and tours. Very trustworthy!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 05:04 AM
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Thanks so much for your tips!
Just a quick last question for you: Have you been or stayed in Koh Lanta? Is it the same thing as Phi Phi, meaning we better stay in the mainland and maybe visit there as a day trip? Or being a bigger island it may worth staying there and aldo visit Phi Phi and some other islands via speed boat?
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Old May 6th, 2012, 07:11 PM
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If I stay in Phi Phi, are there tours to other islands, such as monkey island and Ko Hong the tours only leave Phuket or krabi?
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Old May 12th, 2012, 12:15 AM
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If you want to stay in a beautiful resort or hotel right on a nice beach but also be able to head out to restaurants in the evening, have a look at Khao Lak.
Some top places ideal for honeymoon and the beaches are excellent. Also the Khao Sok National Park has stunning scenery and well worth visiting.
Offshore from Khao Lak great islands to visit
You do not have the scenery of Krabi and Phang Nga but if that appeals in particular you can visit for 1 or 2 nights quite easily.
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Old May 14th, 2012, 07:29 PM
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Thanks for the tip, James!
However, we have already bought out tickets to Krabi, so we really need to decide between staying in one of Krabi's beaches or staying in Phi Phi.
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Old May 15th, 2012, 12:29 PM
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Have you thought of Railay Beach?
We stayed there - it's a good mix of close to Krabi but more hip, secluded but still nice places to eat and drink. Don't have to be stuck in a resort all the time. Can take tours from there to all the islands. Great beach and some of the accommodation is fantastic. We rented a small villa right on the beach. Check out http://www.railay.com/railay/intro/intro.shtml
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Old May 22nd, 2012, 12:30 PM
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Phi Phi for sure, I think it is more beautiful overall and there are more options to get out on boats, tours and excursions. It is at the heart of everything.
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Old May 22nd, 2012, 07:34 PM
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Thaís guys!
Keep posting your opinions, cause we haven't decided where to go yet!

We were more inclined to choose Phi Phi, but the 5 star resorts are way more expensive than the similar ones in Krabi....
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Old May 22nd, 2012, 09:24 PM
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Friends of mine just had a lovely stay at Tubkaak Resort. I don't know how much they paid, but they were very happy with their choice of this resort. I believe it is north of Ao Nang beach area, on a more private stretch of beach.

I would second looking at Railay.

Krabi scenery is stunning. You've made a great choice.
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Old May 23rd, 2012, 06:45 AM
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for me the sheraton krabi would make a wonderful 5 day stop
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Old May 29th, 2012, 11:02 PM
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Hello - we have just returned from Aonang where we spent a week. Personally we didn't like it very much. We aren't really "beach people" to start with but had gone looking forward to not only a bit of relaxation but to combine that with some "town life" - good shopping and some gentle after dinner entertainment (pub/bar, live music, some karaoke maybe) and thought Aonang might offer the best of both worlds without the frenzy of, say, Phuket. The town itself is a little like a shanty town, just one street with most of the shops selling beach wear or tacky souveniers and a plethora of tailor shops, a few ok restaurants/bars and not much atmosphere. Having said that, the local people are friendly and helpful though and we felt very safe. Now I must say that we were there in the off-season and there weren't many people around and not much nightlife which would have contributed to the "not much atmosphere" feeling(early to bed older Europeans and families it seems) so we ended up spending most of our nights just eating dinner and going back to our hotel. Well it was either that or sit in a bar by ourselves which isn't much fun or quite what we're used to! And it was cheaper to buy beer at 7/11 and enjoy the view from our pool villa than sit on our own in a pub like a couple of bar flies!

So - If you are planning to spend most of your time on the beach and not doing much else I'd suggest going to Phi Phi or one of the other beaches/islands as I don't believe that the town beach in Aonang will be quite what you are expecting. The view from the beach is beautiful but the beach itself is not fabulous. However, if you want to get about and see stuff, Aonang is a good place to base yourself as you can do day trips to just about anywhere in the area from here. Would recommend the Emerald Lake, hot springs and the Tiger Cave Temple as a day trip (expect an exhausting 2000-odd step climb to the temple or opt for an easier but still amazing trip to the Tiger Cave). You can also take the long boat trips to some of the other beaches in the area (eg Railay, Phi Phi etc). We stayed at the Aonang Orchid Resort and it was very good. The price when booked well in advance was excellent (note: only book this if you can get a pool villa though - and in particular do not book a Grand Superior in the new section of the hotel). The staff are friendly and the place is spotlessly clean. The pool villas have a lovely outlook over the pool and the frangipani trees in the garden and from your villa deck you step straight down into the (very nice) pool. The pool also has a middle "island" for those who want to get a tan. It's located on the main street in the town centre and about 5 minutes walk down to the beach. Honestly, had it not been for the room in the hotel and the pool I really think we would have moved on from Aonang well before our week was up.

So I guess it all boils down to what you want to do most. 1. Lie on a beach - go to Phi Phi or one of the other islands. 2. Travel about a bit - stay in Aonang where at least you'll have the option of some different restaurants and bars to try (and December should be far busier), excellent access to all the tours, and some shopping - but don't expect too much.
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Old May 30th, 2012, 05:57 AM
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i personally didn't think much of ao nang either, but that is only one area of krabi.

we have been to the sheraton twice and will return again this fall. that area is removed, quiet and just right for a laid back experience. a private boat rental for a day to the outer islands is lots of fun too
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