Krabi is a large province and the hotel and resort complexes are well spread out, unlike most of the tourist areas in Thailand. There is a wide range of accommodation to suite the penny-pinching backpacker or the couple seeking luxury and extravagance. 
Krabi has its own international airport, which has good services to Bangkok and Singapore. Many travelers arrive here from Phuket and it is a pleasant drive from that island. As you get closer to the province of Krabi more and more of those giant tree-covered limestone cliffs, called karsts, push out of the ground like giant fingers pointing to the sky.
If you are headed to the beaches, you need to make a right turn before Highway 4 takes you into Krabi Town.  The beaches on the Krabi mainland are not the best that Thailand has to offer. And the water of Nga Phang bay along the coastal regions is not as crystal clear as much of the promotion material will tell you. The best of the beaches and the crystal clear water is found in the numerous islands that are easy to reach from the Krabi shoreline. There are spectacular diving sites where the simple snorkel mask will reveal the underwater wonders of coral and multi colored tropical fish. For those who dive deeper with the aid of SCUBA the wonders are even more magnificent. Krabi Town is a bustling place and fishing port and a major transit point for those visiting the islands and beaches that cannot be reached by road. Its crowning glory is Thara Park, an idyllic oasis at the southern tip of the peninsula where all the things you want in a park are here for all to enjoy. Its gardens are ideal for strolling through, there are places to sit and watch the world and boats go by, sturdy playgrounds for the young and several inexpensive bars and cafes where parents can watch the young ones play. 

The first beach west of Krabi is known as Shell Fossil Beach with an amazing number of huge blocks which are compressed shell fossils said to be 75 million years old although they could pass as odd shaped chunks of concrete. If you want to avoid the drive to the shell cemetery, the blocks are visible from the longtail boats that ply between Krabi Town and the spectacular Phra Nang peninsular.

The peninsular is home to three beaches Railay West, Railay East also known as Nam Mao and Phra Nang, also known as the Phra Nang Cave beach. The cave, Tham Phra Nang Nok, is named for to a fertility goddess and contains large phallic symbols. Local fishermen leave offerings here in the hope of improved prosperity and potency.

The peninsular is cut off from the mainland by the jungle valleys and the limestone cliffs. Three of the beaches, the two Railays and Phra Nang are connected by narrow pathways that wind around the base of the cliffs. The two best beaches are Phra Nang and West Railay. East Railay fails as a swimming site because of the dense mangrove growth and a tide that goes out, and out.

   Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort
This is a stunning new expensive resort on Khlong Moung Bay with 246 rooms including 30 club floor rooms and six executive suites. First impressions are of spaciousness the moment you enter the lobby. Cheapest low season rate is $220 plus service taxes rising to $588 a night for an executive suite in high season. The hotel has the best swimming beach in the area and is a just a 30-minute drive from Krabi airport.  The rooms are tastefully furnished and the amenities include a flat screen, television, in-room, IDD telephone with voicemail and an extension in the bathroom, separate bathtub and shower, DVD player, high-speed Internet access for a fee, tea and coffee making facilities and a hairdryer.
Room service is available around the clock and the resort offers a shuttle service into Krabi Town. Car rentals are available and there is a limousine service. The 24-hour front desk can arrange for babysitters and has information on the area events and attractions.
There are large lavish grounds and a swimming pool, spa, fitness center and tennis courts. There is a good selection of eating and drinking spots within the resort but cheaper and very acceptable local restaurants are close by the entrance gates.
Contact details: 155 Moo 2, Nongthale. Tel: + 66 07562 8000, fax + 66 07562 8028. www.sheraton.com/krabi. 

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               The Nakamanda Resort and Spa

This is a friendly, small boutique resort with only 39 rooms and suites where a lot is included in the room price. Top price in high season for a very special villa with its own pool is 45,000 Baht and a luxury room costs 9,000 Baht. The price includes transfers from Krabi airport, a daily English high tea served in the drawing room, breakfast either in the restaurant or in your villa, a daily newspaper, butler served tea or coffee in your villa and a choice of foot massage or body scrub at the resort’s spa.
There is a great team of employees. They are mostly younger but wheat they lack in experience they make up for in enthusiasm and friendliness. The spectacular pool makes up for the limited beach, which does offer a walkway to an island at low water.
All the rooms and villas are air conditioned and come with a huge plunge bathtub and separate shower. Other amenities include cable television, IDD telephone, minibar, in-room, hairdryer and his and hers toiletries.
Contact details: Khlong Moung Beach, Nongthale. Tel:  +66 075628 200 , fax + 66 075644 390. www.nakamanda.com.

                 Rayavadee Premier Resort
With the cheapest pavilions at $500 a night, this is the most expensive places to stay in Krabi. The resort is on the Phra Nang headland and accessible only by boat. It is a 15-minute ride from Krabi Town. The 100 fully equipped pavilions are nestled in a coconut grove surrounded by limestone hills and three beaches.
This is truly a great place to relax and be pampered by a wide choice of dining, superb service and facilities that are second to none.
The pavilions are located in areas named after the nearest beach. Phra Nang village: Located near one of Krabi’s best beaches, the pavilions are more isolated with lots of trees and set between two cliffs. Railay village: Pavilions here are closer to each other and near the resort’s excellent swimming pool. Nam Mao village: This is at the center of the resort an ideal for those who want to be in the center of things and do not enjoy a lot of walking.
The Rayavadee Spa is rated as one of Thailand’s most relaxing spa sanctuaries offering massages, scrubs, wraps, facials and baths. The resort’s activities center has a full range of excursions to Krabi’s most interesting sites as well as half and full-day trips aboard its luxury speedboats and its Siamese junk to the area’s outlying islands.
Sea canoes, snorkeling and wind surfing equipment, and a Hobie Cat are available at no charge to resort guests. There is a fitness center, tennis and squash courts. Other activities include Thai cooking classes, batik printing, flower garland making and learning the art of traditional Thai fruit carving. There resort has two meeting rooms for business or social functions. Like everything else here they are equipped with only the best in technological services and devices to insure,
Many former clients say that once you have stayed here, it is difficult to be happy anywhere else.  Contact details: 214 Moo 2, Ao Nang. Tel: +66 07562 0740-3, fax + 66 07562 0630. www.rayavadee.com

  The Best Western Ao Nang Bay
           Resort and Spa

This low rise, low cost resort, is nestled in dense tropical gardens in a hillside overlooking Noppharat Thara Beach and 200 meters from the sea. Prices for one of the 50 rooms start at 1,200 Baht. Facilities include a large swimming pool with Jacuzzi, a children’s pool and a health club with an exercise room and steam and sauna rooms.
This is an economical place well suited for families. There is no charge for a child under 12 sharing a room a room with his parents or guardians. And there are adjoining rooms. This is one of the few places that will allow pets – but it must be a small one. The friendly 24-hour front office crew can arrange for baby sitters and arrange tours suited to younger travelers.
The rooms are well equipped for an inexpensive resort and include tea and coffee making facilities, an in-room safe, refrigerator, minibar, satellite television and a trouser press.
Contact details: 31/3 Moo 2, Ao Nang Beach, Krabi, 81000, Thailand. Tel: fax +66 0759 5050.

                                                                              
                 Pavilion Queen’s Bay

This luxury 108-room resort is set high on a hill overlooking Ao Nang Beach. The resort with all the facilities you could want also enjoys great views of the surrounding jungle. Rooms are extra large and prices including taxes and service range from 8,000 Baht for a standard room (66 square meters) to 14,000 Baht for the suites (98 square meters). You will find prices considerably on their website. If you can pick a time when the room count is low you can spend less than half the regular rates.
There are numerous places to eat at the resort all with reasonable prices for set meals. The most spectacular is the Montientong Restaurant which is on the top floor, has great views, and a choice of international and Thai cuisine. 
The hotel’s full-service Montra Spa has a full range of treatments. One of them, titled a romantic afternoon, pictured here, includes a massage for two which ends with a petal-filled candle-lit Jacuzzi bath.
The hotel is 17 kilometers away from Krabi town. The 24-hour front desk can arrange car rentals and tours. Other amenities here include a swimming pool, meeting and banquet rooms, a business center with Internet access, a fitness center and an on-site laundry.   

Contact details: 56/3 Moo3, Tambol Ao Nang, Amphur Muang, Krabi 81000 Thailand. Tel: , fax . Email: rsvnkrabi@pavilionhotels.com. Website:  www.pavilionhotels.com 
 

                                                           Krabi La Playa Resort
Oddly named since La Playa is Spanish for beach and this luxury resort is 150 meters away from Noppharat Thara and Ao Nang beaches. However the unusual, spectacular swimming pool with individual whirlpools and poolside salas, and the two acres of tropical gardens make up for that. The resort has 79 rooms split between three wings - a four-story building and two five-story building. There are elevators for all buildings. Rates for the rooms start at 4,700 Baht but the hotel’s website has good value last minute packages, which brings that figure down substantially. Another Spanish touch: Tapas are served at the swim-up to pool bar from 10am until 10pm.
Contact details: 143 Moo 3, Ao Nang. Amphur Muang, Krabi 81000 Thailand. Tel: +66 07563 7015, fax + 66 07569 5497. www.krabilaplaya.com.