Daydreaming of Krabi: An Affordable Paradise in Southern Thailand

Krabi Thailand
Krabi’s stunning coastline blends breathtaking scenery with a relaxed vibe.|©iStock/SHansche

At the end of last year, I met an American named Mike Esposito during my morning walk down Jomtien Beach on Thailand’s eastern seaboard. He’s a sixty-something expat from San Francisco who had just returned from what he called a “recon mission” to Krabi Province in southern Thailand—and he couldn’t stop talking about it.

Mike had been looking for a new place to settle down for a while and had heard Krabi was the perfect blend of beach, nature, and just enough tourism. He said, “It’s gorgeous like Phuket, but laid-back like Koh Phangan.”

He raved about the beaches, the food, and the “completely different vibe” he experienced in Krabi. As he rambled on, I could only nod and offer a knowing smile. His wonder and enthusiasm had me reliving my own first experiences in southern Thailand all over again.

Discovering Krabi for the First Time

A scenic view of Ao Nang Bay in Krabi, where lush greenery meets the sea.
A scenic view of Ao Nang Bay in Krabi, where lush greenery meets the sea.|©Barton Walters

My first trip to Krabi was filled with a whole series of first-time experiences. For starters, I had never been to “real” southern Thailand. My friend, who owned a business brokerage in Bangkok, asked me to drive over from Phuket—where I lived—to evaluate a resort he had recently listed for sale… something else I’d never done.

It was the heart of the low season (July), so when I arrived, all the staff at the resort near Ao Nang Beach—just west of Krabi Town—were thrilled to see a customer. The manager was a perky Thai woman named Rose, who, inexplicably, spoke English with a British accent. She had an itinerary planned for me to discover all that Krabi had to offer during my three-day stay.

Rambutan Farm
Fresh rambutan straight from the orchard—a sweet first taste of Krabi.
Fresh rambutan straight from the orchard—a sweet first taste of Krabi.|©Barton Walters

Early the next morning, I hopped on the back of Rose’s motorbike, and we cruised inland to a rambutan farm. I had seen but never eaten this freaky-looking fruit. Rambutan is about the size of a golf ball, covered with leathery bright red skin and day-glo green hairs protruding from all over. When I first saw them at the market, I thought they were some kind of sea creature.

The orchard was full of mature rambutan trees, their canopy of oval-shaped leaves spreading out like a green umbrella. It was cool and dark beneath the foliage, and I watched workers picking and washing big plastic containers full of neon-colored fruit.

Rose showed me how to peel one, revealing a white, fleshy interior similar in texture to a grape, with a sweet and mildly acidic taste. Music played in the background, children chased chickens around, and about a dozen women happily worked away. I had never seen people working on a farm with such big smiles.

Exploring Krabi’s Stunning Islands
Railay Beach: Turquoise waters, towering cliffs, and serene beauty.
Railay Beach: Turquoise waters, towering cliffs, and serene beauty.|©iStock/tawatchaiprakobkit

Later that day, two young Muslim men picked me up in a longtail boat and took me on a tour of several islands. Nasree and Nordeen are brothers who grew up in Krabi Province fishing for squid with their father. “We used to go out every night in his boat,” Nordeen said. “The waters around here are rich with pla muek.” (Pla muek is Thai for squid.)

They took me to Koh Tup, Koh Gai, and Koh Poda—picture-postcard islands featuring white sand that squeaks under your feet, surrounded by water in an impossible shade of aquamarine. Limestone karsts rise out of the Andaman Sea like majestic sea dragons, allowing me to snorkel in their shadows, accompanied by schools of flashing yellow and black tiger fish.

The highlight of the excursion was our visit to spectacular Railay Beach and the Phra Nang Cave Shrine. It’s a small, natural, cave-like structure beneath a massive stalactite, filled with every kind of talisman imaginable—including a huge collection of phallic sculptures called lingam in Thai. I saw Buddhas, Ganeshas, Shivas, and Islamic scriptures written on the walls. Burnt incense and offerings were everywhere.

I told Nasree I was confused by all the different symbols. “What kind of temple is this?” I asked.

“We bring offerings here to the spirit of Phra Nang,” he said. “She’s a mystical sea princess who can protect you from harm and fill your boat with fish. We fishermen don’t always agree on religion, but we all agree that more fish is better.”

A Different Part of Thailand
Hat Yai fried chicken: Crispy, flavorful, and a southern Thai favorite.
Hat Yai fried chicken: Crispy, flavorful, and a southern Thai favorite.|©Barton Walters

It seemed like an incredible tour for only $35, and I was excited to see what other adventures Krabi had in store for me. On the way back to the resort in Ao Nang, I soaked up the breathtaking landscape of the Andaman Coast—jungle-crusted hills and limestone karsts erupting from the land and sea. I didn’t need a GPS to tell me I was in a different part of Thailand. The air was cleaner, the sun was hotter, and the buildings were different. Even the people of Krabi looked and sounded different from those I had encountered in nearby Phuket.

I asked Rose about an ornate mosque I’d seen on the way back. “I see a lot of Muslim restaurants and architecture,” I said. “Is there a large Muslim population here?”

Rose informed me that while less than 10% of Thais are Muslim, the ratio in Krabi Province is 40%. “Fishermen and sea gypsies from Malaysia settled in this region five centuries ago,” she said. “You’ll notice our food is a little different too.”

I learned what she meant about the food later that evening. Southern Thai cuisine leans more heavily on savory curries, using dried chilies, fresh turmeric, and lots of coconut milk. Palm sugar is also added to help balance spicy, sour, and salty flavors. I tasted Hat Yai Fried Chicken (Gai Tod Hat Yai) and Stir-fried Squid in Curry (Pla Muek Pad Pong Karee) for the first time in Krabi, and both remain favorites of mine today.

Affordable Living in Krabi

Krabi offers affordable seaside living, with homes under $1,200 per month.
Krabi offers affordable seaside living, with homes under $1,200 per month.|©iStock/Chayanan Narksompong

When I mentioned the food in Krabi to my friend Mike, his face lit up. “Yep… if you’ve ever dreamed of living near an endless supply of fresh seafood, Krabi is heaven… and cheap!” He went on to say he found everything—from food to transportation to housing—“significantly more affordable” than where he’s living now.

A spacious sea-view studio near Ao Nang Beach rents for less than $500 per month in high season. A brand-new two-bedroom, two-bathroom house, fully furnished with a carport and garden, rents for less than $800 per month. A fully furnished three-bedroom family home with a pool is available for less than $1,200 per month. A late-model motorbike rents for about $6 per day.

“The best place to live is near Ao Nang Beach, twenty minutes west of Krabi Town,” Mike told me. “As you travel east away from the beach, you can find a lot of cool townhouses and bungalows—far enough out to be peaceful, but close enough to the entertainment and great food options in Ao Nang.”

Mike observed that the tourist crowd flowing through Krabi includes nature lovers of all ages. In recent years, Krabi has attracted a young and active crowd who come for the eco-resorts, island-hopping kayak excursions, and some even come to climb the limestone cliffs.

Most visitors stay in Ao Nang or Railay Beach while on their way to the picturesque islands in Mu Ko Lanta National Marine Park or the Phi Phi Islands. Krabi Town, a charming old Thai city 20 minutes from the beach and the administrative hub of the entire province, has also seen the rise of co-working and co-living spaces that attract many on the digital nomad trail.

A mixture of these visitors has stayed to join an increasingly eclectic expat community of retirees, digital nomads, slow travelers, dive enthusiasts, and folks on a spiritual journey. Living in Krabi is easy, with many Western conveniences such as shopping malls, movie theaters, Western food, and fully stocked grocery stores like Makro and Lotus.

When I asked Mike why he chose to remain in Pattaya if he liked Krabi so much, he said, “It gets a little too sleepy for me down there. I like my nightlife and entertainment with a little more neon. Once you get out of the tourist zone, it gets really quiet in Krabi.”

That’s when I knew my friend and I were moving in different directions on our respective Thailand journeys. He just got here and wants big city action. I’m in my 25th year and prefer a more peaceful setting.

The normally sleepy beach town where I live has been a little too popular this tourist season, and lately, I’ve been daydreaming about finding the next paradise. My memory of Krabi and Mike’s resounding endorsement has dragged it to the top of the “maybe I could live there” list. Even though I’m sure it has undergone serious development since my last visit, I’d bet the best thing about Krabi is still alive and well.

What Makes Krabi Special

Longtail boats at a pristine Krabi island—turquoise waters and soft sand.
Longtail boats at a pristine Krabi island—turquoise waters and soft sand.|©Barton Walters

On the last day of my first visit to Krabi, Nasree and Nordeen invited me to join them to try my luck at squid fishing. I was a little hesitant to go out in some rickety squid boat at night, but they seemed excited to give me an authentic experience.

That evening, the brothers’ cousin Somsak picked me up at the resort and took me on a meandering motorbike ride down the coast. We turned onto a narrow sandy road that ended at a gorgeous little crescent-shaped beach, surrounded on each side by a mangrove forest.

The brothers were already there with their wives and children, chatting away and fanning the flames of a small Thai charcoal grill. I was relieved not to see a boat of any kind but wondered how we would catch any squid.

What I did see was a pile of bamboo tiki torches. Nasree lit two and handed them to me, then showed me their technique. We walked out into the shallow bay up to our waists in water, lit the torches, and planted the spike end into the seabed beneath our feet. The oil-burning wick hovered just above the water’s surface, illuminating a large circle around it. Once we had ten or twelve of them planted, we sat on the shore, drank coconut juice, and waited.

Pretty soon, one of the children started pointing and yelling, “Pla muek… pla muek!” When I stood up, I could see the luminescent bodies of squid gathering around the torches underwater.

“Showtime!” Nordeen exclaimed.

Somsak handed me a big scoop net with a long handle and said, “You’re a squid fisherman now!” We stood there for an hour in waist-deep water, scooping dozens of squid out of the sea and putting them in a big bucket.

Once the frenzy was over, we waded ashore and watched Nordeen’s wife and daughter clean several squid and prepare a dish I had never seen before—Pla Muek Yod Sai, grilled squid stuffed with spicy chicken sausage. It remains one of my favorites to this day.

I sat on that beach with the family in the moonlight and tried to list all the new experiences I’d had in the past three days, but soon lost count. It was also the first time I had been completely caught off guard by what I found in a new place.

The seafood and scenery in southern Thailand were fantastic, just as I’d expected, but the warm and friendly people turned out to be the best thing about Krabi. It was the first time I’d felt anything like “family” since leaving the U.S. I bet that’s still the same, and I wouldn’t mind plugging back into the soothing southern vibe once again.

Flights and Fares

This morning, I received an email from Bangkok Airways announcing the opening of a brand-new terminal at Krabi International Airport, along with new flights and fares. A $120 round-trip?

Is this a sign from the cosmos, or am I still daydreaming?

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