Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Ao Nang
POP 12,400
First, the hard truths. Thanks to its unchecked and rather unsightly development huddled
in the shadows of stunning karst scenery, Ao Nang is ugly pretty, and there's a touch of
Twilight Zone living in the air here, too, with its countless Indian-owned 'Italian' restaur-
ants and naughty bar-girl sois. So yes, it's a little trashy, but if you forgive all that and fo-
cus on the beaches, framed by limestone headlands tied together by narrow strips of
golden sand, there's an awful lot to like here. In the dry season the sea glows a turquoise
hue; in the wet season, riptides stir up the mocha shallows. If you're hankering for a swim
in crystalline climes at any time of year, you can easily book a trip to the local islands that
dot the horizon.
Ao Nang is compact and easy to navigate, and with the onrush of attractive midrange
development, accommodation standards are high, with substantial discounts possible. It's
not nearly as cheap (or authentic) as Krabi town, but it's cleaner and sunnier. There's
plenty to do (mangrove tours, snorkelling trips) and it's only 40 minutes away from Krabi
airport and a smooth 20-minute long-tail boat ride from stunning Railay.
Sights
Shell Cemetery
(admission 50B, visitors centre admission 50B; 8.30am-4.30pm, visitors centre 8.30am-4.30pm)
About 9km
east of Ao Nang at the western end of Ao Nam Mao is the
Shell Cemetery
, also known as
Gastropod Fossil or Su-San Hoi. Here you can see giant slabs formed from millions of
tiny 75-million-year-old fossil shells. There's a small
visitors centre
, with geological displays
and various stalls selling snacks.
Sŏrng·tăa·ou
from Ao Nang cost 30B.
NATURE RESERVE
Activities
Loads of activities are possible at Ao Nang, and children under 12 typically get a 50% dis-
count.
Kayaking
