Phuket Sailing Guide

Anchorages - Krabi & Koh Dam Group (Thailand)

Malacca Straits | Ao Chalong | Kata Beach | Phi Phi | Krabi

The stunning beach and sea-mountain scenery of Krabi is now famous, with many visitors extolling some of the beaches here as amongst the most beautiful in the world. This is a geographic extension of the karst sea mountains of Phang Nga, reaching south into deeper, clearer waters and thus offering fine snorkelling and diving.

In the northeast monsoon season anchorages here are quiet, though the region is completely exposed during the southwest monsoon. First discovered by cruising yachties and the backpack traveller set some years ago, it has now developed ashore, with many bungalows hotels and restaurants.

A few larger hotel groups have opened resorts. Krabi town, with provisioning of a similar standard to Phuket available, can be accessed from Phra Nang by longtail boat or dingy, or by road from the roadhead at Ao Nang.

Ao Nang

Koh Sam - Anchor in sand just south of the pair of islands in depths of around 4 metres. The water is very clear, and the shallow water can easily be spotted. This is an excellent overnight stop in the northeast monsoon season.

From here you can take your dinghy up the river, keeping close to the western shore at the entrance. Once over the bar, the water is deeper and the river is bounded by sandy beaches. The entrance is also suitable for speedboats and shallow draft vessels. Inside the river are two small jetties used by small local boats. On the west bank is a small bungalow resort development and on the east bank a road provides access to the main road to Krabi.

Ao Nang - This wide, shallow bay lends a secure haven in the northeast monsoon season, with anchorage in about 5 metres well offshore.

Ao Nang is important due its access to the main road to Krabi, though it is the beauty of the beaches on the peninsula immediately south that have made Krabi world famous. Rock walls forbid the road’s access to these beaches. Resorts, bungalows, shops and restaurants are found along the beach-front road at Ao Nang. Telephone, transport, and all the usual amenities of a small resort are available.

Transfer by vehicle to Phuket Island takes about 3 hours, or a little less to Phuket airport. Cars for this trip can usually be found near the resorts. The normal bus service into Krabi town, about 20 kilometres away, is a ‘songtaew’, a small truck with benches in the back.

LAEM NANG

Rai Le - Anchorage is in 4 - 5 metres on sand in the centre of the bay, well offshore. However, if available, it is better to take one of the several moorings laid in the centre of the bay.

This bay has spectacular stacks of rock which form headlands to the north and south.
In the shade of the coconut palms which fringe the beach, cheap restaurants and bungalow accommodation tend to be frequented by budget travellers, who contribute to the generally easy going ambiance.
There are also some very comfortable private houses set back from the beach, at the north end, which can be rented on a daily basis.
Extending out into the bay at the southern end of the beach is a reef, easily seen in the clear waters, and a magnet for snorkellers.

Going right on the beach, you will find longtail boats for hire; there is no access to this area by road due to the enclosing rock walls.

Tum Phra Nang - Just around the corner from the tall stack which forms Koh Nang is the most strikingly attractive palm-fringed bay in the region.

Anchorage with reasonable swinging room is possible for 3 or 4 vessels in 5 – 6 metres on a sandy bottom, in the northeast monsoon season. Between Koh Nang and the beach is a colourful coral reef, excellent for snorkelling.
This passage is definitely impassable for keel-boats, and even for dinghies it’s advisable only at high water, whatever the activities of the local longtail boats might seem to suggest.

There is a famous cave at the south end of the beach with a colourful phallic shrine inside. Lots of rocky overhangs and outcrops offer themselves for exploring.

Behind the beach lies the Dusit Rayavadee deluxe resort, with 100 pavilions in a spectacular coconut-grove setting. Only check-in guests may use hotel facilities. There is no access by road.

A new activity is now thriving in this location on the steep sided limestone pillars - sport rock climbing.