Ao Nang Beach is the most popular destination for visitors to southern Thailand’s Krabi Province. Hotels are very affordable at the beach like the Aonang Villa Resort where I stayed for $90 a night recently (review) or one of many options available on Expedia.
If you’re looking at Aonang Villa Resort on the map it’s almost impossible to miss the Monkey Trail just a short walk away. It’s monkeys. Five minutes away. And it’s free. Of course I had to check it out.
Where’s the Money? This site may contain affiliate links. Many travel sites include such links to earn a commission at no cost to readers.
Ao Nang Monkey Trail Location
The central point in Ao Nang is at the bend in Ao Nang Road where it turns inland. You can’t easily drive south along the beach from there but you can continue walking south at the beginning of a paved boardwalk. This will take you past a few resorts and directly into the pool area of the Centara Aonang Beach Resort. If you’re coming in the morning you can find a Starbucks branded espresso bar at the pool where you can cop a coffee beverage. They’re not super strict about who belongs here so if you wanted to sit down and enjoy your coffee no one is likely to stop you.
Moving further down the beach you’ll exit the resort and find another stretch of beach before reaching the Ao Nang Monkey Trail.
Ao Nang’s Best Kept Secret?
This stretch of beach is actually a great place to hang out for half a day or more and get your fill of beach time. It’s close enough to town to be convenient but also far enough off the main drag that there aren’t many people hanging out in this section of beach. You can rent a lounger or a daybed in either the sun or the shade for just a few bucks and camp out all day with a great view of the mountain.
You’ll find a few restaurants here as well as some beach bars. Lunch and happy hour are solved without going back into town. There’s a beachfront massage spot (of course) and you can get bottled water or whatever else you might need throughout the day. It’s a nice halfway between commercialized tourist beach and remote natural area with no amenities.
Bring cash. There’s a distinct lack of credit card readers in this area.
Kayak Rental Shop
I’m not a traveler who would proactively plan a kayaking trip. But the location here at the beach is a particularly good spot for paddling. It’s also very reasonably priced. I think my four hour session was 500 THB ($15) and included a PFD, bottle of water and the use of a dry bag which is absolutely a necessity for ocean paddling where you’ll want to swim as well.
After about 40 minutes of paddling you can reach the nearest mountain island and swim in the shade underneath it. There’s even a few lines dangling from the rocks to tie up your boat although the bottom is fairly rocky there.
You can rent a boat for just an hour or two as well but to really make the most of it you’ll want about three hours and by that point the fourth hour is practically free whether you use it or not.
Hiking the Ao Nang Monkey Trail
When you reach the end of the beach you’ll see a spot where a small river runs into the sea. This is the beginning of a Thai national park and the start of the Ao Nang Monkey Trail.
It’s not so much a trail as a jury rigged assemblage of steps and railings that looks more at home in the Swiss Family Robinson than a park in a major tourist destination. It’s not for the faint of heart. These steps are steep and slippery and often the best thing to do is to pause on your way and let people pass in the opposite direction.
I did see some monkeys here. They’re hard to spot but you can tell when they’re moving the branches and look for them that way.
I’m not sure how high the elevation goes but I would guess it’s around 250 feet of climbing to the highest point. Once you reach the apex you should stop climbing. There’s a beach on the other side but it’s 100% private property with a security guard checking the entrance. It belongs to the Centara Grand Beach Resort and Villas which is distinct from the other Centara resort mentioned above. This Centara shuttles guests to the location via their own modern ferry and floating dock.
As nice a spot as the beach is near the Ao Nang Monkey Trail, that’s the real attraction. The trail itself kind of stinks.
Where to See Monkeys Instead
Boat Trip to Railay Beach
Most visitors to Ao Nang beach will at some point buy a ticket for a longtail boat to Railay Beach. The tickets are easy to find any time of day in town and they only cost 100 THB ($3) each way. The trip takes just under 15 minutes.
When you get to Railay there’s a pathway lined with shops and restaurants leading inland from the beach. That path is just crawling with monkeys. They’re all over the place. You can buy a beer and sit on a bench and have a monkey happy hour with them. You can watch them menace shopkeepers and try to steal food from stores. Take pictures to your heart’s content.
There’s also some very nice beaches if you walk far enough, particularly at Phra Nang Cave. No climbing required. If you’re looking for monkeys, skip the Ao Nang Monkey Trail and come to Railay Beach instead.
