Krabi Entertainment

Krabi Town and Ao Nangs beachfront seafood street are two interesting and popular places where you can sample the provinces culinary delights.

Eating out

Located opposite Thai Village Resort on Klong Haeng Road, Carnivore is said to offer one of the best choices for steak dishes in Krabi Town. On Preuksa Uthit Road is Viva Ristorante, which offers a range of pizza and pasta dishes.

For spicy local fare, head to Bai Toey on the corner of Wichit Road and Khong Kha Road. The restaurant, which is also popular with local workers, offers a comprehensive Thai menu, so use a visit as an opportunity to try something a bit different.

Located on Ao Nangs beachfront seafood street, Sala Bua and Lo Spuntino offer an interesting Thai/Italian dining experience. Close by is Azzurra, another Italian restaurant which tends to get crowded during the high season. In addition to these choices are tons of street stalls selling Thai fast food such as spicy papaya salad and various noodle soups.

Local cuisine

The brown-coloured wing shell, hoi chak teen, looks like a conch, but is smaller. Its special characteristic is its feet, known as teen in Thai, and they are found in Krabi and nearby provinces. To eat hoi chak teen, you just pull on the feet and the mollusc will come out. It is eaten with a tasty dip made from garlic, chilies, sugar, lime juice and fish sauce.

Theatre and music

Most of the nightlife around Krabi takes the form of small beer bars and pubs, some with live music. There are no real large nightclubs or entertainment venues. Nightlife tends to move around the resorts of Railay during the week, as each of the many bungalow operations there take turns to have a beach party. Don't miss the special atmosphere of a party at Railay Bay or Tonsai Village, where the beach is often covered with people drinking and dancing until the sun comes up.

There is no multiplex cinema in Krabi, and the local cinema in Krabi Town shows mainly blockbusters dubbed into Thai.

Shopping

While many foreign visitors to Krabi seek cut-price counterfeit clothes, films, bags or jewellery; traditionally, the major souvenirs of Krabi are turtle dove cages, toei panan mats (made from pandanus leaves), shrimp paste, dried fish, dried shrimp and other processed seafood. The former can easily be found in most areas where there are a significant number of tourists, while for the latter, head for the shops and markets of Krabi Town, particularly along Uttarakit Road.

Thai, Chinese, Burmese and Khmer antiques are excellent buys here. However, remember that certain categories of antiques are restricted, particularly Buddha images. Other pieces may require an export licence, but any reputable dealer should be able to advise on such matters.

It is acceptable to bargain for better prices, but please be realistic and understand that some staff may not actually be in a position to offer discounted prices.