After the first days in Bangkok we should finally go to the sea. Off to the south of Thailand. Our actual destination in the south was Koh Lanta , where we wanted to stay a total of three weeks.
At short notice we received an invitation from the Alisea Hotel in Ao Nang and of course we didn’t say no.
After all, Ao Nang is very close to the airport in Krabi and therefore almost on our way to Koh Lanta.
We were also very curious about what Ao Nang has to offer. We had no idea what to expect there beforehand.
If you feel the same, then our tips are just right for you.
Where is Ao Nang located?
Ao Nang belongs to the Krabi Province in southern Thailand. The nearest airport is near Krabi Town and is only 25 km from Ao Nang. Most accommodations offer a pick-up service, including the Alisea Hotel.
What can you expect in Ao Nang?
Ao Nang is a typical tourist place. The tourist infrastructure is very good. Along the main street of the village there is a restaurant after bar, travel agency and massage parlor.
There is a long sandy beach right in Ao Nang, which you can walk to from the local hotels in a few minutes. If you rent a moped, you can drive a few kilometers out of town and you will find many really great beaches and secluded bays there.
4 Island Boat Tour or 7 Island Boat Tour
Every travel agency in the city and every hotel offers them: One-day boat tours that take you to four or seven islands in the region. The Alisea Hotel organized such a tour for us and we got on the boat at 8 a.m.
The program is of course quite tight. 7 islands in 8 hours have to be done first. So that meant: boating – 30 minutes of viewing the island – boating – 30 minutes of snorkeling – boating – 30 minutes of viewing the island and so on.
The tour is a great way to see as much as possible in a very short time. If you’d rather go slower and spend a whole day on one or two islands, you’d better charter a long-tail boat, which will only take you where you want. This is of course a lot more expensive, but also more flexible.
For the tour on the big boat you have to calculate about 1,500 THB. You can charter a longtail boat from around THB 2,200. You can of course see the price z. For example, if you share four of them, it is much cheaper.
How expensive it is, of course, depends on where you want to go and how long you are on the road.
Bamboo Island
Our first stop led us to Bamboo Island. The whole island is a national park and looks like one would imagine a paradise island: a wide, white sandy beach lined with palm trees and crystal clear water. There is also a small reef right on the beach where you can snorkel.
Koh Phi Phi: Maya Bay, The Beach
Of course, every boat tour takes you to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Leh, probably the most famous beach in Southeast Asia.
Since the movie “The Beach” the flow of tourists has increased again by leaps and bounds and today there is one excursion boat next to the other in the bay.
The bay is really nice. The former flair has been lost, however, as hundreds of tourists jostle on the narrow strip of beach. We were there in the off season and it was already very busy. In the main season all hell is going on there.
If you have the opportunity, rent a longtail boat and head to Maya Bay very early in the morning. Then there is the greatest chance that you can still soak up some of the previous atmosphere.
The Alisea Boutique Hotel in Ao Nang
As already mentioned, we stayed at the Alisea Boutique Hotel for two nights. The first impression is excellent. The design of the hotel clearly stands out from the many average hotels in Ao Nang. You can tell right away that the hotel is run with a lot of love.
The rooms are large and very nicely decorated. Our room even had a second floor, from which one came to a balcony with its own outdoor bathtub. Brilliant!
Unfortunately we could not use it due to lack of time. The breakfast is very rich for Thai standards and there are traditional Asian breakfasts as well as western variants.
Highlight No. 1: Our first experience with an infinity pool
The first highlight is the infinity pool on the roof, where you can look over Ao Nang with a drink in the water. That’s the way to live.
Highlight No. 2: Relax in the hammock on the private beach
The Alisea Hotel also includes the Andamana Beach Club, which is located directly on the beach just outside of Ao Nang. As a hotel guest, free shuttles are available that will get you there in around ten minutes.
So you have your very own beach and you don’t have to share the city beach of Ao Nang with many other tourists.
Another world awaits you at Andamana Beach Club. Secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can relax in hammocks, have a massage, go swimming on the private beach or enjoy the world’s best Pad Thai. And there we come straight to the third highlight.
Highlight No. 3: The best Pad Thai in the world
Pad Thai is Pad Thai and somehow always tastes the same. Sometimes there is more glutamate to it and sometimes less. So we thought until we tried Mr. Na Mo’s Pad Thai at the Andamana Beach Club.
Mr. Na Mo came to our table very confidently and told us that we absolutely had to try his Pad Thai. It would be the best Pad Thai in Thailand and we wouldn’t want to eat Pad Thai anywhere else after that.
Well, what can we say: He was right. And who knows us knows, we don’t say that lightly.
We don’t really know what its secret is, but the Pad Thai really tasted amazing – even without any glutamate.
The Pad Thai had a light but pleasant heat and fresh prawns as a topping. Mhhhm, when we write about it, we get hungry again.
If you are in Ao Nang, be sure to stop by and order a pad thai.
But be warned: You will see Pad Thai with different eyes afterwards and you will probably not be as happy with a run-of-the-mill Pad Thai as you were before.
We actually wanted to book another night at the Alisea Hotel after our Koh Lanta stay, but unfortunately all the rooms were already booked. So if you want to stay here you should book early.
Our conclusion on Ao Nang
Many thanks to Alisea Hotel for the invitation and hospitality. We can recommend the hotel unreservedly and the Pad Thai is world class.
If you are looking for peace and seclusion, then Ao Nang is definitely not the place of your choice. If you are looking for a huge selection of restaurants and occasionally need western food, then you will find it here.
If you are in Ao Nang we recommend renting a moped. The place is a good starting point to explore the area and in the evening you have a huge selection of restaurants and bars where you can end the day with a Chang, Singha or Leo.
