Phuket to Krabi by Car

How the route runs

There is one road and it is very hard to get lost on it. Leave the island heading north, cross the bridge, then turn east on the main highway past Phang Nga, and a junction further on takes you south into Krabi town.

The turning for Ao Nang

Most people are not going to Krabi town at all but to the beaches at Ao Nang. In that case you turn off before the town and follow the signs. That final stretch is narrower, passes through villages, and is genuinely slower than the highway before it.

Traffic is unevenly distributed. The first section on the island is the slowest part of the whole trip, because it passes through populated areas with lights and turnings. After the bridge the road opens up and the rest runs smoothly.

What it means for the car

Nothing heroic is required: sealed road throughout, no serious passes, and the most noticeable climb is the section through the limestone hills between Phang Nga and the Krabi turning. An ordinary car takes it in its stride.

Air conditioning and consumption

Three hours of highway with the air conditioning running is a steady load, and what matters is not power but a cooling system in good order. Before you leave, check that the air stays cold at idle in traffic. If it is weak standing still, it will be tolerable on the move and unpleasant in the queue at the bridge.

Tyres and rain

In the wet season water lies in strips along the edge of the highway, and at speed a wheel entering one pulls the car sideways. Worn tread turns that into a genuine surprise. Look at the tread depth when you collect the car; it is the one thing you cannot fix once you are on the road.

Where to park in Krabi

Krabi town is easier than Phuket for parking. There are marked spaces along the riverfront and they are usually available during the day. The market and pier area is the natural place to leave the car for a walk around the centre.

Ao Nang

Ao Nang is harder. The main beachfront street is narrow with limited marked space that fills early, while the side streets a block inland are usually empty. Walk three minutes rather than circling for twenty.

Near the pier where boats leave for the islands there are supervised areas attached to cafes and shops. Leaving the car there for a full day is normal, but agree it on arrival rather than abandoning it at a barrier.

Kerb colours in Krabi mean the same as in Phuket: red and white is no stopping, and the consequence is removal in a town you do not know.

• Park a block inland at Ao Nang instead of on the beach road
• Use the riverfront spaces in Krabi town
• Arrange a supervised space if you are away on a boat all day
• Leave nothing visible in the car anywhere

What you pass on the way

The trip splits neatly in half. Around Phang Nga, roughly at the midpoint, there are large roadside service areas with toilets, coffee, food and shade. That is the place to stop deliberately; beyond it the options thin out to small stalls with nowhere to pull in.

Viewpoints along the highway

After Phang Nga the limestone towers rise straight out of the flat land beside the road. Stopping on the shoulder of the highway for photographs is dangerous: the lane is narrow and the traffic moves quickly. There are marked lay-bys, and those are where to stop.

Plan the return so you are not approaching the bridge in the dark after rain. Lighting there is patchy and the mix of lorries and motorcycles funnels into a narrow space.

Fuel stations along the route are large, branded and open around the clock, and cards work at almost all of them. Keep some cash for small stalls.

Cars that suit this

This is a highway route rather than an off-road one, so what matters is overtaking margin and cabin quiet, not ground clearance. An economy car does the whole trip comfortably and is easier to park at the other end.

If there are four of you with luggage, a crossover makes more sense: a deeper boot, and on the climbs near Krabi the engine is not working at its limit.

Who is driving

Three hours each way in one day is a lot for a single driver who has not driven on the left before. Name a second driver at handover so you can swap. It takes a minute then, and a driver who is not on the agreement is not covered at all. Confirm with us in writing that the car may leave the island before you plan the day.