What Sets Ao Nang Apart as a Diving Destination? - Discover diving at its best!

Ao Nang is located in Thailand in the Andaman Sea, and lies towards the southwestern coast of Thailand and happens to be a diver's paradise. Nearby are the famous Phi Phi Islands where you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of deep blue seas with ample coral reefs and shoals of multicoloured fish. Keep reading to discover what Ao Nang has in store for you. 

About Ao Nang 

Located towards the south of Krabi Province, Ao Nang is a stunning beach resort town which is close to many other islands like Ko Poda, Ko Hong, and Ko Gai also known as Chicken Island. Ao Nang is also very popular with tourists and has a wide variety of beach bars, hotels and restaurants. The party atmosphere is palpable in Ao Nang with a lively and thriving nightlife all year round. 

Ao Nang Beach and the surrounding beaches

As a small town, most of Ao Nang's diving attractions are located next to the beach. The majority of the area's diving locations are in and around Ao Nang. You can take a long-tailed boat to popular dive sites such as Railay Beach and Phra Nang Beach. However, it's important to note that most long-tailed boats won't depart until they have enough passengers. Railay Beach is surrounded by limestone karsts and is an ideal place for divers, it is just a short long-tailed boat ride away from Ao Nang and one of the most popular day trip destinations from Ao Nang. 

Photo by adiprayogo liemena via pexels

Diving in Ao Nang

In Ao Nang, things to do include diving and what makes diving special in Ao Nang is that it is located close to some of Thailand's most famous diving spots. While there you can visit diving sites like Koh Phi Phi, the King Cruiser wreck and Koh Haa Yai. Those new to diving won't be missing out either, as many diving centres offer PADI instructional diving courses. Snorkelling is also a good option for those not inclined towards diving. You can encounter a range of marine life and so much more. Scuba diving is available year-round in Krabi, with the best conditions from November to May. During this period, the seas are calm and visibility can reach up to 30 meters. From June to October, it's the rainy season with more unpredictable weather. The water temperature is pleasantly warm, ranging from 27-30 degrees. Currently, there are 10-15 diving schools in Ao Nang, most of which are PADI certified, but there are also some under other accreditations like CMAS and ISSI. Most diving trips will take you to two or three diving spots, although there are also options for tours covering at least three locations. 

Nightlife in Ao Nang 

There is more to Ao Nang, than the beach and diving. Those on the lookout for some partying can encounter the busiest nightlife in Krabi in Ao Nang. Although you cannot compare it to the likes of Phuket there is plenty of stuff to do and see in regards to the nightlife. You can find stretches of beach filled with bars, restaurants and beachside discos for a fabulous night out in town. You can find a range of accommodation options here as well, the likes of Avani Ao Nang are among the top options available.

How to get there

If you are flying to Ao Nang the nearest airport is the Krabi International Airport, you can get flights to Ao Nang from Chiang Mai and Bangkok. You can also catch a flight from places like Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Singapore. Once there you can catch a taxi from Krabi to Ao Nang for 600 baht which will take around 40 to 30 minutes. There is a bus service that connects Krabi and Ao Nang available from the Krabi International Airport and costs around 150 Baht. You can reach your destination within one hour.