So you’ve made the jump from your country to Thailand and now you’ve found yourself in The Emerald of The Andaman; Krabi. But what to do? You’re looking for some adventure in their foreign land, something to write home about, some way to venture outside of the norm and make you’re own path. Freedom comes in many forms, there are a number of way to keep yourself occupied while in Krabi, theres your resort or guest house, probably equipped with a  restaurant, cafe or some sort of communal area. Then there’s the local beach depending on where you are this will differ but you are probably not more than 10 Kilometers from the beach in any direction. Then there is the great countryside, full of local markets, restaurants, forests and a number of other sights to take in.

Krabi is a place full of allure, still relatively undeveloped as compared with its neighbors Phuket, Koh Samui and Hat-Yai (to the south). Much of the forests in Krabi are still untouched and a number of the trees are still of primary growth. Walk on some of the trails throughout the jungle and you can get an idea of what we are talking about, this place is still “wild”. Although the development has started it is still in it’s burgeoning stages and there will be much more room for growth in the coming years.

You coming to Krabi are looking for a change in your daily routine, you’re used to the same smells, feelings, textures of your home and want to experience another side of life right? Well you’re not going to get this from staying in your hotel or guest house, the best way to experience is to get outside and explore, see what you can find, who you can meet, what you can taste.

Time to get out and see what Krabi is made of, see what makes this place so special, away form the concrete thats most of the city and town’s are made of. Now it’s time to make your move, but which way should you go? Well there are a number of options we can discuss here. The more relevant options to think about to give you full control, should you rent a bike in Krabi or rent a car in Krabi?

A car is a slightly safer option as you have a metal shield protecting you and your traveling companions and you have a safety belt to glue you to your seat. The option the put kids in the back seat is inviting as they will be comfortable and hopefully can’t get into trouble, but rules of the road are different from those of the west and it’s important to understand a few things when it comes to driving:

  • You should drive on the left side of the road
  • Please excuse bad driving, if you yell as someone for doing something crazy it never helps, in fact it can often make any situation worse
  • Keep to your lane and try not to swerve to much, drivers will often pass when it’s extremely unsafe and they might be trying to overtake someone and end up in your lane coming right at you, so better you keep to your lane and only pass when it’s completely safe.
  • Drive slow, things are always better.
  • Try to obey speed limits even if nobody else is. There are not police which set up speed traps in Krabi but it’s always a good habit to take it easy and be safe.
  • carry your drivers license with you at all times, if you come to a road block you will be asked for it.
  • If you have a situation with the police, be kind, don’t yell or shout and loose control, often a 500THB fine will make any police situation go away…
  • Remember you’re in Thailand things are different here, just keep calm and go with the flow.

Driving in Thailand can be wonderful and exciting for your will get the chance to see so much more of the province and experience a more local side of things.

The alternative option is for you is to rent a bike in Krabi for your roadside adventures. Motorbikes rentals offer you a great way to get around the province and region as they offer you endless options for places to visit, so many small roads and dirt paths not wide or safe enough for a car, the only option available is to rent a bike in Krabi, and take it down some new path. Motorbikes can also be easier in traffic as you can drive slowly past cars stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. But one of the most and probably the important reasons is that it’s simply FUN! To rent a bike in Krabi offers you the option to have the wind in your hair as you buzz by large overhanding palm leaves draping out over lonesome roads. Feel the flavor of the air and smell the many different flavors of the province with nothing in your way but air. Driving in Krabi can be a wonderful experience but it’s important that you keep in mind that you are driving in a foreign country the rules are similar but not identical.

Accidents happen typically when you are doing the following things:
  • Not looking for people tying to pass you when you are turning
  • parking
  • when weaving in and out of traffic
  • driving very fast
  • stopping too fast and then locking the brakes
  • merging into traffic and not looking both directions

Try to understand the rules are followed more loosely in Thailand and therefore you should try always to anticipate things happening which could have been avoided by good driving. 

We recommend you drive out and get lost in the countryside, bring a map (provided for all rentals) and your phone and have fun! Nothing is more fun then driving on remote roads surrounded by massive karts that tower overhead, vines hanging off their peaks and draping down their sheer cliff faces. Various freshwater mineral hot spring pools, rural markets and fishing villages are only some of the many things to discover when driving in Krabi. So what are you waiting for rent a bike in Krabi and get going!

Driving is fun in Krabi, enjoy the ride!