Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and is also known as the best vacation island. Phuket is known as the "Pearl of the Andaman Sea" due to its charming tropical scenery and rich tourism resources, attracting travel enthusiasts from all over the world.
Krabi is an island located in the south of Thailand. Across the sea from Phuket, Krabi is a much smaller and quieter island. Krabi is the most beautiful place along the Andaman coast, with warm and clean beaches and a slow pace away from the mundane life. It is a popular destination for foreign tourists because of its white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters, as well as its strong local culture and evocative cuisine.
Krabi and Phuket in Thailand are 180 kilometers apart, which is not too far, so tourists usually choose to travel between the two places by boat, bus, or charter bus. The drive takes three hours, and you can also take a boat to sail through each other. Since there are relatively few tourists in Krabi, the prices of housing and goods are cheaper and less noisy than in Phuket.
By boat: Krabi-Phuket; Krabi-Phi Phi Island-Phuket
You can choose either a direct ferry from Krabi to Koh Phi Phi or a transit at Koh Phi Phi, but the frequency of the direct ferry is relatively small, only two or three times in a day. However, there are many transits to Phi Phi Island, and Phi Phi Island is also a famous tourist destination, so if you have enough time, you can choose the latter.
In addition, Krabi is very convenient for internal transportation, there are many buses and minivans, and you can always find a bus to each pier, and the price is also very fair.
The places where you can take a boat in Krabi are Nopparat Thara Ferry Pier in Krabi Ao Nang, Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi Town, and Laili Bay in Laili, so you can choose your departure point according to your time and location.
Note: The ferries between Krabi, Phi Phi Island and Phuket run all year round though. However, during the low season (May to October), the sailing time and frequency may vary depending on weather conditions, so the ferry time is best to be determined on site.
By Bus
You can also take a bus directly from Krabi to Phuket by taking a bus from Krabi Provincial Transport Station.
It's easy to get to Krabi bus station from your departure point. There are many taxis all over Thailand, so stop one and negotiate a price to take you to the bus station. However, it is best to take a regular cab, that is, one with a meter. Thai cabs start at 35 baht, and after 2 kilometers, you will be charged 5 baht per kilometer.
Car Rental
The driving distance from Krabi International Airport and Phuket International Airport is 158.1 kilometers and takes about 2 and a half hours.
Since motor vehicles are allowed in Phuket and Krabi, renting a car for self-driving is a great way to save time and money, but you need an international driver's license to drive in Thailand.
Chartering a car
The easiest way to travel than renting a car is by chartering a car! You don't have to worry about your driver's license or taking the wrong road or being ripped off by the locals, but you can book a chartered car by UME in advance and a driver will come and pick you up.
By plane
Both Krabi and Phuket have international airports, but there are no direct flights to either place. If you need to take a flight, you have to transfer to Bangkok.