As Krabi continues to grow there is some consensus out there that it has grown at too rapid a pace. When I first arrived here years ago there was only a beachfront with a few shops extending from the km of beachfront street. The acoommodation and shops now extends several kilometers down both sides and the sidewalks and the only road are packed every single day.
This is not to say that Krabi isn't lovely, because it still is. However, there are a lot of travelers out there that likely prefer a quieter vacation, one free of massive crowds and busy streets. If this sounds like you, then you need to take a serious look at Pak-Meng Beach because very few people have even heard of it.
Pak Meng is located near Trang, a city that I believe in the not-too-distant future will become what Krabi was 10 years ago. These beaches are almost completely unknown to the international community and if you don't require a tremendous amount of nightlife options (or are uninterested in nightlife altogether) this could be the perfect choice for you.
The beaches are essentially exactly the same as Krabi's. They have limesone cliffs both in and around the water, and the crystal water calmly laps at the shoreline. Since it is in the Andaman Sea and doesn't face any ocean directly, the waves are so calm to the point where they almost don't exist at all. To be fair, this aspect of the sea doesn't actually appeal to me because I like surfing. However, for those that have kids or just prefer a nice swim, there is no danger of rip-tides and other such dangers over here, ever.
Aquiring a bungalow like the ones above is easy and cheap in Pak Meng: Depending on the time of year it is very easy to get an aircon double or twin room for $10 - $15 a night. This is either beachfront or right across the street from the beach. If you find yourself in one of the areas where the bungalows are across the street, these areas tend to have a beach area that has massive palm and coconut trees as well as a bunch of tables and chairs that the bungalow operations use as a restaurant. This is the part of the beach that really appeals to me.
The staff at these places will have umbrellas located around tables and they move the umbrellas throughout the day in order to ensure that you are always in the shade. They will bring all manor of refreshment to your table including buckets of ice-cold beer at a much lower cost than areas such as Phuket and Krabi. We sat there all day perusing the menu, ordering fish and crab (they had lobster but this is expensive) and we drank lots of beers. It was glorious because the prices are so low that you don't really even worry about it.
I think the best part about the beach is the fact that it is relatively unknown by international and even Thai populations. This is a hidden gem for sure.
Also, the pier (called Pak-Meng Pier) is at the end of the street and this can get travelers over to Koh Muk, Koh Ngai, and Koh Kradan on day trips for a fraction of what it costs to stay on these relatively expensive islands.
There is also a gibbon sanctuary and an aquarium in the area that is actually very well maintained.
gibbons are awesome
In summary :
THE GOOD
- low levels of tourism (for now)
- all sorts of cheap
- quiet waters as the local boating community is required to use the pier
- great, fresh seafood
- nicely maintained gibbon sanctuary and aquarium nearby
- the service from the beachfront restaurants is fantastic and friendly
THE BAD
- almost nothing is open past 9pm
- can be difficult to get to this place unless you hire your own taxi or rental car
- there are never any waves here (this might be a plus for some people)
- very low level of English outside of the bungalows