Busy in Krabi?

[grumpyoldman]

A friend who knows a lady that works for the bigger low cost airlines says planes full coming into Krabi. Anyone there in Ao Nang or environs seeing lots of tourists or quiet still?

[Ace of Pop]

Quit a Few Muslims, but where they are from i dont know..Singaporean Folk are about too , nice to have English Speaking Asians about in Ao. Seems just the same as last year...

[grumpyoldman]

Quit a Few Muslims, but where they are from i dont know..Singaporean Folk are about too , nice to have English Speaking Asians about in Ao. Seems just the same as last year...

Thanks for the info AoP ! Yes, Ramadan now so you probably have a few families gathering. Tiger Air direct flights plus hotel accoms for those Singaporeans, super cheap. Cheers, GOM

[JDGRUEN]

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Edited July 5, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[grumpyoldman]

"The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners"

Generally Nepalese not Burmese. Throw them a "namaste". Otherwise excellent post, thank you JDGRUEN. BR, GOM

[Paulzed]

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Sounds like you need a hobby.

Its good to see they ran a bull dozer through the bamboo bars

[Xonax]

Went back from Krabi last week. Ao Nang was quite busy, while Railay, Klong Muang and Tubkaek beaches were FAR from busy. The manager in Ao Nang Cliff Beach Resort told us, that they were fully booked at this time, after Air Asia now have full international flights arriving every day from Malaysia, Singapore and other Asian countries, and that there no longer was such as a low season. Many foreign muslims and Chinese everywhere. Most tourists looked like "low quality tourists" and shopping or otherwise spending money, seemed not to be on their agenda.

[Maroon Watcher]

It's the main student/teacher/school/University holidays around about now,

in many Asian (China 2 months) and Western countries

so should be no low season?

Khao San was very busy especially on Saturday for the WC.

But traders were still saying "no business"

(Saturday, you couldn't walk down the road, it was so packed) -
maybe they don't want down market/Same-Same merchandise

or they were just back packers.

All tours are still maked "special price" (Original crossed out)

But one U.S. guy was happily explaining he had "spent $500 Last night" (Friday)

Maybe he was in the Ping-Pong bars?

[JDGRUEN]

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Sounds like you need a hobby.

Its good to see they ran a bull dozer through the bamboo bars

My hobbies are (among many others) exercise walking, motorbike riding and observing what is going on around me. My reason for taking notice of the Tourist activity is planning for a business to serve Wester Tourist (not a bar or restaurant), and I have a very good understand of the occupancy rate because I stopped and ask dozens and dozens of managers about their available room - I was looking for a good bargain.

And as you know nothing about me - being so quick to make a flippant remark - It seems that you have a hobby - but need a life.

[JDGRUEN]

"The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners"

Generally Nepalese not Burmese. Throw them a "namaste". Otherwise excellent post, thank you JDGRUEN. BR, GOM

Well - I have to differ with you on that. Some could well be Nepalese... but while in Koh Samui I struck up a conversation with a few of the 'Nepalese' as they first told me. A little later when I gave them a questioning look about not being from Myanmar they 'fessed' up as we say in Texas and admitted it. I suppose saying one is from Nepal gives one a higher status...

[grumpyoldman]

"The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners"

Generally Nepalese not Burmese. Throw them a "namaste". Otherwise excellent post, thank you JDGRUEN. BR, GOM

Well - I have to differ with you on that. Some could well be Nepalese... but while in Koh Samui I struck up a conversation with a few of the 'Nepalese' as they first told me. A little later when I gave them a questioning look about not being from Myanmar they 'fessed' up as we say in Texas and admitted it. I suppose saying one is from Nepal gives one a higher status...

O.K., no worries, we can politely disagree. Again, not Samui but Ao Nang, these guys look Indian and their grasp of English 100% better than your typical Burmese.

Namaste my friend, namaste.

[JDGRUEN]

"The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners"

Generally Nepalese not Burmese. Throw them a "namaste". Otherwise excellent post, thank you JDGRUEN. BR, GOM

Well - I have to differ with you on that. Some could well be Nepalese... but while in Koh Samui I struck up a conversation with a few of the 'Nepalese' as they first told me. A little later when I gave them a questioning look about not being from Myanmar they 'fessed' up as we say in Texas and admitted it. I suppose saying one is from Nepal gives one a higher status...

O.K., no worries, we can politely disagree. Again, not Samui but Ao Nang, these guys look Indian and their grasp of English 100% better than your typical Burmese.

Namaste my friend, namaste.

I agree... with what you say about Ao Nang... Also -- am I to assume that Indians are here on proper passports and have Work Permits? This is something that I have to shake my head about when trying to find any consistency in Thai Immigration enforcement.

[LivinginKata]

Post removed (and the reply)

Forum rule 11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[krabi local]

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Sounds like you need a hobby.

Its good to see they ran a bull dozer through the bamboo bars

My hobbies are (among many others) exercise walking, motorbike riding and observing what is going on around me. My reason for taking notice of the Tourist activity is planning for a business to serve Wester Tourist (not a bar or restaurant), and I have a very good understand of the occupancy rate because I stopped and ask dozens and dozens of managers about their available room - I was looking for a good bargain.

And as you know nothing about me - being so quick to make a flippant remark - It seems that you have a hobby - but need a life.

Sound just like a busybody to me, with too much time on their hands.

Low, low season ? Dozens and dozens of managers ? And this is based on your vast command of the Thai language and talking business with local hotel managers ?

I call BS on that.

Some hotels and hostels have average 95% occupancy so not just low season it just depends on how it it marketed.

[Ace of Pop]

I am all over Ao Nang almost every day - walk the entire tourist strip from Tesco down to the beach road... and over towards Nopparat Tara Beach ... It is a mixed bag... I am told by several resort/hotel/guest house managers that this is a fairly low - low season. On motorcycle I have covered almost all of Ao Nang including the semi-rural areas. I have made inquiries at numerous establishments and taken observations... In my opinion based upon inquiries and observations the current occupancy rate is 25% or less... except in the core of the tourist areas - then maybe 30-35%. Any number of the more outlying 'resorts' are basically not operational - just biding time until the beginning of the high season. My rent in a luxury resort is between 1/3 and 1/4 of the peak season price and I get a very deep discount on a motorbike...

Tourist establishments: restaurants, gift shops, tailor shops and bars - extremely low patronage. I walk by about six tailor shops in my daily exercise walk down and back on the tourist strip - I have yet to see even one customer in a tailor shop. The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners into the restaurants which are almost deserted in the daytime and not a lot better after dark. The 7-11s and Family Marts are busy - but the local Thai customers far outnumber Westerners .

Beach crowd: There is not crowd on the beach itself - scattered all day... The beach front street and shops - sidewalk are busy with tourists walking - as steady stream but not huge numbers.

All this indicates a fairly low - low season...

ADD: I have seen a fair number of people from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and India and some people who could be Muslims ... (educated guess about the origin the Asians...listening to the language, etc. )

Sounds like you need a hobby.

Its good to see they ran a bull dozer through the bamboo bars

My hobbies are (among many others) exercise walking, motorbike riding and observing what is going on around me. My reason for taking notice of the Tourist activity is planning for a business to serve Wester Tourist (not a bar or restaurant), and I have a very good understand of the occupancy rate because I stopped and ask dozens and dozens of managers about their available room - I was looking for a good bargain.

And as you know nothing about me - being so quick to make a flippant remark - It seems that you have a hobby - but need a life.

Sound just like a busybody to me, with too much time on their hands.

Low, low season ? Dozens and dozens of managers ? And this is based on your vast command of the Thai language and talking business with local hotel managers ?

I call BS on that.

Some hotels and hostels have average 95% occupancy so not just low season it just depends on how it it marketed.

I just sit down by the Ferry and dont give a Rats Ass for Experts. J.D. speaks reasonably.

[grumpyoldman]

Was at Railei about a week and a half ago, was quite surprised how bustling it was. Restaurants on the east side at lunch doing well, an ad at one bar for a band and party that night. Pretty happening for this time of year.

[BB1955]

Was there yesterday lots of Chinese lots

[JDGRUEN]

My observations: Low season was very slow a month and more ago - very flat... but it is what low season is... Beginning a couple of weeks ago I noticed on my beach road walks that activity was increasing - especially just before dusk ... dinner time I suppose.

There were quite a few small bars, restaurants and guesthouses, plus some dorm hostels went under this late spring... But this seems to be an annual settling out... as I see refurbished and new places opening up now. For some it just didn't work out as planned after a season or two... Others are coming in to try it their way... a cyclic thing it seems.

This is all good. My post about my observations last year were just to reflect the conditions as I saw them. This years high season January ... March was good - but from asking long timers here ... not quite as good as in years before. All of this is in concert with the news nationwide. There were a lot of Chinese tourists towards the end of High Season and a lot of Malaysians around Ramadan. Picking up Non Western tourist seems darn good way for rounding out a year's business to me.

Krabi - Ao Nang is a bit different Resort place ... a bit laid back - attracting families and older in age people. There is a nice sized crowd of young people for partying but nothing like Koh Samui ... The people with more disposable cash - trending to rich go to Railwai... Again just some observations and picking up information from local FB groups... Plus there is a fairly large number of what I call Long Stay 'Working' Tourists ... not really Expats but teachers, NGO workers, Dive Instructors, etc. who stay six months to a year and sometimes more.

I like it here and plan on staying...

[anotheruser]

"The Myanmar hawksters on the sideway are extremely aggressive trying to get Westerners"

Generally Nepalese not Burmese. Throw them a "namaste". Otherwise excellent post, thank you JDGRUEN. BR, GOM

Otherwise known as annoying. Thanks.