What to bring – and what to leave at home
Pack lightweight clothes, unless you’re coming in the rainy season (May – October), in which case you should bring a light (non-woolly) sweater or cardigan. Unless you are staying at a five star resort, formal clothes are rarely necessary – Krabi is very laidback and casual dress (though not swimwear) is acceptable everywhere. Laundry services are widely available at around 35-40 Baht per kilo.
Sunglasses are a must – the sun is extremely strong. Well-priced designer sunglasses can be bought from opticians here; while the fake versions you can buy on the street are cheaper, they rarely offer any actual sun protection. Bring at least one pair of flip-flops or slip-on shoes (or buy them here). As well as being cooler, they are also easily removed before entering a Thai home or temple. A small flashlight can be useful for occasional power cuts or to find your way back to your bungalow at night if you are staying at the beach or at a remote guest-house.
Other weather-related items you may like to bring are a packable poncho or rain jacket which, even if not raining, can be worn or used to cover valuables on boats to keep the spray off. A proper dry bag (can also be bought here) would be even better suited for this purpose. A cap, sunhat or even a parasol is also recommended.
Other holiday essentials such as sunblock, batteries, camera memory cards, mosquito repellent as well as basic brand-name toiletries such as Colgate, Nivea and L’Oreal are widely available here, so there’s no need to panic if you run out! Both Boots and Watsons stores can be found in Ao Nang and Krabi Town.
If you plan to spend a great deal of time in the water, you might want to bring your own snorkel and mask – although these are usually provided on boats, or can also be purchased here. Some people may also want to bring their own specialised equipment for diving and climbing, though again these can be bought or rented very easily.
Electricity in Thailand
The standard voltage in Thailand is 220V with a frequency of 50Hz. Most laptop computers and chargers do not require a converter but check with your manufacturer before you come.
The standard Thai socket accepts many kinds of plugs:
The picture shows an earthed 3-pin socket, found in the vast majority of hotels and in many homes in developed areas. The alternative socket is a 2-pin version of this one (without the third hole on the right). This would be found in older bungalows and guesthouses, usually 2 star and below.
Both the 2 pin and 3 pin sockets will accept any Type A, Type C and Type E plugs (the flat pin or round pin plugs used in most of Continental Europe and America). These plugs are shown above.
The 3 pin sockets (if you are staying in a hotel or villa that has them) will also accept Type B 3-pin plugs, which have 2 flat pins and 1 round pin at the top.
Any other type of plug, including UK, Singaporean, Indian and Australian plugs, will require an adaptor; choose one that converts to Continental European plugs to be safe.