Krua Thara ครัวธารา — Restaurant in Krabi Province

This place was here before Ao Nang was even known as a tourist destination, and I wonder if the town would have become what it is today had Krua Thara not pioneered it? Som Kiet, the owner, is a gracious and benevolent figure, mild-mannered and friendly, who can tell you the whole history of Ao Nang's development.

But let's talk about the food!

This place is the real deal, with authentic Thai cuisine made from local fresh ingredients, which means some types of fish may not be available depending on the season - for instance I wanted Butterfly fish in December but had to go with Red Snapper instead. Your fish choice can be prepared in many ways, and with many seasoning choices, and you can't go wrong with any of them.

I recommend the horseshoe crab appetizer, which looks scary but is a wonderful starter. The coconut seafood curry is served in a hollowed coconut and you simply can't achieve a flavor so fresh and clean with canned coconut milk back in the 'States. Tiger prawns are immense, and come with a green nam prik that's like perfect cross between chutney, salsa verde, and fish sauce. This same green sauce is paired with raw oysters and other shellfish / molluscs, and we could not get enough of it.

There's so much variety of seafood that you can't possibly sample everything in one visit, so if you're staying in Ao Nang, be sure to come back repeatedly. If you're staying at Railay or Tonsai beach, it's definitely worth paying for a longtail boat just to go here for dinner, in fact.

The location is at the very north-west end of Ao Nang, away from the main drag and near where the speedboat tours load up. You won't have a view of the beach, but you won't care once you see the picture-heavy menu! If you spend your whole time eating only from the mid-level restaurants along the main drag, then I would say you've missed out on a...

If you’re visiting Ao Nang, Krabi, Khrua Thara is an absolute must-visit for seafood lovers. Every dish we ordered was incredibly fresh and full of flavor — so good, in fact, that we had to come back for one more meal before leaving Krabi!

The seafood here is super fresh, and the prices are very reasonable. Unlike many tourist spots, Khrua Thara doesn’t overcharge — no hidden fees or inflated prices. The atmosphere is relaxed, and after your meal, you can take a peaceful walk along the beautiful Noppharat Thara Beach, which is just nearby.

Highly recommended dishes: • Steamed mixed seafood • Deep-fried fish with three-flavor sauce • Stir-fried Bai Liang (Melinjo leaves) with egg • Sour curry (Gaeng Som) • Seafood fried rice • Stir-fried sataw (stink beans) with spicy shrimp

Free parking is available in the area near the restaurant.

Don’t miss this spot when you’re in Ao Nang — it’s a true hidden...

A Mixed Experience but Great Crab Salad! I visited this restaurant based on a blog recommendation, and while my experience was mixed, there were some highlights. I went on November 4th, which might have affected the freshness of the seafood. Sadly, the seafood curry in coconut was a letdown – lacking coconut flavor and featuring chewy, flavorless seafood. The steamed white snapper was decent but overpriced, while the fried snapper was a better choice. On a positive note, the crab salad was absolutely delicious! The restaurant lacked ambiance due to being empty, and the service was average. Overall, an okay experience, but the crab salad was a standout dish...