I am looking to climb in Thailand in Krabi this November. Could anyone recommend a place to stay that is close to the beach and the climbs, is clean and comfortable. A resort is not out of the question as I will be with a woman friend, and also priced reasonable, is that too much to ask for??? any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Stay in Railay Bay - right on the beach - right at the climbing - and you won't have to travel by long-tail boat every morning to get to the crags.

On the Peninsula there are a ton of affordable places to stay (some nicer than others), but everything in Thailand is a lot cheaper than stuff in the states... You can splurge and get a nice bungalow, air conditioning and even warm water (which is not really needed there), and not spend more than $30 to $40 a night. You might also want to consider the Tonsai side of the Peninsula because that is where most the climbers stay.

Hope this helps

I heard that Tonsai Beach property was mostly bought up be a 5-Star hotel chain and most of the small places to stay have been chased out. Aynbody have an update on the current situation?? If this is true, I'm not sure where all the climbers will be staying this season.

You can spend a lot more than USD50 per night on Riley for a good hotel during winter (peak season). And you will need to book way in advance.

My experience agrees with Sara's. 2 years ago there where places to stay with all kinds of prices and amenities. Krabi proper would not be the place to stay if you want to climb. Railey/Tonsai is a boat ride away and had tons of places. What we did was make a reservation for 2 nights, and looked around whilst there.
Wee's place is tucked back up in Tonsai, and is a good place to get a post-climb vibe flowing

Last month there were very few people staying at Tonsai beach. We found a bungalow for $5 U.S. a night. If you are looking for more comfortable accomodations, then stay at Railay, but if you don't mind cold showers and electricity only between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. the vibe and company at Tonsai is great, plus you are closest to the climbing.

I spent a over a month there in the fall of 06. I agree with Sneaky Steve, Tonsai is cheap and its almost all climbers. Easy access to Railay too. Not sure if there's been any changes in the last two years though