1. Take a flight

Flights to Krabi town leave from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport and take under 90 minutes to reach their destination. A number of airlines make this connection.

There are many flights between Bangkok and Krabi Town every day, so it's worth checking and comparing prices–flights at inconvenient times (very early mornings or late in the evenings) are often cheaper.

Once you arrive at Krabi International Airport, you'll have to figure out transportation, as the airport lies 15 kilometers outside town. Air-conditioned shuttle buses, songthaew (shared pick-up taxis), and standard taxis are always waiting outside the airport. Always negotiate a flat fare before you start the ride to avoid being overcharged.

2. Krabi by Train and Bus

If your heart is set on train travel, the bad news is that you can't travel from Bangkok to Krabi that way, as Krabi doesn't have a train station – but you can take a train to Surat Thani and then use a bus for the rest of the journey. This would allow you to do the overnight bit of the trip on a comfortable sleeper train, then travel just a few hours by bus to reach Krabi.

All trains to Surat Thani leave from Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station. Although there are daytime options available, sleeper trains provide a much nicer way to travel. For example, if you take the 6:30pm or 7:30pm train, you'll arrive in Surat Thani at 6:25am and 7:10am, respectively.

The cheapest trains are 2nd Class Sleepers Fan (meaning no AC is available on the train), followed by 2nd Class AC seats only (no beds). For true comfort, your best choices are 2nd Class Sleepers with AC and 1st Class Sleepers with AC. First-class offers the choice of private cabins for just two people, while in second class trains, the berths are in an open carriage with many other passengers.

Once you arrive in Surat Thani, you can catch a small local bus, which takes about three to four hours to reach Krabi. You can reserve bus and train tickets separately through an online travel portal or buy both as a combined trip directly at the train station. Otherwise, just buy the train ticket and then get a bus seat once you arrive in Surat Thani.