bali or krabi?
Both are short flights from KL for beaches and scenery, so they compete for the same week off. Bali is a big island with rice terraces, temples and a strong café scene, while Krabi is all about limestone cliffs, clear water and boat trips.
bali
Dear group chat,Rice terraces in Ubud, sunsets in Uluwatu.Read the guide →To: whoever’s drivingBaliID, Bali
krabi
Dear group chat,Limestone cliffs straight out of the sea, longtail boats and island hopping.Read the guide →To: whoever’s drivingKrabiTH, Krabi
- From KL
- baliAbout 1,960 km
- krabiAbout 630 km
- Best months
- baliApr–Oct
- krabiNov–Apr
- Vibe
- baliTemples, rice terraces, cafés and surf
- krabiLimestone cliffs, longtail boats and islands
- Beaches
- baliSurf beaches and clifftop sunsets in the south
- krabiCalm Andaman bays and island beaches
- Food
- baliBabi guling, nasi campur, Jimbaran seafood
- krabiSouthern Thai curries and beachside seafood
- Halal food
- baliAvailable, but pork is common, so plan ahead
- krabiEasy to find; there's a large Muslim community
- Getting there
- baliAbout 3 hours' flight to Denpasar
- krabiAbout 1.5 hours' flight to Krabi
- Best for
- baliCulture, cafés and a longer trip
- krabiIsland hopping on a shorter break
Go bali if…
- you want rice terraces, temples and culture as well as beaches
- café hopping and nice places to stay are part of the plan
- you're travelling between April and October
- you have four or five days to split between two areas
Go krabi if…
- island hopping is the main plan
- you only have a long weekend and want a short flight
- you're travelling between November and April
- you'd like halal food to be easy to find
The verdict
Bali has more variety but needs more time, because traffic between areas is slow. Krabi is the simpler beach trip, with a shorter flight and the boats doing most of the work. Can't decide? Let the calendar choose: Bali in its dry season from April to October, Krabi from November to April.