Chao Fah Park

Come in the evening. That's the whole trick with this riverside strip in central Krabi town: by day it's an exposed stretch of walkway with almost no shade, and the midday heat off the water is punishing. One reviewer wrote it off as a long boat ferry point, and in the middle of the afternoon that's a fair reading. After dark it turns into something else entirely, with food stalls setting up along the waterfront, coloured lighting on the paths, and the Chao Fah statue looking properly good lit from below.

The riverside promenade runs about five kilometres, so it doubles as a jogging track for locals, and there are tennis courts too. Longtail boats moor and leave from the piers alongside, which gives the place a working edge rather than the manicured feel of a tourist park. Bars, restaurants and rooftop spots sit nearby. Reviewers keep mentioning how clean it is, and evenings draw families and couples rather than any kind of rowdy crowd.