Travel Health Tips from a Doctor in Ao Nang
I have worked long days in a small clinic off the main road in Ao Nang, watching the beach light turn from silver to gold while managing everything from sunburn to motorbike injuries. The town draws divers, climbers, families on school holidays, and backpackers making their way down to the islands. Health questions follow them in, always the same and always different: Should I worry about mosquitoes? Where can I get a rabies shot if a dog nips me? Is the ice safe? Why is my stomach suddenly so unhappy?
If you plan ahead and keep your wits about you, most health issues in Krabi province are avoidable or at least manageable without ruining your trip. These notes come from the exam room, not from a brochure. They reflect what actually happens to travelers here and the judgment calls that make the difference between a blip and a disaster.
The first 48 hours: jet lag, heat, and stomach surprises
The first two days set the tone. Most visitors arrive dehydrated, underslept, and eager to squeeze every minute out of the sunshine. That combination leads to the earliest clinic visits. Jet lag in the tropics is tricky because the heat and humidity magnify fatigue. Your internal clock lags behind while the sun bulldozes forward.
On day one, treat yourself like an athlete between sessions. Drink more water than feels normal. If your urine is quite yellow by early afternoon, you are not keeping up. Air-conditioned rooms dry you out, beach heat finishes the job, then alcohol and coffee tip you over. Many people mistake the dizziness and headache of dehydration for “something I caught on the plane.” Rehydration salts work faster than water alone, especially if you also have a loose stool or two. Most minimarts in Ao Nang stock small packets of oral rehydration salts. Mix them properly, not too concentrated, and sip over an hour.
The stomach upsets that appear within 24 to 48 hours often trace back to travel stress and new ingredients rather than outright food poisoning. Chili, fish sauce, and coconut milk are a beautiful combination but heavy for a gut that just stepped off a 12-hour flight. If you want to try street food on night one, choose dishes cooked piping hot to order. Stir-fries and soups that steam in front of you are safer than pre-prepared salads. If your stomach complains, give it a calm day with plain rice, grilled chicken, broth, and bananas. Most mild cases settle in 24 hours if you rest and hydrate.
Heat, sun, and water: the hidden trio
The sea at Ao Nang looks benign. On certain days it is. On others, wind and tide create a push-pull under the surface that tires swimmers far from shore. The injuries I see fall into patterns: jellyfish stings, coral cuts, sunburn that blisters on day two, and muscle cramps from dehydration during long kayak trips. You can avoid most of these with small decisions.
Sunscreen only works if you use enough and reapply. An adult needs roughly a shot glass worth for full-body coverage. Reef-safe options are widely sold and perform well if applied 20 minutes before water exposure. Many visitors apply a thin sheen at the beach with the sun already high, then assume they are covered for hours. That is how we get the red shoulders and shins that bring people limping into a clinic Ao Nang doctors know well, especially after overcast mornings lull travelers into complacency. Clouds do not block UV. Rash guards and long-sleeve swim shirts remove guesswork and protect healing skin if you must go back out the next day.
Jellyfish arrive in pulses. When the wind shifts and the water looks glassy with small suspended strands, swim with caution. For box jellyfish and other problematic species, vinegar helps deactivate the stingers, but do not rub sand or freshwater on the area. Keep tweezers in a day bag. Visible tentacle pieces should be lifted off, not scraped. If you feel short of breath, dizzy, or nauseated after a sting, get medical attention quickly. Timing matters. A nearby doctor Ao Nang residents call during jellyfish weeks will walk you through first aid while you get to the clinic.
Coral cuts look tiny and behave badly. The fragments lodge in skin and invite infection. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, then use an antiseptic. If a cut becomes red, hot, or more painful by the next day, do not wait. The bacteria on coral and rocks thrive in warm water and can turn a pinprick into an abscess within 48 hours. I have treated more coral wound infections than I can count, and nearly all of them began with, “I thought it was small, so I went back into the sea.”
Mosquito realities: dengue, chikungunya, and practical prevention
Krabi province has Aedes mosquitoes, the daytime biters responsible for dengue and chikungunya. There is no once-and-done pill that prevents either. Your best tools are physical barriers and repellents. The question I get daily: Which repellent actually works? DEET at 20 to 30 percent, picaridin at 20 percent, or IR3535 at higher concentrations each provide several hours of protection if applied evenly to exposed skin. The difference is in how they feel on the skin and how long they last. Picaridin tends to be less oily and smells milder, which helps with compliance.
The second question: Do bracelets and citronella patches help? Not enough. They may reduce bites around the wrist, but they do not protect the ankles and calves where Aedes like to land. Cover your lower legs in the early morning and late afternoon. Lightweight trousers or long skirts do more than any bracelet. In rooms without window screens, run the air conditioning or use a fan. Mosquitoes struggle in brisk airflow.
Dengue often hits like a freight train: high fever, intense headache, pain behind the eyes, and bone-deep aches. If you have fever plus a rash and feel notably worse on day three, see a doctor. Paracetamol is safe for fever. Avoid ibuprofen and aspirin until dengue is ruled out, since they can increase bleeding risk if platelets drop. I have seen travelers push through day two on ibuprofen for joint pain, then land in the clinic with nosebleeds and a new worry they did not need to have.
Vaccines worth considering before you fly
No single vaccine list suits every traveler, but certain patterns hold. If you come from Europe, North America, or Australia, you likely have childhood protection against tetanus and measles. Make sure your tetanus shot is current within 10 years. Thailand occasionally sees measles outbreaks, and airport exposure is universal, so a completed MMR series is wise.
Hepatitis A vaccination pays off in Southeast Asia. The virus spreads through contaminated food and water and is vastly more common than tourists realize. Two shots spaced six months apart grant long-term protection. Hepatitis B matters if you anticipate medical procedures, dental work, new tattoos, or sexual contact with new partners. The combined A and B series can be accelerated if you begin before you travel.
Typhoid vaccination provides partial protection, not a force field. It helps if you plan to explore remote food markets and villages, but it does not excuse risky choices. Rabies pre-exposure vaccination is worth a serious conversation if you will be climbing, running, or volunteering with animals. Southern Thailand has rabies in dogs and bats. Pre-exposure shots simplify the schedule if you are bitten, and they buy you time if you are far from a clinic. But even with pre-exposure protection, you still need follow-up doses after a bite. I tell runners and climbers who frequent quiet trails and caves that the pre-exposure series is not overkill, it is prudence.
Japanese encephalitis risk rises in rural rice-growing regions with extended stays, especially during the rainy season. Ao Nang town itself poses low risk for short-term visitors. If your trip combines Krabi with weeks on farms or homestays upcountry, discuss it with your travel clinician.
Food and drink without the paranoia
Thai cooking rewards curiosity. The safest way to explore is to watch the workflow. Choose stalls where the ingredients turn over quickly and the cook runs a hot wok continuously. If a dish cools on the counter under the midday sun, skip it. Ice in established restaurants is produced from filtered water and arrives in uniform cubes; it is generally safe. Street vendors vary more. A good litmus test is whether locals are buying iced drinks from the same stall.
Many visitors blame “Thai food” when the real culprit is quantity and timing. Heavy meals at 10 pm, then beers, then a rushed breakfast before a boat trip, stack the deck against your gut. Space out big meals. If you have a sensitive stomach, ease up on chilies the first days. Carry a small kit: rehydration salts, loperamide for non-febrile diarrhea when travel forces you onto a bus or boat, and a short course of an antibiotic prescribed by your home clinician for moderate traveler’s diarrhea with fever or bloody stools. Do not start antibiotics for every loose bowel movement, and do not combine loperamide with high fever or blood in the stool.
A practical point from years in the clinic: dairy in coffee at unfamiliar cafes causes surprise for lactose-sensitive travelers. If you feel gassy or crampy after a morning latte, try black coffee or lactose-free milk and see if the symptoms settle.
The motorbike temptation and other trauma
It looks liberating, renting a scooter and zipping to Railay viewpoint or Tiger Cave Temple. Every week, I treat a handful of crashes, mostly from travelers with limited experience who misjudge gravel, wet concrete, or steep driveways. Helmets save faces and skulls. Many rental shops offer decorative half-helmets that slide back on impact. A proper full-face helmet, even if a bit sweaty, can be the difference between a bruise and reconstructive surgery. If a shop does not have helmets that fit snugly, walk out.
Road rash is not trivial. A palm-sized abrasion can become infected within two days if you keep swimming and do not clean it thoroughly. I irrigate these wounds with saline, remove grit with sterile gauze, apply a thin film of antibiotic ointment, and cover with a non-stick dressing. The dressing needs daily changes until a clean scab forms. Saltwater does not “disinfect” it, no matter what you hear on the beach. If your range of motion is limited by swelling or pain, get an X-ray sooner rather than later. The cost here is lower than most people expect, and prompt care prevents long-term problems.
If you do not have motorbike experience at home, hire a songthaew or tuk-tuk. The savings from DIY transport vanish the moment you slide on a corner. I have told many travelers, gently and sometimes firmly, that their flight is in three days and their knee cannot handle stairs with a fresh laceration.
Sea, rocks, and the climber’s hands
Ao Nang sits near Railay and Tonsai, where climbers dream of limestone. Skin is your limiting factor. Tape and finger care should be as central to your kit as your chalk bag. Wash hands thoroughly after climbing. Limestone dust and skin splits combine with tropical humidity to create breeding grounds for infection around the nail folds. If a split finger turns red and throbs, stop climbing and treat aggressively clinic aonang with warm soaks and antiseptic. I see more paronychia in climbers than in any other group during peak season.
Shoulder strains and ankle twists arrive on their own schedule. A quick rule: if you cannot bear weight for more than four steps right after an ankle injury, you need an X-ray. If your shoulder pain wakes you at night and you cannot lift your arm overhead after 48 hours of rest and ice, come in. Good soft tissue care early shortens your downtime. The clinics around Ao Nang coordinate easily with physiotherapists in Krabi Town if you need taping, ultrasound, or follow-up.
Hydration and electrolytes when the day runs long
A full-day boat tour visits four islands, includes snorkeling and a beach picnic, and offers drinks that never look like plain water. That is how evening headaches and leg cramps arrive. Water alone is fine up to a point. When you sweat through two shirts, add electrolytes. You do not need branded sports powders if you dislike them. Coconut water plus a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime is a good stand-in. The people who feel best on day three are the boring ones who sip a liter with breakfast, pack a second liter for the beach, and order a third with dinner. It does not make an exciting story, but it keeps you off my exam table.
If you follow a low-sodium diet at home for blood pressure, adjust this advice with judgment. You still need fluids. You may also need a bit more salt when you sweat heavily, but not a free-for-all. Travelers with heart or kidney conditions should check with their doctor before the trip. Those edge cases are real, and a five-minute conversation before you fly avoids complicated decisions under the Thai sun.
Allergies, bites, and rashes that come from nowhere
Skin reacts loudly in humid climates. Heat rash shows up as small, itchy red bumps in areas where sweat gets trapped: under straps, along the waistband, behind knees. The fix is airflow and cool showers, not thick creams. A thin dusting of zinc oxide powder helps. For mild allergic rashes after insect bites, a non-sedating antihistamine during the day and a sedating one at night often breaks the itch-scratch cycle. If you scratch deeply enough to break skin, clean the area and use an antiseptic. Secondary infection happens within 24 to 72 hours here and announces itself with increasing tenderness, a spreading red edge, or pus.
Bee stings are rare but memorable. If you know you carry severe allergy, keep your epinephrine auto-injector accessible, not buried in luggage. Clinics in Ao Nang stock epinephrine and steroids, but minutes matter in airway reactions. For less severe reactions, ice and antihistamines suffice. Mark the edge of a swelling with a pen and watch for progression. It is a simple, old-fashioned practice that helps us track improvement when you return for follow-up.
Where and how to get care locally
Medical care in Ao Nang spans small walk-in clinics, larger 24-hour facilities in Krabi Town, and private hospitals in Phuket for complex cases. For routine issues — traveler’s diarrhea that lingers, ear infections after diving, minor injuries, medication refills — a clinic in Ao Nang can handle evaluation, basic labs, simple wound care, and stitches. Many clinics can arrange same-day ultrasound or X-rays in Krabi Town if needed. Translation is rarely a problem, and payment is straightforward. Receipts with ICD codes help with insurance claims.
A frequent worry: Will I get a surprise bill? Costs vary by doctor aonang facility, but for context, a straightforward clinic visit with exam and standard medications often totals less than a dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant. Imaging, IV fluids, and after-hours procedures add up faster. Travel insurance with medical coverage is not a formality here. It turns a hard decision into a manageable errand. Bring a photo of your policy details or keep them saved offline. When time is tight, having those numbers ready helps us coordinate with insurers.
If you need aftercare, ask for a written plan. Any doctor Ao Nang is home to will expect travelers to move on to the islands or fly north. I write simple instructions with timings for dressing changes, doses in milligrams, and red flags that should trigger a return visit. Photographs of a wound at each dressing change, taken in consistent light, give us objective proof of progress.
Diving, ears, and sinus care
The Andaman Sea gives divers lovely days and occasional trouble. Ear barotrauma is the most common issue I treat after diving. It often stems from congestion after a flight or a mild head cold. If you cannot equalize easily on descent, abort the dive. Forcing it leads to pain, muffled hearing, and a feeling of fullness that can last days. Decongestant sprays used correctly can help, but timing and technique matter. A short-acting nasal spray 20 to 30 minutes before the dive can reduce mucosal swelling. Do not overuse these sprays for more than a few days, or you risk rebound congestion.
If you surface with ear pain and hearing changes, avoid another dive until you are assessed. A perforated eardrum is not obvious without an otoscope, and swimming with one invites infection. Most divers recover with rest, anti-inflammatories, and sometimes a short course of topical drops if the eardrum is intact. For sinus trouble, steam inhalation and gentle saline rinses work better than stacking decongestants. Board early for boats so you can choose a seat with less motion if your sinuses or ears feel off.
Dogs, monkeys, and the rabies question
Temples and beaches sometimes host semi-wild dogs and the occasional troop of macaques. They look photogenic and often are, right up until they are not. A monkey grabbing a snack may scratch in the scuffle. A dog may nip when startled. In this region, treat any break in the skin from a mammal bite as a potential rabies exposure until assessed. Immediate, forceful washing with soap and running water for 15 minutes makes a real difference. It is not folklore, it reduces viral load in the wound. Then come see us. We will assess your vaccination status and the bite characteristics, and we can start post-exposure prophylaxis on the spot.
If you had pre-exposure rabies shots, your follow-up is shorter and does not require immunoglobulin. If you did not, we will work quickly to source the appropriate products. This is one of those areas where a same-day visit changes the math dramatically. Do not wait to “see how it looks tomorrow.”
What to pack so you are your own first responder
Here is a short kit I recommend travelers keep. None of it takes much space, and it covers the first hour of most small problems:
- Oral rehydration salts, a small pack of paracetamol, and an antihistamine (one non-sedating for daytime, one sedating for night).
- A travel-sized antiseptic, a handful of adhesive bandages, a sterile gauze pack, and a small tube of antibiotic ointment.
- A tweezers and a tiny bottle of vinegar in a leakproof container for jellyfish stings, plus a strip of zinc oxide tape for blisters or climbing hands.
- Your regular medications in original packaging, a list of doses, and copies of prescriptions. Add a spare pair of corrective lenses if you wear contacts.
- A reliable repellent with DEET or picaridin, and a lightweight long-sleeve layer for dawn and dusk.
Keep this kit in your daypack, not your suitcase. I have watched people hobble into a clinic with a jellyfish sting wondering if their vinegar is back at the hotel. That is not the moment to go hunting through luggage.
Navigating medications in Thailand
Pharmacies in Ao Nang are competent and helpful. Many medicines are sold under different brand names or dosing strengths. If you need a refill, bring the generic name and dose from home. For example, if you take valsartan 80 mg daily, write it down as “valsartan 80 mg once daily,” not “Diovan.” Your pharmacist will find the correct molecule. If you need antibiotics, see a clinician rather than self-prescribing. It protects you from mismatched choices and protects the community from resistant bugs.
For controlled medications like strong painkillers, expect stricter regulation. If you rely on a particular drug at home, carry formal documentation and enough supply for your trip. Check airline and border rules for carrying controlled substances and keep everything in original packaging.
Insurance, paperwork, and when to escalate
Decide upfront what symptoms will prompt you to seek care, and do not renegotiate with yourself when the moment comes. Fever above 38.5 C that lasts longer than 24 hours, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting that prevents you from keeping fluids down, shortness of breath, chest pain, a deep or dirty wound, or neurological symptoms like confusion or weakness are all reasons to find a clinic now, not after your island tour. If you are traveling with children or older adults, lower your threshold. Infants dehydrate faster. Older travelers hide illness with stoicism, then present late and sicker.
Make a habit of photographing your passport ID page, insurance card, and important phone numbers and storing them in a password manager or secure notes app. When you are scattered by pain or fever, fumbling through emails is the last thing you need. Ao Nang clinics can call insurers for direct billing on larger cases, but only if we have the correct details.
Final thoughts from the consult room
Most health trouble here stems from underestimating small risks while focused on the big ones. People worry about sharks and end up with a coral infection. They plan for dengue and forget helmets. They bring a medicine chest and drink one glass of water in the heat of the day. The good news is that a few core habits prevent most clinic visits:
- Respect the sun and heat with clothing, fluids, and timing, not bravado.
- Let mosquitoes lose interest in you through coverage and proper repellents.
- Eat adventurously while watching for freshness and heat, and pace yourself.
- Treat the sea like an athlete’s arena: warm up, protect your skin, and cool down with electrolytes.
- If something feels off in a way you cannot explain, check in early. A clinic Ao Nang travelers trust will gladly see you for reassurance rather than wait for a crisis.
Ao Nang rewards those who meet it halfway. If you arrive prepared, listen to your body, and seek help when something crosses the line from nuisance to concern, you will spend your time where you planned to be: on the sand at sunset, in the water with clear lungs and calm ears, and at dinner savoring the spice without fear. And if you do need a hand, know that the doctor Ao Nang locals refer to on your street is probably a short walk away, ready to patch, guide, and send you back out safely.
Takecare Clinic Doctor Aonang
Address: a.mueng, 564/58, krabi, Krabi 81000, Thailand
Phone: +66817189080
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