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Noppharat Thara Beach or Hat Noppharat Thara is  a 3-kilometre long sandy beach located 6 kilometres from Ao Nang. The beach, paved with tiny seashells, was formerly called "Hat Khlong Haeng" by locals, which means dried canal beach. The canal will dry up during low tide and the area turns into a long beach. The headquarters of Noppharat Thara Beach - Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park are situated here. The park covers a large area both onshore and offshore.

Eighteen km to the northwest of Krabi, this beach boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The name Hat Noppharat Thara is Pali-Sanskrit for Beach of the Nine Gemmed Stream, and was given to the area by Field Marshall Sarit who was impressed by its sheer beauty. In days gone by, this area was a haven for pirates, who used the abundance of islands and caves for cover. However, today it is widely reputed as one of the most scenic coastal areas anywhere.

As a result of its stunning environs, this beach is one of the favorites among Thais, and construction has recently begun on a new royal residence. Although some of the surrounding beaches have given way to development, Hat Noppharat Thara remains protected by its status as a part of the Hat Noppharat Thara National Marine Park. As a result, facilities at Hat Noppharat Thara are very limited, but there is a visitor center with restrooms, and maps of the area.

Transportation from Krabi to Hat Noppharat Thara is readily available in many forms. Songthaews are available every fifteen minutes from Maharat Road, Soi 6. This service usually stops around 6:00 PM in the high season, and 4:00 PM in the low season. In addition, boats are available from the tourist pier in Krabi for a fee of 20 baht, and during the high season from Hat Pranang, for a fee of 10 baht.

Within Hat Noppharat, close to Ao Nang, lies Susaan Hoi. The name literally translates as the "Shell Cemetery" where fossilized shells lie perfectly preserved, embedded in layer upon layer of shell and rock. The fossils date back thousands of years when the area was a large freshwater swamp inhabited by little creatures who lived and died by the millions, now petrified.

If you are interested in fossils you will find it totally fascinating and it's worth bearing in mind, there are only two other sites like it in the world; one in the US and the other in Japan.

There is also a small museum nearby describing the site history and giving details of the fossils plus a number of shops selling shells (none of which are found at the site, or in nearby waters.)