Railay Beach – About Railay Beach in Thailand

Railay Beach is a climber’s delight. This stunning beach is to be found on the Andaman coast of Thailand and is also known as Rai Leh. Located in Krabi Province, the outstanding fact about Railay Beach is that its landscape is full of dramatic cliffs and mountains, which makes it popular with those who enjoy climbing. This beach forms a peninsula which includes 4 different areas – Rai Leh East, Rai Leh West, Ton Sai and Phra Nag. This peninsula is incredibly peaceful because it is isolated from the mainland of Thailand and inaccessible to cars. There is nothing to interfere with the natural beauty and character of the place. Since nature is the main attraction to Railay, it’s best to visit between November and May, when rain will not interrupt your outings.

Getting there

The trip to Railay Beach is long and somewhat complicated. You can begin by flying to Phuket or Krabi. Boat is the only means of transportation to the resorts in this secluded area. Long tail boats are slow but create a nice atmosphere for your arrival. From Krabi by long tail boat is a trip of about 30 minutes and from Ao Nang it’s only 10 minutes. Krabi, Phuket and Ko Phi Phi also have regular ferry service to the peninsula, at least in the peak season for tourism. This means it’s easy to decide on the spur of the moment to visit the exotic world that is Rai Lay. Do not wear your best clothes for this trip. If you leave from Ao Nang, you will have to do some wading just to get out to the boat.

Beaches

There are a number of different beaches, as mentioned earlier. One thing you will notice about Railay Beach is that all the areas are quiet. This is place popular with climbers, families and explorers, not people who are looking to party as in many other tourist spots in Thailand. The most popular beaches are listed below with a short description of each:

West Railay Beach

This is a gorgeous place for swimming and sunbathing in comfort. The beach is known for its large “sleeping Indian” rock, a natural rock formation which resembles exactly that. Another name for this beach is Sunset Beach. If you are here in the late afternoon, you will experience an amazing sunset like you have never seen before.

East Railay Beach

If you are on a tight budget, this is the place to stay. Here you will find plenty of less expensive accommodation such as bungalows. Perhaps the reason for the lower prices is that the beach is not suitable for sunbathing or swimming. You can walk to one of the other beaches, though, and in the evening you can visit East Railay’s pleasant restaurants and bars.

Tonsai

This is the most popular beach for mountain climbers. Families will also appreciate the large beach area with its shallow water. Accommodation is very basic, mostly inexpensive bungalows which are geared toward climbers who are out on the cliffs all day.

Phra Nang

With its lovely white sand and sparkling water, Phra Nang deserves its reputation as Thailand’s most beautiful beach. The fact that there are no sports requiring motors, on either the land or the water, helps to preserve the charming, tranquil atmosphere. While you are sitting relaxing on this beach, it is interesting to watch climbers who tackle the big rocks right on the beachfront.

Sightseeing

Railay Beach has a wealth of spectacular views, this particularly from the cliff tops and the mountains. The towering Phra Nang cave is a favorite spot to visit. Enjoy admiring the local wildlife. Don’t touch the cute monkeys, though; remember they are wild animals and may well try to bite you. Kayaking and snorkeling are great ways to see the amazing rock formations above and below the surface of the water. Now that you have learned about Railay Beach, you probably can’t wait to go there.