The sandy beach and pristine blue water at Railay Beach
Railay Beach is the beach area surrounding the Railay Peninsula, a small peninsula between Ao Nang and Krabi. It consists of 4 main areas – East Railay, West Railay, Phra Nang, and Tonsai. Railay is also pronounced as “Rai Leh”.
Railay Beach is known as a island paradise away from the hustle and bustle of city traffic. There are no roads, no cars, and no noisy honks as the area is isolated from Krabi mainland by limestone cliffs. Such rocky setting makes Railay Beach a well-known spot for rock climbing, with more than 700 bolted routes operated by numerous climbing guide companies.
If you are not that into rock climbing, trekking would be a less challenging alternative. Between Phra Nang and East Railay, there is an upward trekking path to a lookout-point which takes approximately 30-35 minutes. From the top, you can trek downward for 20-25 minutes to a lagoon hidden in the jungle named “Holy Princess Pool” or “Sa Phra Nang”.
Towards the Phra Nang area, you can visit Phra Nang Cave and Phra Nang Shrine for its spectacular . Railay Beach is also a great place to just laze around and relax, especially at West Railay Beach and Phra Nang Beach, with white sandy beaches and clear water for swimming. The best spot to watch sunset is at the bar on West Railay Beach. For food lovers, East Railay is the place to go, where you will be spoilt for choice of bars and restaurants.
| How to get there: | ||
Railay Beach is located in between Ao Nang and Krabi, and is accessible only by boat.
From Ao Nang, you can take a long tail boat to Railay Beach, which costs THB80-150 per person and takes approximately 10-15 minutes.
If you are travelling from Krabi Town, you can board a long tail boat at Chaofah Pier straight to Railay Beach, which costs THB100-150 per person and takes approximately 30-45 minutes. Note that long tail boat from Krabi Town is not available during rainy season.
Whether it is from Ao Nang or Krabi Town, the long tail boat will usually wait until it has 8-10 passengers. However, you can charter the whole boat for around THB1500.
It is also possible to get into Railay Beach from Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi and Phuket as regular ferry trips are available.
| Opening hour and entrance fee: | ||
Railay Beach is open daily with plenty of resorts and budget accommodation around.
| Recommended Hotels in Railay Beach, Krabi |
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| Railay Village Resort (4 stars) | ||
| A cozy and relaxing beach front resort in West Railay Beach. | ||
| Sand Sea Resort (3 stars) | ||
| The beach front bungalow is one of the most preferred options. | ||
| Railay Bay Resort & Spa (4 stars) | ||
| Rated as one of the best value resorts in Krabi. | ||
| Sunrise Tropical Resort (4 stars) | ||
| The villa is perfect for honeymooner. | ||
| Browse all Krabi Hotels >> |
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