Commonly called Railay Beach, Railay is in fact a peninsula located a 10-minute’s long-tail boat ride south of the downtown hub of Ao Nang, the prime resort town in Krabi Province. Railay is an intriguing place due to its remoteness, and to the fact it can only be accessed by boat. The land access is technically impossible because of the huge limestone cliffs that effectively cut off this exotic paradise from the rest of the mainland.
Railay Peninsula hosts four beaches a walking distance from each other: Railay Beach West and East, Phra Nang Beach, and Tonsai Beach; the latter can be reached on foot from Railay Beach West only at low tide. Each beach attracts a different type of guest. Most Railay hotels are located in the central part of the headland just a stroll away from the beaches. Tonsai Beach, which is on the western side of the peninsula, has its own accommodation choices.
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Railay at a Glance
Railay has all the assets to offer you a memorable holiday off the beaten track. Thanks to its remoteness and to the fact it can only be visited by boat, this small peninsula seems to be stuck a light-year-away from our modern world. A holiday in Railay is almost like travelling back in time. Fortunately, the seclusion of the area doesn’t mean that the hotels and the satellite businesses do not feature modern technologies such as Wi-Fi connection and mobile phone communication.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT RAILAY:
Four beaches to explore
Exotic, tropical landscape
Wide range of hotel prices
Many hotels right on the beach
WHAT IS LESS GOOD:
Only accessible by boat
Barely developed
Few shopping opportunities
Things You Can Do in Railay
Featuring four beaches, Railay is obviously the right place to enjoy nautical activities, especially sea kayaking. The limestone nature of the cliffs that separate Railay from the mainland makes this area the prime rock climbing destination in south Thailand. Last but not least, Railay is also a great port of embarkation to go island hopping. If this is your first time in Railay, the following things to do should be on your bucket-list…
4 Beaches of Railay
Accessible only from the sea, Railay's four beaches Ton Sai, Railay West, Railay East and Phra Nang (often referred to Read More»
Rock Climbing in Krabi
Railay is the rock climbing capital of Thailand, many people who've never considered trying it before end up learning Read More»
Phra Nang Princess Cave
The cave, on the east side of the Railay Bay is famous for its wonderful stalactites and stalagmites. Since ancient Read More»
Best Places to Go at Night in Railay
Despite its “welcome to the jungle” touch, Railay hosts a good choice of places to have fun after dark. Obviously, it’s not here that you will enjoy the latest technologies in matter of sound and lighting effects, but are they necessary to spend a great night out? Most of the venues in Railay may be made of bamboo-and-thatch, they nevertheless feature a refrigerator that allow you to sip fresh drinks all night long. If you come for the first time to Railay,the following nightspots are not to be missed...
Bamboo Bar
Bamboo Bar is a fun bar and live music venue with a great beach-style atmosphere and a full cocktail menu, located at Read More»
Lucky Restaurant and Last Bar at Railay
The charmingly named Last Bar got its moniker as it used to be the last bar on the main strip in Railay. The footpath Read More»
Tew Lay Bar
Situated on a small cape, Tew Lay Bar has the vintage vibe of the first bars that settled in Railay in the eighties. Read More»
Great Restaurants We Like in Railay
From budget to mid-range to upscale, the dining scene in Railay hosts a restaurant for everyone. Whether they are part of a resort, or standalone, the restaurants in Railay offer you a great choice of international and local specialities, including the freshest seafood you can get. We’ve picked out three absolute must-try restaurants for your first time in Railay. The first of them is a unique fine-dining venue settled inside a cave. The second one is a delicious Indian restaurant. The third one is an unpretentious bamboo and thatch affair that serves delicious Thai cuisine at affordable rates.
The Grotto at Rayavadee Resort
The Grotto sits in the wider Rayavadee Resort and is so named due to its location beneath a craggy limestone cliff that Read More»
Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Pizza
Kohinoor Indian Restaurant & Pizza is located at the foot of the limestone tower in the central part of Railay
Local Thai Food Restaurant offers just what the name suggests: authentic Thai cuisine at local prices. The restaurant is Read More»
Hotels in Railay We Recommend to Our Friends
Whichever the beach you decide to stay in Railay, you’ll find here a great choice of budget and mid-range accommodation options, as well as a few upscale resorts. The specific geographic location of Railay makes that most hotel here can be described as beachfront. You can pick mostly any hotel hotel in Railay, you’ll just have to walk maximum two minutes to reach of the beaches. Railay is certainly a top-notch beach lover’s holiday destination…
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