Tonsai Beach is the lesser known beach of Railay peninsula. At a length of around 600 metres, it runs on from Railay West, separated by a rock face at high tide, and faces south. Stuck between two high limestone cliffs, it can be reached by foot from Railay West at low tide. Quieter than the other beaches, Tonsai Beach hosts a few hotels with names like Dream Valley Resort, Tonsai Bay Resort or Mountain View Resort, as well as some beach restaurants and bars, that makes it really the perfect place to get away from it all.
The beach of Tonsai is not renowned to provide vacationers with great swimming or snorkelling: reefs and rocks right in front of the sand make it dangerous; at low tide, it is almost impossible to beach at Tonsai, even for long-tail boats. A legend says that in the eighties, the beach was owned by an Australian citizen who tried to sell it to Club Med; when the Club Med people came, it was low tide and their long-tail boat could not reach the shore. The Australian then decided to dig a channel with dynamite in a way to make the beach accessible whatever the tide level. Unfortunately, after months of efforts, the channel was still not large enough to be usable, so he gave up. This means the rugged and more untouched vibe around Tonsai remains even today.
- 4 Islands Day Trip
- Rainforest Discovery Tour
- Phi Phi Islands Excursion by Speedboat
- Excursion to Hong Islands via Speedboat
- Ban Bor Thor Kayaking Full-Day Tour
- Sunset Cruise in Catamaran over Andaman Sea
- Whitewater Rafting & 4-Wheel-Drive Adventure
- Phi Phi Islands Tour with Express Boat
- Ao Thalane Kayaking Adventure
- Shared Shuttle: Krabi Airport (KBV)

Regarding the activities available at Tonsai Beach, visitors can enjoy sea-kayaking (a few stores have kayaks for rent) and scuba diving (a few dive shops are available here). But the main activity on offer at Tonsai remains rock climbing: the tall limestone cliffs surrounding the beach offer the perfect playground for experienced rock climbers (the grades of climbing difficulty vary here from 5 to 8c). There is a climbing school on site if you’d like to learn this thrilling activity.
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Tonsai Beach cliffs
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Long-tail boats beached on Tonsai - Krabi
Recommended Hotel in Tonsai Beach - Railay
Tonsai Bay Resort
Tonsai Bay Resort is a perfect accommodation choice for those dreaming about a castaway tropical destination; located right on the beach in the northern area of Railay, it is difficult to find a more secluded place.Railay is a peninsula separated from the mainland by an outcrop of tall limestone cliffs which make it impossible for a a road to reach it, so the only way to get there is by boat, which adds an adventurous touch to the tropical holiday atmosphere of the area.The resort counts 40 air-conditioned villas available in two types: Superior and Deluxe.All of them feature the following basic amenities: private patio, satellite television, safety deposit box, and refrigerator/fully-stocked mini-bar. Read More...
Tonsai Beach
- How to get there: From Ao Nang, get a long-tail boat ticket (100 baht) at the booth located along the beach road (toward its southern end). At low tide, you can get there on foot from Railay West.
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