Railay is the name of a small peninsula just south of Ao Nang. It's part of the mainland, but is inaccessible by road due to the impressive towering cliffs that cut it off from the highway.This inaccessibility gives Railay Beach a special 'island feel', which, with the spectacular scenery, draws many visitors every year. It's probably the most popular place in Krabi to spend Christmas and New Year, with the limited number of rooms filling up around six months in advance.
There are three sides to the Railay Beach peninsula, two of which boast spectacular beaches: the west-facing Sunset Beach and Phra Nang Bay . Both could be ranked among the best beaches in Thailand , with their wide expanses of powder white sand sloping down to emerald green water.
Accommodation on these two sides is naturally the more expensive; there are cheaper rooms on the mangrove-lined east coast, within around 10-15 minutes' walk from the main beaches.
Of course, there are no cars or roads in Railay, which also gives the place a relaxed feel. Lazy days are spent by the pool or on the beach; more active people can try their hand at rock-climbing, for which Railay is rightly famous.
There are many climbing schools that run courses for complete beginners as well as those who want to improve their skills.
Railay Beach is often the gorgeous shot featured on tourist posters of Thailand and there are endless postcard pictures to be taken so don’t forget your camera. At the far end of Phra Nang beach you will find a small cave with a shrine notable for its phallic statues.
In fact it is dedicated to a deity known locally as Sri Kunlathewi who, according to legend, was apparently an Indian princess wrecked on this coast in the 3rd century BC and has been called upon by fishermen ever since to provide them with a good catch.
The really adventure-minded can climb a rugged path up the side of this impressive karst cliff to discover a hidden lake in its centre. At night, Railay is fairly quiet, with a few small beach bars, although there is a pocket of lively, rasta-style bars on the east side which stay open late and often have live music and fire shows.The girlie-bar scene is completely absent from here as the majority of visitors are either families or young backpackers.
How to Get There
To get to Railay you will need to take a longtail boat from either Krabi Town or Ao Nang. From Krabi Town the journey is around 30 minutes and boats arrive on the east side beach.
From Ao Nang, the journey is around 15 minutes, and boats arrive either on Sunset Beach or on Phra Nang Bay . It is also possible to visit Railay on a day trip from anywhere on the mainland; indeed many people stay in Ao Nang, which has cheaper accommodation, but spend all their days here.
The beautiful beach at Phra Nang Bay is also the last stop on the 'four-island' tour from Ao Nang.
