Railay Beach, Thailand

Overview Railay Beach

Rai Leh Beach is really a collection of 4 beaches on a rocky pennisula just East of Ao Nang. Tham Phra Nang beach is the crown jewel ... West Rai Lei, Ton Sai Beach and East Railey offer walking distance alteratives. Railay Beach is the very beautiful.

The west side of the headland features a beautiful curved beach backed by limestone cliffs and jungle which provide contrast with the flat blue waters of the Andaman sea. The very picture of tropical paradise, it is a favourite place for climbers and water sport enthusiasts.

Accommodation choice is surprisingly varied for such a small area - everything to luxury resort style to the most basic bungalows, and a few restaurants and bars provide the basic necessities.

High season is busy, but it's also worth making a trip in low season when most activities can still be enjoyed, and monsoon weather changes provide spectacular views over the ocean.

The east side of Rai Leh Beach is home mostly to mangroves, some accommodation and restaurants, and tends to be the backpacker spot.

Rai Leh West is the beach used to get fantail transport to Ao Nang village, Rai Leh East was for boats that go to Krabi Town, though the latter requires at least 10 passengers and takes 50 minutes. It is often quicker to go to Ao Nang village and take the local bus to Krabi instead.

What to do on Railay Beach?
-swim, sun, and having fun
-some snorkeling
-ROCK CLIMBING
-jungle walks
-photo taking
-massage
-island tours by longtail
-tour to Ao Nang by longtail (20 minutes)

Nightlife on Railay
Night life on Railay Beach moves about from one resort bar to another during the week as each bungalow or resort operation takes it in turns to have a beach party. Enjoy the special atmosphere of a party at Railay Bay or Tonsai Village where the sands of the railay beach host moonlite parties until the sun comes up. (but by no means anything like Koh Phangan's fullmoon party scene).

Railay Bars
Coco's restaurant on East Railay is a must, the food and atmosphere of this forest bar & restaurant are beyond compare. The new manager is named Billie and he comes from Koh Jum and the former 'Billie Bar' ... a jolly good lad who is boucing back from the loss of his bungalow operation in 2004. Live music can be found at Ya Ya's bar during the high season, and is a good place to meet people.

One of the newest bars on East Railay also hosts one of the best parties, The Viewpoint Bar. Though not on the beach, the View Point Bar is a large open bar with big balconies where everyone can easily watch the mesmerizing fire-spinners or wince at the preformers who use large pins and broken glass in their acts.