Railay ( th, ไร่เลย์, ), also known as Rai Leh, is a small peninsula between the city of

Krabi Krabi ( th, กระบี่, ) is the main town in the province of Krabi (''thesaban mueang'') on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phang Nga Bay. As of 2020, the town had a population of ...

and

Ao Nang Ao Nang ( th, อ่าวนาง, ) is a resort town and one of the ten subdistricts (tambon) of Mueang Krabi District, Krabi, Thailand. Geography Ao Nang is a central point of the coastal province of Krabi, Thailand. The town consists chief ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

. It is accessible only by boat due to high

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

cliffs cutting off mainland access. These cliffs attract

rock climbers Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically an ...

from all over the world, but the area is also popular due to its beautiful beaches and quiet relaxing atmosphere. Accommodation ranges from bungalows and medium-priced resorts in East Railay to a collection of luxury resorts focused on West Railay, though one, Royavadee, spans both waterfronts and also has a beachfront restaurant at Ao Phra Nang. The four main areas of Railay consist of Phra Nang, West Railay, East Railay, and Ton Sai. Ton Sai caters to climbers and the backpacker set and is more rustic than the glitz of West Railay and the shops and restaurants of the East Railay boardwalk. Railay beach was not severely affected by the

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater exp ...

of 26 December 2004.

East Railay

East Railay Beach is the docking point for boats arriving from

. The East Beach is primarily covered in dense

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in severa ...

s and is unsuitable for swimming. At the northern end of the waterfront, there is a commercial area along a boardwalk/promenade with many restaurants and bars and various services including a muay Thai school, and lower-priced resorts than in West Railay. Above, on the trail that leads to Ton Sai, is the Diamond Cave, which features a walkway into its depths. At the southern end of the boardwalk, there is access to a public trail that meanders under overhanging limestone cliffs and provides access to Phra Nang Beach.

West Railay

West Railay Beach, connected to the east side by paths through the large resorts or by trails through thin jungle cover, is the primary destination for beach-goers in Railay. The beach is flanked by high limestone cliffs on either side.

Long-tail boat The long-tail boat, ( th, เรือหางยาว, , ) is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable powerplant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a ...

s are available to hire for transport to Ao Nang, 15 minutes north of Railay. In addition, ferries departing Railay for

Ko Phi Phi The Phi Phi Islands ( th, หมู่เกาะพีพี, , ) are an island group in Thailand between the large island of Phuket and the Straits of Malacca coast of Thailand. The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi ...

and points west including

Phuket Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...

depart from the West beach. The focal point of West Railay Beach is a short promenade (walking street) lined with restaurants and shops.

References

External links

* * Beaches of Thailand Climbing areas Geography of Krabi province Tourist attractions in Krabi province Populated places in Krabi province {{Krabi-geo-stub