Know about the beautiful sightseeing places in Railay Beach Thailand (another name Rai Leh) beach that includes thick Rainforests, immaculate and rugged limestone formations with tall cliffs and less-crowded beaches.
If you are hell-bent on seeing only Bangkok and its never-ending nightlife, you will miss enjoying Thailand’s fantastic and breathtaking natural beaches and the adjoining islands.
Thailand is so much blessed with stunning natural attractions that once you spend just an evening in its numerous beaches such as Railay beach with the backdrop of tall cliffs and dense Rainforest, you may even want to settle there.
Location of Railay Beach Thailand:
The beautiful Rai Leh beach is located between the popular Krabi city and Ao Nang, the exclusive beach resort village.
Rail Leh beach is facing the Andaman sea.
How to go to the Railay peninsula?
Forget about Bangkok city. It is too far away from Railay Beach. It is almost 700 km.
Hence, plan your trip to go to Krabi town. From there, take a cab to go to Ao Nang Beach town. From here, a ferry will deposit you at the shores of Rai Leh beach. The sea passage takes just 10 minutes.
Even from Karbi, there is a boat that takes you to Railay beach. The distance is just 4 km.
Railay beach is almost naturally hidden by the rocky mountains that stand just behind the Rai Leh beach.
Can we stay in Railay beach town?
Of course, you can stay and in fact you should because you require a minimum of two days to see all the beautiful places in and around the Rai Leh peninsula.
Railay beach is divided into four beaches that are:
- East Railay
- West Railay
- Ton sai
- Phra Nang
Even though Railay beach is a must-see tourist attraction in Thailand, you don’t find many takers. In spite of that fact, it is expensive to stay at Railay beach.
The accommodation options are:
- Seafront bungalows
- Luxury resorts
The number of hotels and resorts is more on West Railay beach whereas East Railay beach is more popular for shopping and dining.
The avid rock climbers and veteran mountaineers throng the Ton Sai area to display their rock-climbing prowess.
The Phra Nang is known for its cave beach that attracts quite a number of tourists.
What to see in Railay Beach, Thailand?
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Cave beach of Phra Nang
Did you notice a lone mountaineer climbing the dramatic rock? The beach looks serene and peaceful. The Phra Nang beach crowded after 9 am. If you try to be there by 6 am, you can find hardly a few tourists having a splash at the water where the tides are friendly.
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East Railay Beach
This is where you will step on to from the boat if you are coming from Krabi.
The dining area in East Rai Leh offers a stunning view of the Andaman Sea. There restaurants are located on a promenade. You can see tourists drinking beer as early as 11 am. The range of beer in Thailand makes one wonder why people are also drinking hard liquors.
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Diamond Cave
Wow! What an eerie experience you can have when you walk eerily on the wooden platform inside the cave!
Surely, there is no diamond on the rocky walls of the cave.
The colors of the rock and water droplets on them fetch its name ‘diamond’.
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West Railay Beach
West Railay beach is where the ferries bringing tourists from Ao Nang Beach will dock. The same place is also a gateway to Phi Phi Island and Phuket Island.
The West Rai Leh Beach is also home to towering rocks and sharp-edged cliffs.
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Sa Phra Nang Beach
In other words, it is the fourth main beach of Rai Leh and is shortly known as Phra Nang.
The surrounding rocky mountains, mangroves and a calm lagoon make the place very pleasing to look at. The entire area is very silent but for the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.
Enter the rather cool waters in the lagoon surrounded by rocks and silence and you will pat yourself that you have chosen to visit Phra Nang Beach.
To reach the beautiful place, you have to walk for nearly half an hour from East Railay Beach.
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Ton Sai Beach
Terrific, isn’t it? Wow, what a breathtaking setting! Do you still want to roam on Bangkok’s streets at night after seeing this beautiful place in Railay beach?
From Phra Nang beach, you can walk up to Ton Sai rocks in 20 minutes.
Staying in Railay Beach, Thailand:
If you choose to, you can even stay in one of the several resorts that offer rustic but comfortable accommodation. You will love the silence all around when you stay at Ton Sai beach.
There are resorts set beside the tall rocks, giving you the impression that limestone rocks act as a natural wall on the rear side of the resort.
Some resorts are amidst the dense jungles of the Rai Leh peninsula.
Since rock climbing is the predominant activity here that attracts hundreds of novices too along with veterans, there is even a school that teaches the basics of rock climbing.
Wildlife of Railay Beach:
With such a thick canopy provided by the forests, you can spot several birds if you enter the thick jungle early in the morning.
You can spot the elusive Pied Malabar Hornbill watching you curiously from a tree.
The monkeys in the forest eat crabs that are available in abundance in Railay beach.
Island hopping from Railay Beach, Thailand
A couple of tour operators in Krabi will take you on a half a day island hopping tour. You will be taken aback by the beauty of the islands and sea passage.
If you are a nature lover, you will certainly visit Krabi, Ao Nang, and Railay when you travel to Thailand next time.
