A word of advice: if you’re planning a trip to Railay or Tonsai in Krabi, Thailand, don’t listen to Bob Marley – or any reggae music for that matter – for at least a month before your trip. After about two weeks in Railay, I’ve heard Redemption Song a total of, oh, maybe 25,312 times. No joke. Now I love Bob Marley as much as the next dirt-bag climber/surfer/pot-smoker/peace-loving hippie, but when you find yourself at the crux of the day’s first route and realize you’ve been mentally singing Redemption Song in your favorite bartender’s Thai accent the whole time, you start to wonder if maybe you’ve been in Railay a bit too long.
East Railay
But the truth is, you haven’t. Railay (or Hat Rai Leh, as you might see it in Lonely Planet guides), is a picturesque spit of land near Krabi town and Ao Nang on the Andaman Sea. If you’re so lucky as to score a ride on a long-tail boat from a driver who doesn’t try to rip you off, you’ll be able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery around you as you either motor into East Railay if you’re coming from Krabi, or the West Railay Beach if from Ao Nang. No matter which side you find your skinny boat precariously approaching, you’ll be so distracted by the towering limestone karsts and funky green-covered islands you pass on the way (check out Chicken Island and it’s, ahem, rather provocative and unmissable protrusion that looks nothing like the neck of the island’s namesake) that you’ll forget the agreed-upon boat fare and just overpay the nice, smiley driver anyway. But you won’t even care because you’ll be in some green and blue Neverland that you weren’t sure was actually real.
Long-tail boats waiting to take people out of Tonsai
West Railay is by far the most expensive side as it boasts the best beach and prime sunset-watching. Families, honeymooners, and people with generally more money than I have, seem to prefer the west side’s pricey resorts with their exquisite views, glistening pools, hot-water showers, and over-priced Thai food. The small Walking Street is lined with shops selling various beach sundries, as well as dive shops and climbing schools. If you take a stroll down this street, be sure to buy a banana-chocolate rotee; you won’t regret it!
It's a hard life on Sunset Beach on west Railay.
Sunset Beach on the west side of Railay is aptly named.
A 5-minute walk on a paved, tree-covered path will take you from West Railay to East Railay where you can find equally posh resorts, but much cheaper and simpler digs as well. I recommend Railay Cabana Bungalows, a cluster of very simple yet comfortable bungalows a pleasant 10-minute walk uphill from the East Railay shore. The bungalows are fairly spartan: a double bed or two twin beds with a mosquito net, toilet, cold shower, and a lock on the door, but what you lack in amenities is more than made up for in pure environment and seclusion. And Chalita, the sweet lady at the reception desk, will simply charm your socks off, if you were dumb enough to wear them in the first place.
The view from our bungalow at Railay Cabanas, where we stayed for 15 nights.
During low tide on East Railay, you have to walk to shore from the long-tail boat.
East Railay doesn’t have a beach to speak of – unless you call the near 100 meters of rocky sand that’s uncovered at low tide a beach – but of the two sides, East Railay is where the climbing is. As a self-proclaimed “climber” who’s been sans rock or gym for the past 2 years, I eased my way back into my favorite pastime at One Two Three Wall and Diamond Cave Wall on East Railay, which is where most of the local climbing schools take beginners for half- and full-day classes. After a few days of leading juggy 5’s and 6a’s, my arms were wrecked and I was thoroughly shamed as the worst biped to ever once consider herself a decent climber, but I spent countless hours nursing my shattered ego on gorgeous Pra-Nang beach, a small strip of blinding white sand surrounded by massive red cliffs a short walk west of One Two Three Wall. Here you’ll find everyone from sun-worshippers in teeny-tiny bikinis, to sweaty grunting climbers, to small dark Thai women who will rub your knots and bunions for a small fee while you lie prone on your towel on the sand. Life is hard here.
Pra-nang beach, by far the most gorgeous beach in the area.
A daring kid taking a leap of faith on Pra-nang Beach.
Ian leading a 7a at Pra-nang beach.
Climbing at Pra-nang Beach
Rush hour at One-Two-Three Wall on East Railay.
Eric looking intense on a crimpy 6b.
It was after running into the same five people three days in a row in Railay that I decided I needed a change of scene for a day. Lovely though these once-strangers were, I was intent on making new friendships – especially with climbers who were better than me and could set routes that I would shamelessly top-rope – not foster relationships with people who would inevitably leave in three days time with sunburn and a promise to email me. Two weeks and four different paths to Tonsai later, I’m convinced that the sheer number of ways to reach that climber-infested place is indicative of how badly people want to be there. Whether by boat, steep jungle trek, perilous rock scramble, or sketchy wade at low tide, getting to this uber chilled out beach town is highly worth the trip. Here, you can chill out on the beach, prove your grit on the epic overhanging Tonsai Wall and Roof, test your limits on a deep-water soloing trip, or mellow out on Fire Wall’s beloved Groove Tube (6a).
The view of Tonsai bay from Fire Wall, the site of a groovy 6a called Groove Tube.
Deep water soloing!
At night, head over to Sunset Bar (where the bartender’s answer to everything is “Why not?”) for beer, slack lining, and fire dancing while you listen to more live renditions of Redemption Song, along with your other jam band favorites. And if someone offers you some of that sweet herb you keep smelling, don’t panic – as there are no police on either Tonsai or Railay, no one’s trying to get you busted for a monetary reward. Just relax, enjoy this dirt-bag haven, and embrace the broken record reggae for the entirety of your stay. You can always leave tomorrow, or the next day, or the next…why not?
*Photography by Zachary Cole
