Railay Beach, Thailand

Destination: Railay Beach, Thailand.
Dates: 1st May 2024 to 6 May 2024
Temperature: Heatwave.
38 degrees each day.
Pool water temperature:
Balmy

Railay Beach is a peninsula between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in Thailand. It is accessible only by boat due to high limestonecliffs cutting off mainland access.

The long tail boat trip costs $5 and the boat won’t leave until there are 8 people for the boat or you can pay $50 and get a private boat. Suckers we are not. We waited.

Luckily we didn’t have to wait long and within half an hour we were all excitedly on our way to Railay.

Water slapping us in the face as we sped past the most spectacular limestone cliffs and caves and getting yelled at to move from one side of the boat to the other to balance out the weight of the boat.

The long tail boat drivers run a tight ship (pardon the pun) so when they yell at you, you say “How high Captain?” Andy successfully pissed off our return captain by asking for a second opinion on whether we could get to another beach.

15 minutes later we have arrived. The boats stop as close as they can to the shore but you end up knee to waist deep in the water. Depending on the tides.

Andy disembarked first and I threw our backpacks at him. He fell in the water a little but which made me giggle.

I was thanking myself for not bringing a large hardshell suitcase as I watch people try to get them off the boat and then drag them through the sand. Amateurs, I think smugly.

As I watch Andy heading to the beach with the bags I make the trip down the ladder into the water. A cacophony of events then occurred which resulted in me falling on my ass into the water. Wet from head to toe. Absolutely saturated.
Karma whipped my arse.

I then did the walk of shame across the beach in front of the young cool beach babes with their bum floss bikinis and then stood dripping wet in our hotel lobby to check in thanking the concierge for the refreshing welcome drink.

We booked two nights at the hotel as we’ve come to learn that if you don’t like the destination or the hotel then you’re not trapped there too long.

We learnt that one the hard way on our first trip overseas together to Vietnam in 2009. I still have nightmares about that hotel. I think it was called The Hidden Tiger and I’m pretty sure there were hidden cameras.

I would describe the hotel on Railah as “rustic 1980s motel chic”. She was tired.

Two nights turned into five
but we moved to a more modern hotel. It had an infinity pool overlooking the limestone
Cliffs of East Railay. It was spectacular. Paradise always comes with paying the piper though and this hotel had some funky smells and some adorable but very naughty monkey residents. Sitting on your balcony was not an option.

Days were spent swimming, eating, drinking, exploring caves, and watching rock climbers.

At around 5:30pm just about every person staying at the beach or visiting for the day all go to West Railay Beach.

Some sit there with a beers in hand, others play football, and some meditate but collectively we all watch the most incredible sunsets that are framed by the limestone cliffs and then turns into my favourite pink sky. And then everyone toddles off for dinner.

Pictures won’t ever capture how magical that moment is.

I wasn’t sure if Andy would like Railay but he fell in love with the chilled vibe of the village and didn’t want to leave. I think maybe the reggae “vibe” if you know what I mean contributed to that. He said it’s one of the coolest places he’s ever been to.

I first visited Railay Beach in
October 2004. Luckily the tsunami did not take lives at Railay but it did enough damage for them to rebuild pretty much all of the beach. Some resorts remain in tact but it has changed so much in 20 years. But time and change marches on.

There are huge resorts now and the old walking street (where the shops, bars and restaurants are) has been moved.

When I visited in 2004 you would walk through the mangroves at East Railay Beach at night to go to
rustic beach bars. This is now replaced with elevated concrete paths and many covered restaurants and bars. For me it has lost its heart a little. But I am an old romantic.

We will go back to Railay but maybe not during a heatwave and I will be wearing my bathers on the boat.

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