Railay Beaches

The Railay Peninsular is made up of 4 separate beaches, connected by paths and each with its distinct character: To the northwest is Ton Sai Bay. It has the best selection of budget accommodation and has a very laidback vibe, where it feels like each newcomer is welcomed into its small community. It also has the most vibrant nightlife (reggae orientated), with beach bars open into the early hours and hosts full-moon parties. At low tide, you can walk along the beach to Railay West. At high-tide you can get a 50B boat or swim if you’re feeling energetic. Railay West is separated from Ton Sai by a section of karst. It is the largest and most popular of the beaches with its beautiful white sand and epic scenery. It’s excellent for swimming, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful sunsets. There’s only a handful of high-end accommodation options here, so many backpackers stay elsewhere and flock here in the day. The fact there is no pier and you have to wade to shore, helps fend off the potential of day-tripping Ao Nang hoards. Phranang Beach is stunning, home to a single luxury top dollar resort (Rayavadee). It has power white sand, mesmerising turquoise water and beautiful coral reefs off-shore. You really should see this beach while at Railay Peninsular, it’s undoubtedly one of Thailand’s most spectacular beaches. It does get hit by tours from Ao Nang at certain times of the day. Phra Nang cave is in the eastern corner, a shrine housing a bounty of wooden phalluses. The path from Railay East has resident macaque monkeys who see anything loose as fair game to try to steal; this includes cameras, sunglasses, food…. Railay East’s beach isn’t the postcard beach like Railay West and Phranang; in fact, at high tide, there isn’t a beach, as the sea comes right up to the concrete walkway, at low tide, it’s mostly wet tan sand. The best bit of beach is at the far south corner. It’s also the most developed, lined with a wealth of restaurants, shops, bars, and accommodation, backed by the mangrove forest interior. Cheap accommodation and easy access to the other beaches mean it’s often used as a base. Swimming isn’t so good, especially at low tide and it can get windy here. It does have an active nightlife open late, with various bars and fire shows.