This was the day I had been waiting for since we first decided to visit Thailand. I could not wait to visit Railay Beach! It was exactly what I had imagined as the perfect Thailand beach with its beautiful turquoise water and massive limestone cliffs.
Railay Beach is a small peninsula off the coast of Krabi and is only accessible by boat so it can be a little bit of a challenge to get there. We left our hotel in Bangkok and hopped on a short flight to Krabi. We flew Thai Smile Airways, and I highly recommend this airline. After we landed at the Krabi airport, we were picked up by our hotel. I had booked the hotel transfer ahead of time, and this made everything so much easier with all the kids. We were picked up by a van and taken to the pier where we boarded a long tail boat. Keep in mind that if you have luggage it is likely to get wet and sandy when island hopping around Thailand. I would not bring really nice luggage with you on this trip. We took the long tail boat all the way to Railay East Beach where a tractor with a trailer came and picked us up in the shallow water. That was definitely a first for me! Once we made it ashore, there were golf carts from the hotel that took us to check in.
There are only a handful of places to stay on Railay. When I first decided to go to Railay, my heart was set on staying at the Rayavadee. However, with such a large family, I usually have to get two hotel rooms, and it was going to be really expensive for two of the villas. We decided to stay at the Railay Bay Resort and Spa, which turned out to be amazing. The two hotels are literally right next to each other. If you do decide to stay at the Railay Bay Resort, I recommend that you stay in the Suite Cottage. You will have your own cottage that is right near the beautiful pool and Railay West Beach.
Before we left for Thailand, Brandon was not feeling very well. By the time we got to Railay Beach, he was very sick and had a high fever. Luckily, there was an urgent care center right there in the resort. He ended up with an IV and had to stay in the center until that evening. He said that it was the best care he’s ever had! While Brandon was getting better and resting, the boys and I explored the beaches of Railay. There are three main beaches…Railay West, Railay East, and Phra Nang.
Railay West
Railay West is my favorite of the three beaches. It is a beautiful stretch of beach surrounded by the stunning limestone cliffs. In the afternoon, the beach is lined with long tail boats waiting to take you to the nearby islands. If you walk down the beach you will come to Walking Street. It is a single street that is lined with seaside restaurants, souvenir shops, and wonderful Thai massage shops. It is the perfect beach to watch the sunset.
Railay East
Railay East is not much of a beach. It has a long wooden boardwalk that connects Railay West to Phra Nang Beach. There are a few shops along the boardwalk. The walk from Railay East to Phra Nang is like something out of a movie with the limestone cliffs and caves towering over you.
Phra Nang Beach
Phra Nang Beach was absolutely amazing! It is about a 10 minute walk from Railay West. You can also take a long tail boat or kayak to this beach. It was spectacular with its beautiful white sand beach and amazing cliffs. You can even go rock climbing here from the cliffs.
And Finally…the amazing sunsets on Railay Beach! The boys enjoyed the sunset paddle boarding while we enjoyed a fresh coconut on the beach! After the sunset, thousands of bats filled the sky. It was amazing and like nothing I have ever seen before!
If you ever get the chance to visit Thailand, you must go to Railay Beach!
