Most people hesitate between basing themselves in Ao Nang and coming over to Railay for the day. We decided to sleep there instead, and it turned out to be the best call of the whole trip. But before you drop your bags, you have to land in the right place — and on Railay, "the right place" is anything but obvious.
If you only take one thing from this guide: book a night, not a day trip. The reason is at the bottom of the page, and it costs nothing extra.
Getting there: the van, then the right pier
We were coming from Koh Lanta. There are two ways to reach the Krabi area: by boat (around 3,200 baht for the three of us) or by van, which is cheaper at 1,800 baht for three — 600 baht each, with no child discount for our daughter. We took the van and we were glad we did: after several crossings by boat, watching the road go by is a welcome change, complete with the customary stop at a big service station lined with little food counters.
The van goes through Krabi and drops you at the bus station on the Ao Nang side. That is where you buy the boat ticket at the official rate: 100 baht per person (300 baht for three — children pay full fare above a certain age). We used the same counter to book our onward trip to Koh Tao. Then it is straight on to the pier.
Ao Nam Mao or Ao Nang: it decides where you land
Our boat left from Ao Nam Mao Pier, a fifteen-minute crossing, and it lands at Railay East — the only real pier on the whole peninsula, on the mangrove side. From Ao Nang beach, by contrast, longtails tend to drop you on Railay West, straight onto the sand. Boats leave as soon as about ten passengers have gathered, so roughly every five minutes: there is a constant flow, even in the middle of the rainy season.
Our hotel: perfect location, honest review
We stayed at Railay Bay Resort & Spa, one of the few properties (along with its neighbour Rayavadee) that spans the entire peninsula from west to east: you walk from Railay West to Railay East straight through its gardens. The location is simply perfect — right by the pier, access to both beaches, and a couple of minutes from the path to Princess Cave. You are also next door to Rayavadee, the island's iconic luxury resort and the only one with private access to Phra Nang beach. Beautiful from the outside, and more or less out of reach for the rest of us.
As for the room, let us be honest, as always. We had booked a villa with a plunge pool — neither entry level nor high luxury — at around 150 euros a night. The décor is pretty, but the details let it down: the private "spa" advertised turned out to be a bathtub with a few pressureless jets, the toilet sits inside the bathroom and drains badly, and above all the bathroom door leading outside did not lock — so the room as a whole was not really secure, which is uncomfortable when your passports and cash are in there. The staff, visibly stretched by the volume, were correct but not warm: it feels like a tourist factory. The buffet breakfast by the beach, on the other hand, was excellent.
Princess Cave and Phra Nang beach
On our first afternoon we headed west, to the pretty beach, for a first swim and the first photos. At low tide you can walk almost all the way to the rock on the left, with only a few metres to swim. Then, at the far end of the beach, the surprise: Princess Cave (Phra Nang), a small open-air shrine entirely filled with offerings — carved wooden phalluses.
Two legends sit behind those offerings: depending on the version, the spirit honoured is an Indian princess shipwrecked here, or a woman waiting forever for her fisherman husband to return. Either way, people come to leave an offering for luck and fertility, and bring back a small carved phallus in thanks once the wish is granted. Fishermen come looking for protection too. It is funny, it is beautiful, and it is a genuine piece of local culture you will not find anywhere else.
To the right of the cave, at low tide, a very gentle scramble awaits the curious: three or four metres of rock, a rope to help you up, and you come out in an open pocket surrounded by cliffs with trees growing out of them and the sea behind. Barefoot, no gear needed: even our six-year-old did it without trouble. We followed a guide and his client up — and he looked considerably less comfortable than we did.
Railay is also one of the world's great climbing destinations: everywhere you look there are climbers hanging off the limestone. Every level is catered for, from guided beginner routes to serious technical lines. We stayed firmly in spectator mode — but watching climbers suspended above the beach is part of the scenery.
The dusky langurs, quiet stars of the stay
The lovely surprise of the trip was the dusky langurs — spectacled monkeys, named for the white rings around their eyes. They were everywhere in the hotel: on the roofs, in the trees, right onto the roof of our villa and into our little private courtyard. Easy to approach, never aggressive, unbelievably endearing. We also came across monitor lizards and thick-furred squirrels. The langurs alone are worth the detour.
Eating and wandering: our addresses
Our restaurant favourite: Avatar Railay, on the Phra Nang side. We ate so well there that we went back three times during the stay. It is not cheap — as everywhere on Railay, everything arrives by boat, so prices climb — but budget around 1,000 baht for three, eating well and having a drink. In the evening we also found a nice bar near the Railay East Viewpoint, in the mangrove: welcoming owner, a free drink, and wooden building blocks brought out to keep our daughter busy.
For massages, budget 250 to 350 baht for half an hour depending on the treatment (coconut massage costs a little more). Our advice: take an hour instead — it is far better value, and we found hour-long massages at 400–500 baht on other islands — and do not hesitate to negotiate politely.
Why you should sleep here
This is our real piece of advice. Plenty of people stay in Ao Nang and come over for three hours by boat, arriving and leaving at the same time as the entire crowd. By sleeping on the peninsula you get the best part: late afternoon and evening, once the day visitors have gone, Railay empties out and turns almost intimate. A drink and a few snacks on the beach at sunset, and you understand why choosing paradise over a convenient base was the right call.
What Railay isn't
Railay is idyllic, even in the green season: cliffs, jungle-covered hills, superb colours. No regrets about going. But it is not a week-long destination — unless doing absolutely nothing is the point. Here you walk, you swim, you scramble a little, you wander in the evening. Two days and two nights is the ideal format: not one less, not one more. If you are anywhere near Krabi, it is clearly worth the detour.
The real budget
| Item | Detail | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer Koh Lanta → Ao Nang | Van, 3 people (600 ฿ each) | 1,800 ฿ |
| Boat Ao Nam Mao → Railay East | Official rate, per person | 100 ฿ |
| Return boat Railay → Ao Nang | Per person | 100 ฿ |
| Hotel (Railay Bay Resort & Spa) | Villa with plunge pool, per night | ~150 € |
| Meal (e.g. Avatar Railay) | For 3, eating well + a drink | ~1,000 ฿ |
| Massage | 30 min (coconut slightly more) | 250–350 ฿ |
| Princess Cave & beaches | Open access | Free |
Quick answers
Which pier should I use to reach Railay?
From Ao Nam Mao Pier, the longtail lands at Railay East (the pier, mangrove side) in 15 minutes for 100 ฿ per person: ideal with luggage. From Ao Nang beach you usually land in the sand at Railay West instead.
Stay overnight, or come for the day?
Stay overnight, without hesitation. In the late afternoon and evening, once the day trips have left, the peninsula is almost yours: quiet sunsets and empty beaches.
What exactly is Princess Cave?
An open-air shrine at the end of Phra Nang beach, filled with carved wooden phallic offerings tied to a legend of luck and fertility. Surprising, colourful, free.
How many days should I plan?
Two days and two nights are perfect to see everything without going in circles. A week would be too much, unless the plan is to do nothing at all.
Is it expensive?
Restaurants cost more than elsewhere because everything arrives by boat: around 1,000 ฿ for a good meal for three. Budget roughly 150 € a night for a mid-range villa and 100 ฿ per person for the boat.
Railay was one leg of a longer family trip down the Andaman coast. We are translating the rest of that journey into English one guide at a time — the islands, the boats and the real prices. Browse all our guides →
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