Overview
There are four beaches: Railay West for the sand and the sunsets, Railay East which is mangrove and boat traffic, Phra Nang with its cave shrine of carved wooden phalluses left by fishermen for the sea spirit, and Tonsai, the climbers’ beach. Around seven hundred bolted routes run up the walls, from beginner slabs to overhangs, and the climbing schools take people with no experience. There is no road, so everything arrives by boat.
Highlights
Stay overnight if you can; the day boats leave by five and the peninsula empties. Phra Nang beach at the end of the path is the best of the four and has the shrine. Boats stop running in rough weather and will not take you back — build a day of slack into any onward travel.