The little slice of heaven called Railay Beach
By Eyal Feldman
Boy Butter Blog
Our latest Thailand hot spot is a literal slice of heaven, Railay Beach. You may not have heard of this place before but it is actually considered one of Thailand's most sought after beaches which is located on a peninsula in the Krabi province halfway between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang Beach. Railay is surrounded by huge limestone rocks that shoot out of the Earth makeing this place accessible only by a thai long-tail boats. There are gorgeous white sand beaches, soaring limestone cliffs, caves, and dotted by lush forests, hidden lagoons, cliffs and overhangs shaped and fed by the changing tides. There are many beautiful and affordable resort choices in Railay Beach, which itself is separated into two sections, West Railay and East Railay. East Railay is the docking point for boats arriving from Krabi and is primarily covered in dense mangrove which is unsuitable for swimming and West Railay Beach being the more beautiful and swimmable beach of the two sections. Both parts are connected via a 5 minute nice and easily walkable pathway.
At Railay there are no roads; only footpaths. No buses, no cars, just longtail boats and your two legs. Although it's actually connected to the mainland, the spectacular peninsula is effectively cut off from the rest of Krabi by limestone headlands and steep jungle valleys. Again Railay Beach is only accessible by sea and is the very picture of tropical paradise, with good food and low prices and alot of massage. There are plenty of adventure forays and chilled-out evenings to be had. Just a word to the wise, Brendan and I kayaked yesterday and it did not turn out as planned. Railay is quite a shallow beach and filled with sharp coral. The combo of the two caused for stuck or overturned kayak which led to a few minor cuts and scratches equals a lot of cuts and scratches, ouch, but if that is your thing, you will love it : )
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