Railay is one of the most popular places to stay in the Krabi region. It is known for its beautiful beaches, dramatic karst limestone cliffs, and a lot of hiking and rock climbing opportunities.
Though part of the mainland (in Krabi Province), Railay is cut off by cliffs and jungle, making it accessible only by boat from some destinations like Ao Nang or Krabi Town, giving it an island-like feel.
Most people stay in either Ao Nang or Krabi Town, then take a day trip to Railay. One day is usually enough to get around Railay on foot and explore all major sights.
If you’re visiting this area for rock climbing or simply want to relax on beautiful beaches away from the bustling nightlife of Ao Nang, it’s well worth spending a few nights in Railay.
In this article, I will help you to look at the best places to stay in Railay, including the best areas, beaches, and hotels in each area. If you’re searching for where to stay in Railay, keep reading.
I’ve traveled across Thailand, enjoying its beaches, caves, hikes, and rock climbing, especially around Krabi and Railay. My insights come from real experience, so you can trust they’re reliable and firsthand.
See more:
- Cool Free Things to Do in Railay Beach
- Where to Stay in Ao Nang
- Where to Stay in Krabi
- Is it Worth Staying in Krabi Town?
- How to get to Railay Beach & Get Around
- My 5-7 Days In Krabi & Ao Nang Itinerary
Best Areas to Stay in Railay Beach
The main areas to stay in Railay are Railay West Beach, Railay East Beach, Phra Nang Beach, and the Inland area. You might also consider neighboring Tonsai Beach for its quieter, more laid-back, hipster vibe.
Railay is a relatively small area with three main beaches, Railay West, Railay East, and Phra Nang Beach. These beaches are connected to each other by Walking Street. It takes around 10 minutes to walk from West Beach to East Beach, and another 10 minutes to walk from East Beach to Phra Nang Beach.
Railay West is a busy beach, with numerous long-tail boats docked along its central section. Long tail boats from Ao Nang arrive at Railay West. It is a good beach for swimming and is lined with several beachfront resorts.
Railay East Beach is home to a long floating pier with both long tail and speed boats arriving from places like Ao Nam Mao, and Koh Phi Phi. This beach does not have good conditions for swimming, but it has stunning views and good rock climbing spots.
Phra Nang Beach is the most beautiful beach on Railay, but with just a couple of accommodations along the shore. There are no long-tail boats docked at the beach, offering a quieter atmosphere away from the boat traffic.
There are around 20 hotels and resorts on Railay, so make sure to book in advance to secure your spots, especially in the high season (from November to May).
Best Places to Stay in Railay Beach
1. Railay West Beach
Railay West Beach is a popular area to stay in Railay. It is a 600 m long and beautiful beach on the west side of Railay. The beach has white sand, clean water, and is surrounded by breathtaking limestone cliffs.
There are several restaurants, bars, and resorts along the shore. It’s a great place for swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, and paddleboarding.
Railay West Beach is an easy walking distance from Railay Walking Street, where you can find many tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, minimarts, massage parlors, and rock climbing schools.
There is a hidden trail at the southern end of the beach, where you can do a bit of hiking inside the jungle and along the coast to reach several viewpoints. This trail is home to several rock climbing spots which require hiring a professional guide if you want to do rock climbing.
To the northern end of Railay West Beach, you can find a trail to Tonsai Bay. It is around 15 minutes walk though the jungle, you will find a quiet beach compared to Railay West Beach. The trail is easy to see at low tide, but at high tide, you’ll need to wade through some water to reach it.
The middle section of the beach is home to the long tail boat piers, which is the first point of arrival if you take a long-tail boat ride from Ao Nang. This is convenient if you’re arriving from Ao Nang, but the downside is that it’s busy and noisy near the boat area.
Where to stay in Railay West Beach:
Railay Bay Resort & Spa
This is a popular 4-star resort located at the southern end of Railay West Beach. The resort has an outdoor pool right next to the beach with lots of sun loungers for guests. It also offers massage services, a tour desk, and an onsite restaurant.
The rooms at Railay Bay resorts are spacious and comfortable. It has a free mini bar with snacks such as chocolates, and chips, as well as non-alcohol drinks like water and Coca-Cola restocked daily.
The resort has its own scheduled longboat service from Ao Nam Mao Pier to right in front of the resort at high tide. You should contact them in advance if you want to use their transfer services.
Sand Sea Resort Railay Beach
This is a 4-star mid-range beachfront resort on Railay West Beach. The location is within walking distance to many shops, restaurants, and longtail boat piers.
The resort has an outdoor pool, onsite restaurant, lovely tropical gardens, and beautiful cottages. If you are lucky, you can spot some wild animals like monkeys or monitor lizards.
Railay Village Resort
This mid-range resort is located in the middle area of Railay beach, right next to the Walking street. It is close to everything, beaches and all tourist amenities like restaurants, minimarts, and bars.
Like most resorts in Railay, it has an outdoor swimming pool, allowing guests to swim both at the pool and on the beach. Rooms are spacious with Thai feels and are surrounded by a beautiful garden landscape.
2. Railay East Beach
Railay East Beach is located on the east side of Railay, 10 minutes walk from Railay West via Walking Street. This area has several budget-friendly resorts and is convenient if you arrive at Railay East Pier.
The long floating Railay east Pier is the arrival point of boats from Krabi Town, Ao Nam Mao, and Koh Phi Phi. When arriving at the pier, you can easily walk to your resort, if it is located along Railay East Beach.
Railay East Beach has muddy water and sand, making it unsuitable for swimming. It is lined with mangrove on the shores, and has stunning views of the limestone cliffs. There are rock climbing sections at the southern end of the beach.
If you are not scared of the height and like challenges, you can check out the trail to Railay East Viewpoint and the Lagoon. You will have stunning views of the beach and can swim at the lagoon. The best thing is that it is FREE to explore.
But be careful, it is very steep and is best to explore during daytime in the dry condition. It can be dangerous and slippery if it rains.
Even though Railay East Beach is not swimmable, you can easily walk to Railay West Beach and Phra Nang Beach for swimming and more water activities. The Diamond Cave and the Walking Street are also very close to Railay East beach.
Where to stay in Railay East Beach:
Rapala Rock Wood Resort
This is a good value for money resort located in the hillside area near Railay East Beach. It is a 10 minutes walk from the Floating Pier, 15 minutes walk to Railay West and Phra Nang Beach. If you don’t mind walking up and down the stairs, it is a good deal to stay in Railay.
The resort has clean rooms with basic amenities, and a good onsite restaurant. It has good views of the surrounding mountains and oceans.
Avatar Railay-Adult Only
This is a great value for money Adult Only hotel, which is perfect for couples and solo travelers. You can book villas with a private pool for the best experience. The hotel is located on Railay East Beach, close to everything, including the Walking Street with lots of bars and restaurants.
The resort has spacious rooms with comfortable beds and breakfast included in the room rates. It is close to the action but still quiet for a good night sleep.
Railay Princess Resort & Spa
This 4-star resort is set on Railay East Beach, a short walk away from the main strip of restaurants. It has multiple swimming pools including a nice roof top pool. It is a good overall base to stay in Railay.
Bhu Nga Thani Resort & Villas Railay
This is a great value-for-money resort located on Railay East Beach, close to the walking street and the floating pier. It has comfortable rooms, immaculate surroundings, and a good location to explore Railay.
3. Phra Nang Beach
Phra Nang Beach is the best beach on Railay. It has white sand, calm water, and stunning views of the limestone cliffs. There are no boats docking at Phra Nang, which offers a quieter atmosphere in terms of boat noise compared to the busier Railay West and East beaches.
Phra Nang Beach is an ideal place for swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. You can kayak to the nearby islands, Koh Rang and Koh Rang Nok. At low tide, you can walk to these islands from Pha Nang Beach.
There are just a couple of resorts and restaurants along the shore of the beach. You can buy some snacks on the Walking Street to the beach and bring beach towels with you as there are no sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach.
It is often crowded at the section near Princess Cave. If you want to avoid crowds, walk further north near the Bat Cave.
The Princess Cave and the Bat Cave are two popular attractions on Phra Nang Beach. The Princess Cave is easily spotted when you arrive at the beach from Walking Street and Railay East Beach. The area around the cave is also a popular rock climbing destination.
The trail to the Bat Cave is a bit hidden and difficult to find. Just go to the end of the beach toward Bat Cave (using Map.me or Google map), and there is a small sandy trail leading to the jungle, then steep stairs with rope, and ladders. Make sure to wear good walking shoes.
Where to stay in Railay near Phra Nang Beach:
Rayavadee
This is a 5-star luxury hotel in Railay located close to both Phra Nang Beach and Railay East Beach. It has a jungle-like atmosphere, surrounded by stunning scenery, and vibrant wildlife. It is a great base for couples, honeymooners, and families who are looking for a peaceful and luxurious stay.
The resort offers free activities like kayaking and snorkeling. It has multiple restaurants like The Grotto cave restaurant, offering an unique dining experience with stunning views.
4. Railay Inland Area
In addition to numerous resorts and hotels along the beachfront, you can choose to stay inland on the mountainside for stunning views of the cliffs and the ocean. Railay Phutawan Resort is a popular place to stay in Railay in the hillside area, offering a quiet atmosphere and beautiful surroundings.
Railay Phutawan Resort
This is a beautiful 4-star mid-range hotel in Railay near the Diamond cave. The resort is surrounded by nature and has breathtaking views. It is on the hillside but the hotel offers scheduled shuttle service every hour to town center and the beaches. The resort has a lovely pool and comfortable rooms.
5. Tonsai Beach
Tonsai Beach is the neighboring beach of Railay West Beach. It has a quieter atmosphere than Railay and is a great rock climbing destination. It also has a hippy atmosphere.
You can access Tonsai Beach by a 10 minute long tail boat ride from Ao Nang. There is a trail connecting Tonsai and Railay West beach. The hike between two beaches is around 10 minutes.
There are a couple of resorts on Tonsai Beach and a handful of smaller accommodations in the village behind the beach. You have some local restaurants and bars on the main road, the Tonsai Village. The beachfront has a couple of beach bars belonging to the beachfront resorts.
If you want more dining options, you can walk along the trail to head to the Walking Street in Railay.
There are rock climbing spots along the beach and around Tonsai Village. At one end of the beach is where the long tail boat dock is. You can buy a boat ticket from this area to get back to Ao Nang.
Best Places to stay in Tonsai Beach:
Tinidee Hideaway
This is a good 3-star beachfront resort on Tonsai beach. It has well-maintained ground with an outdoor pool, and good beach bungalows. Ideal for couples and families who are looking for a peaceful resort to relax and unwind.
Tonsai Bay Resort
Tonsai Bay Resort is one of two resorts on the beachfront of Tonsai Beach. The resort has an onsite beach bar/ restaurant which is a great place to chill and watch rock climbers climbing at nearby cliffs. It’s a peaceful spot, perfect for relaxing and escaping the crowds.
See more: Is it better to Stay in Ao Nang or Railay?
There you have it, my recommendations on the best places to stay in Railay. The area is relatively small, so no matter where you choose to stay, you can easily get around and explore everything on foot. Just make sure to book your hotel in advance to have the best deals and quality.