Rai Leh, also commonly known as Railay, is a tourist area on the Andaman Coast of Thailand, in Krabi Province. Rai Leh is primarily known as a rock climbing hotspot, attracting climbers from all over the world to its superb towering limestone. Rai Leh is considered to be all of the peninsula, which has four primary areas, Phra Nang, Rai Leh East, Rai Leh West and Ton Sai.

• Railay is a small peninsula just south of Ao Nang. Although it is part of the mainland, it is not accessible
  by road because of cliffs and must be reached by boat.
• Railay is a haven for rock climbers, and the area offers more than 700 different climbing trails with an annual Krabi Rock and Fire International Contest hosted annually.

In 2014 the small village of Tonsai was relocated to make space for a new mega-resort commissioned by the Sheraton.  After relocating the village the hotel chain proceeded to build a concrete wall around their land. Tonsai village that used to sit facing the ocean was forcefully moved and now faces a concrete wall instead. Rumour has it that when the hotel giant bought the land it had only seen pictures of the beach at high tide. Only when construction began did they realise that at low tide the beach is completely covered in sharp and jagged rocks, which potentially prompted them to cancel  construction! Once you’re across Tonsai beach find the path that leads back into the jungle and towards the newly relocated village that once stood on the beach itself. One final detail, you can only get to the village with a low tide and calm seas.

• The phallus as a symbol of fertility dates back more than 10.000 years to the end of the Stone Age. From this period onward it was worshipped in ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, and Babylon, for example. Eventually, the linga, as the imageries are also known, found their way into the Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, and Thai culture, amongst others, where they still exist as symbols of fertility and good luck.

There are no real grocery vendors, so meals are limited to the restaurants, though some small snack items are available in the convenience stores.

• Govinda’s At The Beach has decent vegetarian and vegan options for cheap.
• Railay must also be the only place in Thailand that doesn’t have 7-11. Instead there are mini marts scattered all over the place, which charge double the price for everything.

• Longtail boat, Boats leave constantly from the beach. There is no pier so expect to get at least your feet wet, probably more. Getting waterproof bag for your photo, video equipment and phone is highly recommended.
• Walk, with no land vehicles this is pretty much your only option as even bicycles find the uneven surface difficult.

As Rai Leh is on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by ocean and blocked by Nang Mountain, access is by boat only. Longtails depart from Ao Nang (10 min) and Krabi Town (30 min) on demand, making those places the gateways to Rai Leh. It’s also possible to reach Rai Leh via regular ferries that run between Ko Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, and Phuket Town (from Rassada Pier).

• Longtail Boat, If departing from Ao Nang, be aware that you’re expected to walk out several metres into the surf before getting on a boat (depending on the tide). It might be best to change into clothes suitable for getting wet, or at the very least be sure you don’t have more luggage than you can carry a few metres into the ocean. Getting waterproof bag for your photo, video equipment and phone is highly recommended. They like to have at least eight people to fill a boat before they will depart or you can pay a little extra.

• The are a couple of pharmacies around and at least one clinic, which is located on Railay East
• Railay West is the longest, featuring white sand and shallow water ideal for sunbathing, but be warned that the southern-end is pretty rocky.
• Railay must also be the only place in Thailand that doesn’t have 7-11. Instead there are mini marts scattered all over the place, which charge double the price for everything.
• ATM is available at the Mountain View Resort and there is another one next to a small shop at Railay West.
• Look out for the monkeys on the walkways linking East Railay, West Railay and Phra Nang Beach. Unfortunately, the monkeys have become accustomed to people feeding them which means that they are not shy about jumping on backpacks or trying to snatch food and drink out of people’s hands.
• Beware of the tattoo scam. Getting a tattoo in Railay is strongly discouraged. You will be severely overcharged for a tattoo using questionably sterile equipment by a questionably skilled artist. First, in order to impress you, they will show photographs that have been downloaded and printed from the Internet and passed off as their own work. Unless the artist is in the photograph with the recipient, it is probably not their own work. Once you have described what you want to the artist, they will refuse to give you any kind of estimate, and insist that they must first draw the design on you with a pen before giving you a cost but tell you that drawing is free. While they are drawing, they will delay you as much as possible in order to get you drunk. They’ll convince you that the tattoo hurts less with more alcohol. They’re counting on you being too drunk to realise how much you’re spending.
• When travelling to islands around Krabi, it may be preferable to purchase only a one-way ticket so that your trip can be easily altered and you can easily arrange your departure.
• Longtail boats leave constantly from the beach. There is no pier so expect to get at least your feet wet, probably more. Getting waterproof bag for your photo, video equipment and phone is highly recommended. They like to have at least eight people to fill a boat before they will depart or you can pay a little extra.
• Negotiate with long-tail boat drivers.
• Get a group together and charter a longtail boat. Split between four or more people, it should be cheaper than an organized tour.
• Haggle in the markets, especially if buying in bulk.
• If you eat the street food like the locals, you’ll be hard-pressed to spend more than 200 THB a day on food (maybe not even that).
• If you travel during May through October, you will be missing the peak season, and save quite a bit, even though you might catch some rain.