Krabi ,Railay beach and elephant hills tended camp

[Essexman1961]

After My week in Patts early June I have eight whole days in Krabi , not including the day I travel there and the day I leave.

My plan is 4 nights in Ao Nang which will include a day trip to Phi Phi Island and I need to decide abut the second half.

Has anyone got experience of Railay beach and was it east or west? I know you can only get there by boat and would like to know if anyone has stayed there and what they thought.

Is it worth two nights? I am not into rock climbing there, just beach type stuff. I am also thinking  about the Khao Sok national park to see elephants at the Elephant hills tented camp.

I really enjoyed going to an elephant sanctuary from Chiang Mai but am not into trekking or kayakking which Khao Sok could involve.

Tips appreciated if you have been.

[MaiMeSatang]

Love it down there.  There's a lot to do, beautiful places to visit.  Railay can be pretty expensive for accommodation and everything else though. 

Not everywhere but some places are pretty steep.  Just the nature of the place I guess, they've got a captive market in a tourist hotspot so prices of everything are on the high side.  Some of the resorts in particular are lovely, but cocktails go about 500 baht.  Even beer is steep.  There's a few well priced bars at the main beach when you arrive though.  As with everywhere in Thailand I suppose, you can spend a couple of thousand for a night or 50k for a night.  

When I've visited before it's been day trip with a local girl, I think the boat trip is like 100 odd baht or something and then back to ao nang in the evening.  If you don't have someone with you LT already it could be an idea to pick up a girl from RCA bar complex in ao nang and take her with you.  Chances are she'll have a bike and she'll know her way around.  That's how I've  done it anyway.  Talent is pretty low in general in these bars by the way, a lot of grandmothers.  But there's always a few young cute ones coming and going and they're short of customers being it's really not a mongering spot so are eager to stick around.

The emerald pool is worth looking up if you're into that kind of thing.  Tiger temple too.  Walk around railay and see the monkeys in the caves. Those would be the things I'd recommend you go to if you have a couple of days.  It's a busy place in high season, thousands on the beach.  Girls tell me low season is better on a nice day.

[Essexman1961]

2 minutes ago, MaiMeSatang said:

Love it down there.  There's a lot to do, beautiful places to visit.  Railay can be pretty expensive for accommodation and everything else though. 

Not everywhere but some places are pretty steep.  Just the nature of the place I guess, they've got a captive market in a tourist hotspot so prices of everything are on the high side.  Some of the resorts in particular are lovely, but cocktails go about 500 baht.  Even beer is steep.  There's a few well priced bars at the main beach when you arrive though.  As with everywhere in Thailand I suppose, you can spend a couple of thousand for a night or 50k for a night.  

When I've visited before it's been day trip with a local girl, I think the boat trip is like 100 odd baht or something and then back to ao nang in the evening.  If you don't have someone with you LT already it could be an idea to pick up a girl from RCA bar complex in ao nang and take her with you.  Chances are she'll have a bike and she'll know her way around.  That's how I've  done it anyway.  Talent is pretty low in general in these bars by the way, a lot of grandmothers.  But there's always a few young cute ones coming and going and they're short of customers being it's really not a mongering spot so are eager to stick around.

The emerald pool is worth looking up if you're into that kind of thing.  Tiger temple too.  Walk around railay and see the monkeys in the caves. Those would be the things I'd recommend you go to if you have a couple of days.  It's a busy place in high season, thousands on the beach.  Girls tell me low season is better on a nice day.

Thanks.I really appreciate the detail and quick response.Not expecting action in Railay,Just beach and sights.With Patts at the start and BKK at the end there will be plenty of fun to go round.I know there is a bit of a scene in Ao  hang.

[Odin1]

Railey is well worth a couple of days, you can Take a boat from ther out to the Islands near by, But there are Nice beaches i walking distence. Bring a girl, AS I did not she bargirls. Most bars Where for backpackers with an inntrest for M.J. Not forget to climb for the view point, and maybe the lake. 

[Essexman1961]

8 hours ago, Odin1 said:

Railey is well worth a couple of days, you can Take a boat from ther out to the Islands near by, But there are Nice beaches i walking distence. Bring a girl, AS I did not she bargirls. Most bars Where for backpackers with an inntrest for M.J. Not forget to climb for the view point, and maybe the lake. 

I.added.a night and stayed for 3 which was about right for me

 

[Whalley]

On May 26, 2019 at 12:27, Essexman1961 said:

Tips appreciated if you have been.

I go often to Railay during low season as prices deeply discount like no other place in Thailand.  Very nice!

https://wikitravel.org/en/Rai_Leh

Ao Nang nothing special there.

This time of year, 2000 baht rooms in Railay drop to 500 baht per night.

I usually stay on the east side at Diamond Cave Resort.  It takes only a few minutes to walk from east to west side where the best beaches are.

The resort is located at the entrance to Diamond Cave.  Beautiful setting,  The Cave itself is quite spectacular to see.

 

.

[Whalley]

Entrance to Diamond Cave (just outside the resort) at Railay and a shot of inside the cave:

 

.

[Essexman1961]

2 hours ago, Whalley said:

Entrance to Diamond Cave (just outside the resort) at Railay and a shot of inside the cave:

 

.

Great pics mate.I stayed at the Sand sea resort hotel at the edge of the beach and it was 1200pn whether via Expedia etc or direct to the hotel.