Railay Beach

Railay is one of the most photographed places in Southeast Asia — a peninsula completely surrounded by sheer limestone karsts that make road access impossible, giving it a paradise island feel even though it is technically attached to the mainland. The only way in is by longtail boat from Ao Nang (10 minutes) or Krabi town (45 minutes), which naturally limits the crowds and gives Railay an atmosphere more intimate and less commercialised than you might expect given its fame. There are two main beaches: Railay West is the swimming beach — a near-perfect crescent of white sand with calm water backed by resorts and restaurants; Railay East faces the mangroves and is less scenic but has cheaper accommodation behind it.

The third beach — Phra Nang Cave Beach, a 15-minute walk south through the peninsula — is by consensus the most beautiful beach in Krabi province and one of the finest in Thailand. A dramatic cave containing a shrine to the Princess of Spirits (Phra Nang) backs the beach, fishing boats lay offerings at the cave entrance, and the combination of white sand, turquoise water, and 100-metre karst walls rising on three sides creates a setting of extraordinary beauty. It is accessible on foot from Railay West or by longtail boat.

Rock climbing is Railay's other great draw — the limestone walls are world-class, particularly the routes on Railay Beach itself and the adjacent Tonsai Beach (reachable by boat or a rocky scramble at low tide). Dozens of climbing schools operate beginner and advanced courses on the cliff faces. Watching climbers scale the walls above the beach while sipping a coconut on the sand is one of Thailand's more surreal pleasures.