How to Get to Railay Beach from Ao Nang by Long-Tail Boat

The most beautiful beach in mainland Krabi is Railay Beach. It’s a true paradise on earth and probably like you imagine Thailand’s beaches to look like. However, it is not that easy to get to Railay Beach (but also not impossible too!). In this blog post I’m sharing with you how to get to Railay Beach from Ao Nang alongside some general travel tips.

About Railay Beach

Railay Beach is a gorgeous peninsula in Krabi, surrounded by limestone cliffs which is why it is only accessible via long-tail boat.

Railay Beach is divided into 3 parts: the west part that is surrounded by limestone cliffs, the east part is popular for rock climbing and the third part is Phra Nang Cave Beach where you’ll also find a famous Princess Cave full of phallic-shaped offerings.

📖 Heading to Krabi? Check my The Perfect 4 Days Krabi Itinerary blog post.

Where is Railay Beach

Railay Beach, also known as Rai Leh, is a small peninsula between the city of Krabi and Ao Nang in southern Thailand. 

How to Get to Railay Beach from Ao Nang

Railay Beach is completely surrounded by limestone cliffs and therefore inaccessible via land. Also, the only place in Krabi from where you can reach Railay Beach is Ao Nang Pier, located at Ao Nam Bao Beach.

So, even if you’re staying in other parts of Krabi or coming from Krabi Airport or from Phuket, you need to head to the Ao Nam Mao Pier.. Luckily, private transport is super affordable in Krabi (and Thailand in general). The best is to use Grab (Southeast Asian Uber) or book a private transfer from Krabi Airport to Ao Nang.

📖 Check my Thailand 2-Week Itinerary: A Perfect Guide for Your First Time in Thailand blog post.

Long-Tail Boat Tickets

Once you’re at the pier, you will see a small building where you can buy the tickets from Ao Nang to Railay Beach. You can either get a return ticket or one-way ticket (in case you’d be staying at Railay Beach).

The boats go every 15 min and the whole journey takes 20 min one way. The return ticket is about 100 Thai Baht, very cheap (about £2 or $3)!

Long-Tail Boat Running Hours

Long-tail boat services operate from 8am to 6pm daily seven days a week.

💡Please bear in mind that the last boat leaves at 6 pm, so if you’re arriving to Krabi later than that, you would need to book a stay in Ao Nang!

When to Visit Railay Beach

Thailand has 2 distinct seasons: dry & rainy season.

The best time to visit Railay Beach is during the high season from February to April. Officially Thailand winter is over, but the monsoon season hasn’t started yet, which means plenty of sun, hot temperatures up to 37 C or 98 F (with March being the hottest month according to many locals) and no rain. Many of the locals suggested April to us because of the Songkran Festival when Thais celebrate their New Year splashing each other with water, similar to Holi in India.

I was there in early March and it was awesome!

📖 Apart from Songkran Festival, if you’re interested into some other unique things to do in Thailand, check out my 43 Unique Things to do in Thailand for Any Kind of Traveller blog post.

Where to Stay in Railay Beach

Railay Beach is super romantic and the most beautiful beach in Krabi.

📖 Interested in more eco-friendly resort options in Krabi? Check out my 10 Best Eco-Friendly Resorts in Krabi for a Sustainable Stay You’ll Love blog post.

Is Railay Beach Worth Visiting

Railay Beach is absolutely worth visiting, which is also why I dedicated one whole day of my Krabi itinerary to spend it here.

The sea is gorgeous, crystal clear with turquoise water. The sand is white and soft and there’s plenty of natural shade. Just bring a beach towel and leave it wherever you like.

We chose to base ourselves in Railway West Beach to just swim and sunbathe all day, but there’s much more to do in Railay Beach: from rock climbing to visiting Phra Nang Cave.

Next time, I would really love to spend at least 1 night there because I based myself in Ao Nang, but it is perfect as a day trip from Ao Nang too.

📖 Btw, if you’re deciding between Railay Beach and Ao Nang, then definitely check my Railay Beach vs Ao Nang: Which One Is Better for You? blog post where I go into more details.

Like this post? Pin it!📍