Railay Beach

East Railay Beach

East Railay Beach is the mangrove side of the Railay peninsula so there isn't really any swimming here, but it is home to many of the budget guesthouses in the area. Many travellers and backpackers choose to stay on this side of Railay and walk over to the other side during the day. It's a good spot for cheap beds and lolling around.

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
86%
2 votes
 

Sunrise Tropical Resort - Spacious and stylish bungalows
39 Moo 2, Railay Beach

Set on the mangrove side of Railay, Sunrise Tropical Resort is a good mid-range spot. Although there is no beach here, the pool has ample seating and gardens stretch back through the resort. The ... Sunrise Tropical Resort complete profile

Luxury
over 8,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Rayavadee - Luxurious
214 Moo 2 (southern-most end of the beach) Railay
T: (075) 620 740; F: (075) 620 630
The Rayavadee is a bold move to insert high-end luxury into what is traditionally a back-packer and mid-range market. Located on 26 acres of coconut groves and bordered by three National Park ... Rayavadee complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
2 votes
 

Railay Cabana - Up the hill - a long way from water
Inland, on the road from the beach near Diamond Cave Resort

Along the beach on Railay East you'll see a sign pointing to Railay Cabana just before you reach the Diamond Cave Resort -- it's a good ten-minute walk to get there. The setting is quite beautiful -- ... Railay Cabana complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
65%
1 vote
 

Railay Highland - Inland, on the road to Railay Cabana
(076) 621 731;(01) 271 6459

Follow the signs to Railay Cabana to get here, and you'll find it along the way, a good ten minutes walk from the water. The bungalows here are minimalist, but larger and somewhat nicer than the ones ... Railay Highland complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
63%
2 votes
 

Anyavee Railay Resort -
Railay Beach East (just north of the Yaya Resort)
T: (081) 537 5517; F: (081) 396 2887
This place is just getting started and was under construction/reconstruction on our visit. It seems to have been recently been bought up by Best Western, though it's not clear it'll bare the brand ... Anyavee Railay Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
57%
3 votes
 

Rapala Resort - An excellent backpacker spot
Moo 2 (halfway between the centre and the northern end of the beach), Railay
T: (075) 622 586;
This is an excellent backpacker spot. Located at the top of a long flight of stairs, it's quite a climb up, but far from the noise of the long-tails below. There's a long line of bungalows reaching ... Rapala Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
56%
5 votes
 

Diamond Cave Resort - Massive - good overflow spot
36 Moo 1 (at the northern end of the beach), Railay
T: (075) 622 589; F: (075) 622 590
This massive spot is worth checking out if everywhere else is full simply due to their vast number of rooms. It's a veritable bungalow-burb out behind reception, with row after row of bland concrete ... Diamond Cave Resort complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
55%
2 votes
 

Diamond Private Resort - Last on the beach
36 Moo 1 (at the northern end of the beach) Railay
T: (075) 621 729; F: (075) 621 729
This large resort is the last spot on the back beach at the top of a very long shadeless stairway. Don't think you can rest once you arrive at reception -- some of the bungalows are still a long walk ... Diamond Private Resort complete profile

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
43%
2 votes
 

Railay Viewpoint Resort and Spa - A long walk to the water
Moo 2 (at the northern end of the beach), Railay
T: (075) 621 686-7; F: (075) 621 686
This very large resort has a wide range of rooms and bungalows, a pool, mini-mart and internet centre. Rooms are clean and well-kept, with upholstered furnishings and stone-work bathrooms, though the ... Railay Viewpoint Resort and Spa complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
42%
5 votes
 

Ya Ya Resort - Good value, watch your step
1 Moo 2 Railay Beach
T: (086) 745 8860;
This long-running spot has unusual multi-storey wooden rooms which are quite good value. The rooms vary a bit in size and view, so if possible, ask to see a few to take your pick from. Staff are ... Ya Ya Resort complete profile

West Railay Beach

West Railay Beach is the beach hedonist part of the Railay peninsula. After a day of serious sunbaking, afternoon football and volleyball matches fade into the stunning sunsets, closely followed by great seafood and refreshing drinks. The guesthouses and hotels on this side are pretty overpriced, but in high season, particularly over christmas and new year they are often all full. In peak season you really need to consider booking well ahead to get a good room on this side. All the accommodation is clustered together at the southern end of the beach, except for the Railei Beach Club which dominates the entire northern half.

Toprange
4,000B to 8,000B
80%
1 vote
 

Railei Beach Club - Private and trying to be exclusive
Railay Beach West
T: (086) 685 9359; F: (075) 819 445
The Railei Beach Club is quite a unique place to stay. It's comprised of about 33 luxury houses -- all of the designs employ elements of Thai style, but each one is different. They aren't owned by a ... Railei Beach Club complete profile

Toprange
4,000B to 8,000B
74%
1 vote
 

Railay Village Resort - Headed well upmarket
236 Moo 2 Railay Beach
T: (075) 622 578-80; F: (076) 622 579-80
This place was refurbishing on our last visit -- a good thing, as the rooms were getting pretty grotty. And on our second visit more than a year later -- still refurbishing! We expected the quality ... Railay Village Resort complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
64%
3 votes
 

Railay Bay Resort and Spa - Good pool, shocking staff
145 Moo 2 Railay Bay
T: (075) 622 570-2; F: (075) 622 573
Railay Bay is a large complex that is a classic example of a place that has substantially upgraded its accommodation but forgotten to tell its staff they need to upgrade their attitudes. The ... Railay Bay Resort and Spa complete profile

Midrange
1,500B to 4,000B
57%
2 votes
 

Sand Sea Resort - Good family spot
Railay Beach West
T: (075) 622 609; F: (075) 622 608
Sand Sea is yet another bungalow village, and provides a good, solid mid-range option for a vacation at the beach. We found the rooms well-designed, clean and bright, and the fan rooms stay quite ... Sand Sea Resort complete profile

Ao Tonsai

There are probably about twenty places to stay, which have traditionally filled up in the high-season, though the place is even more sleepy in the low season. There are a handful of low-key bars and restaurants run by locals, and plenty of dirt cheap bungalow operations, though what you save on accommodation is offset by the elevated prices for just about everything else. Ao Ton Sai is not on the public electric grid, so most places only offer power in the evenings, another factor limiting main-stream tourism.

Flashpacker
600B to 1,500B
70%
1 vote
 

Mountain View Resort - A decent midrange option
On the hill road, Ao Ton Sai
T: (075) 622 610-2;
This place was being extensively renovated by the new owner when we visited. He also owns the City Hotel in Krabi Town, and he's trying to make this a mid-range place to attract group tours. He's ... Mountain View Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
70%
1 vote
 

Sai Thong - A wonderfully serene spot
End of the hill road

This place is just getting back up and running after the post-tsunami drop in tourism ran it into the ground. It's the last place along the 'high road' before it leads up and over the headland to ... Sai Thong complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
60%
1 vote
 

Viking Bungalows - Good for those on a tight budget
Ton Sai beach, north of Mambo Bungalows

It's hard to tell one bungalow from the next along the beach -- they are pretty much the same standard-issue, garden variety bungalows. Nothing fancy, no decorations, just a wooden hut with a bed and ... Viking Bungalows complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
60%
1 vote
 

Mambo Bungalows - More together than most
23 Moo 2, Ao Tonsai
T: (089) 652 1862;
This seem to be one of the more 'together' outfits on the beach. They run a large number of fan bungalows back away from the beach, the staff actually wear uniforms, and unlike other places nearby, ... Mambo Bungalows complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
50%
1 vote
 

Pa Sook Resort - Pretty basic
Northern end of the hill road, Ao Ton Sai

This is one of the first places along the road at the north end, where it departs from the beach and winds up into the hills. The accommodation here is pretty basic -- spare and unfurnished -- but ... Pa Sook Resort complete profile

Backpacker
Under 600B
50%
1 vote
 

Pakarang Bungalows - Cheap and basic
Ao Ton Sai Beach

This is one of the first places along the beach as you arrive from Railay West. They offer cheap, basic bungalows and run a small restaurant on the beach. Electricity is only available from 18:00 to ... Pakarang Bungalows complete profile