Railay Beach is one of the most stunning locations in southern Thailand. Formed by a deer's neck of sand that connects the mainland to a spectacular cluster of limestone outcrops, it's a place of breathtaking beauty despite the rapid development that's taken place.

A popular spot for rock-climbers, sun hedonists and water babies, the area has something for everyone from kids to grandmas: take your pick from diving and snorkeling to climbing and beach volleyball. In the evening, regular parties keep the barflies entertained, while others can relax in one of a reasonable selection of restaurants. There even an increasingly popular full moon party here, though not as huge as the huge event on Haad Rin, Ko Pha Ngan.

Krabi is the leaping off point for the Railay beaches. You can reach the eastern beach by longtail direct from Krabi, or, you can take a songtheaw from Krabi to Ao Nang from where you can catch a longtail for the short twenty minute longtail trip to the western beach.

East Railay Bay is home to much of the budget accommodation and is where the boats from Krabi arrive. The beach here is mangroves, or what's left of them, and is not suitable for swimming, but is lined with restaurants and receptions for guesthouses which are up the rise behind the beach. Despite the lack of a real beach, the atmosphere on this side of the island is unlike anything else in Thailand -- a bit like a Louisiana bayou suddenly showed up and planted itself on the Andaman Coast.

Phra Nang Bay is the most beautiful beach in the area and has been taken over by a luxury resort. The hotel originally blocked off public access to the beach, but actions by local activists lobbied for an access trail which the hotel grudgingly opened, perhaps after the activists unearthed details of some dodgy land deals. Politics aside, the beach is lovely, and although it gets crowded in season, it's still well worth the walk.

West Railay Bay is the most popular beach in the area, lined with mid-range resorts, a couple of restaurants and around 74 million longtails, whose mostly un-muffled engines destroy what should be a serene paradise. They tend to begin arriving by 08:00 and continue non-stop till dusk. If there was ever a bit of transport in Thailand that required a little more regulation this would be it, as the boats often arrive with only 2-3 people on board. A boat every half hour would greatly help to reduce the racket and increase yields for boatmen, but unfortunately no action appears to be in earshot, so if you want to stay on this beach, grin and bear it. The swimming here is good but a little shallow.

Tonsai Bay is at once off-the-beaten track and a popular destination for the right crowd. It's really one of the most unusual beach destinations available in the area. For one thing, it's attractive mostly for the world-class climbing opportunities, and the water is an after thought. For another, it still take a bit of effort to make your way here, and once you're here it takes an effort to get off. The crowd here is young, but unlike Ko Phi Phi with it's beach of the same name, the vibe here is mellow, introspective, and slow-paced. But there's more to it than that. Let's put it this way -- two popular bars here are called Chill Out and Stoners. Pictures of Bob Marley abound. What, do we gotta spell it out for you? The beach is not as nice as West Railay, but is still very pleasant. There tend to be more parties on this beach than on Railay west.