Railay Beach, Sea Swimming, Monkey Walk, and Krabi Night Market

We had a chill morning because laundry needed collecting. We had a slow breakfast and planned the day. Around midday we took the bus into Ao Nang and returned to the monkey corner. There was a wooden walkway leading up into the forest around a peninsula. Hiking through led us to an exclusive beach area with multiple resorts. Thankfully the beach itself wasn’t private and so we tried to have a swim. The waves were immense with rips pulling at our legs as the water receded. Choosing life we did not go in past our waists much to the annoyance of me needing a wee.

A couple others from the hostel were meeting us to try and go to Railay beach. Meeting up with them we tried to take the long boat over only to be told that the sea was too rough and they are not going. Usually I hate the people yelling at you to join their tour or try their restaurant or that they have happy hour seemingly every hour, but this came in handy today. On the walk from the other beach to the meeting point a man had yelled at us ‘you go Railay boat to Railay’. We found his booth and sure enough he was operating long boats to Railay from another pier where the sea was calmer. Agreeing to his price we were bused over and boarded the boat.

The sea was fine, the boat was sturdy, and the journey was short. Arriving in Railay we immediately saw climbers scaling the cliffs making us miss our bouldering back home. We followed some signs, saw a monitor lizard/komodo dragon, passed more climbers and found the beach. Phra Nang beach was enclosed by cliffs full of climbers. We had a long swim during which we all got burnt. Sunset came and we got the boat back to Ao Nang, bus to hostel, showered, and went to the night market for dinner.

Tomorrow we travel to Koh Phi Phi.

-M