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Description
Railay is a small peninsula between the cities of Krabi and Ao Nang. Only accessible by boat due to high limestone cliffs cutting off mainland access. Railay has a kind of island feel. The cliffs, beaches and bays are of extraordinary beauty. On the west of the peninsula are 3 beaches. On the east coast are patches of mangrove and mudflats during low tide. The hinterland in the north is a jungle area where 3 species of monkey roam (including gibbon) and many birds can be found.
Railay is not big. The route you see on the map (about 5 km) can be easily done in one morning. But the high temperatures make it often a wise decision to take more time and do some armchair or beach birding. The mangroves are very good for Collared Kingfisher which shows itself often very well. On the beaches you can see White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Brahminy Kite flying by. The limestone rocks are good places to spot Blue Rock Thrush and Blue Whistling-Thrush. In the forest sections you can spot different kinds of bulbul and birds like Oriental Pied-Hornbill, Blue-eared Barbet, Green-billed Malkoha, Common Iora and Little Spiderhunter.
Details
Access
You can take a boat from Ao Nang Beach to Railay. There is no road access to this area of Krabi. Most of the trails and paths are easy, only the jungle path through the hinterland from Railay to Ton Sai Beach has some steep parts. Note: during the rainy season from July to October the trails can get washed out by heavy rain as well as overgrown plants and falling branches from trees. During high tide some parts of the beaches can be difficult to walk. See a link to the tide table below.
Terrain and Habitat
Forest , Mountain , Beach , Mud flats , Sea , City/villageConditions
Hilly , High water possible , SandyCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
NoGood birding season
All year roundBest time to visit
Winter , Spring migration , Autumn migrationRoute
Paved road , Unpaved road , Wide path , Narrow trailDifficulty walking trail
Average walkAccessible by
FootBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
Staying overnight is highly recommend. There are many fine hotels, the atmosphere is great and you avoid the crowds of daytrippers from Krabi and Ao Nang. When you stay in Railay you can make an early start and have the place by yourself before the crowds arrive.