How to Get to Railay Beach from Krabi Phuket and Koh Phi Phi
Railay Beach is one of the best beaches to visit in the whole of Thailand. However, what some people don’t realize is that the beach is inaccessible by land, as there are no roads that lead directly to the beach.
How to Get to Railay Beach from Krabi
Railay Beach is located in Krabi Province and even though it’s connected to the mainland, it’s not an island. It’s still inaccessible by land, so you have to get a boat. The easiest way to do this is to first head to Ao Nang Beach and catch a boat from there.
Now, most people will already be at Ao Nang Beach because this is the most popular area to stay, but if you’re arriving directly from the airport, it’s about a 45-minute drive from the airport and a 30-minute drive from Krabi Town.
Once you arrive at Ao Nang Beach, head to the road that runs directly parallel with the beach, right alongside it. Here, you’ll see some cube-shaped stands, and this is where you can buy a ticket.
Railay Beach Longtail Boat Times and Prices
Depending on the time of day, you might need to specify that you just want a ticket to Railay Beach because early in the morning, there are lots of boat trips that run from one of these stands to other destinations.
It takes about 20 minutes by longtail boat to arrive at the beach. You may, however, have to wait a little longer if you have to wait for the boat to fill up. Most boats won’t leave until they’ve got quite a few people on them, so if you’re the first to arrive, you might have to wait a little longer.
A one-way ticket costs about 100 Thai Baht. You can decide when buying if you want to buy a return ticket; however, you should have no problem catching a boat from Railay back to Ao Nang.
During high season, though, the price may increase to about 150 Thai Baht per person. Boats run from approximately 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The boats don’t like to run at night because it gets a little dangerous on the sea, so you must catch a boat back before 6 p.m.
If not, it’s still possible to get a boat back; however, you’re going to have to charter a private boat. I’ve heard that renting a private boat can be done for around 800 Thai Baht, but I wouldn’t want to be the one haggling when there’s no other way back, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you get charged substantially more than that.
The Boat Ride to Railay Beach
Railay Beach largely shuts down in the evening. That’s because all the boats have to get back to the mainland safely.
The thing that I think most tourists don’t understand about the boat trip to Railay is that it’s actually one of the coolest parts about visiting the beach.
The boat ride to Railay is absolutely worth it, and you’ll whiz past other longtail boats and towering cliff faces on your way to the beach, so my advice is to have your camera ready when you’re on the boat.
Getting to Railay Beach from Phuket, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta
It’s possible that you’re trying to get to Railay Beach from further away. You can also catch boats directly from Phuket, Koh Lanta, and Koh Phi Phi to Railay Beach. From Phuket, there are four boats a day: two of those run from Rassada Pier in the south and two from Bang Rong Pier in the north.
From Koh Phi Phi, there are three speedboats that run every day. They cost about 800 Thai Baht one way and take about 30 minutes. There are ferries that run as well, but these take about an hour and a half and cost 400 Thai Baht one way.
Finally, from Koh Lanta, there is one boat that runs each day, and it costs about 500 Thai Baht.
