Krabi: Southern Thailand's alluring natural beauty

Railay is a headland jutting into the Andaman Sea and sheltering two beaches between limestone cliffs as well as a third near a hidden cave along the rocky point.

Once mostly a backpacker hangout, Railay now has a few finer accommodations, but still retains that laidback, time-has-stopped atmosphere. There are no cars, no buses, and, in fact, no roads. The only way to arrive is by longtail boat from Ao Nang beach. Visitors hop off at the edge of the sand when the tide is high enough for the boats to get in.

Railay is most famous for its cliffs which attract climbers from around the world. Not a climber? This is also a good place to learn from professional instructors. Otherwise the best thing to do here is to just chill.