Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [584]
About halfway along the path from Hat Rai Leh East to Hat Tham Phra Nang, a crude path leads up the jungle-cloaked cliff wall to a hidden lagoon known as Sa Phra Nang (Holy Princess Pool). There’s a dramatic viewpoint over the peninsula from the nearby cliff top, but be warned that this is a strenuous hike with some serious vertigo-inducing parts.
Above Hat Rai Leh East is another large cave called Tham Phra Nang Nai (Inner Princess Cave; adult/child 20/10B; 5am-8pm), also known as Diamond Cave. A wooden boardwalk leads through a series of illuminated caverns full of beautiful limestone formations, including a splendid ‘stone waterfall’ of sparkling gold-coloured quartz.
Activities
ROCK CLIMBING
With nearly 700 bolted routes and unparalleled cliff-top vistas, it’s no surprise these dramatic rock faces are among the top climbing spots in the world. There are routes here ascending to the roofs of massive caverns and following cascades of stalactites up 300m-high cliffs. Climbing options are so plentiful (and new routes are being ‘discovered’ all the time!), ranging from beginner routes to challenging advanced climbs, that you could spend months climbing and exploring – and many people do.
Most climbers start off at Muay Thai Wall and One, Two, Three Wall, at the southern end of Hat Rai Leh East, which have at least 40 routes graded from 4b to 8b on the French system. The mighty Thaiwand Wall, a sheer limestone cliff, sits at the southern end of Hat Rai Leh West and has some of the most challenging climbing routes. For a list of some of the best climbs here, see the boxed text, below.
The going rate for climbing courses is 800B to 1200B for a half day and 1500B to 2200B for a full day. Three-day courses (5000B to 6000B) involve some lead-climbing (where you clip into bolts on the rock face as you ascend) as well as multipitch routes. Experienced climbers can hire lead kits from any of the climbing schools for 600/1000B for a half/full day –the standard kit consists of a 60m rope, two climbing harnesses, two pairs of rock boots, a belaying device and 12 quickdraws. You could consider bringing your own climbing boots and a collection of loose slings, nuts and cams to provide extra protection on thinly bolted routes. If you leave anything at home, all the climbing schools sell imported climbing gear.
Several locally published books detail climbs in the area, but Rock Climbing in Thailand (1000B) is one of the more popular guides.
Recommended climbing schools:
Hot Rock (0 7562 1771; www.railayadventure.com; Hat Rai Leh West) Unabashedly the most expensive climbing school in Railay, but the longstanding reputation keeps the operation busy. The owner, Luang, is a bit of a Railay climbing legend.
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TOP FIVE CLIMBS
With nearly 700 climbs to choose from, picking a few of the best ones is no easy task, but here’s a list we’ve whittled down. Grades are based on the French grading system.
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Tex Rock Climbing (0 7563 1509; Rai Leh East) A tiny, venerable school where the owner still climbs and runs the school directly from the shop.
Wee’s Climbing School (Hat Ton Sai) A friendly and professional outfit.
WATER SPORTS
Several dive operations in Railay run trips to Ko Poda and other neighbouring sites. Krabi Divers (0 7562 1686/7; www.viewpointresort66.com; Hat Rai Leh East), at Railay Viewpoint Resort, charges 6000B for dives at outlying islands.
Snorkelling trips to Ko Poda and Ko Hua Khwan (Chicken Island) can be arranged through any of the resorts for about 900B by long-tail or 1200B by speedboat. Longer multi-island trips cost 1000/1900B per half-/full day. If you just want to snorkel off Railay, most resorts can rent you a mask set