|
we passed Krabi on our Trip to Koh Hai in spring 2005 ans so we stopped on our way from Phuket for one week in Krabi (Island Railay), this trip takes around 2 hours (Ao Nang Beach) and is and the half way to Trang and Koh Ngai. Much easier and more comfortable is of course to take one of the daily flights to Krabi-Aiprot, which is only 30 minutes away. Thai-Airways offers several daily non-stop-flights from Bangkok.
So, we don´t stay in the touristic and famoust area at the Ao Nang-Beach, instead on the island Railay, which you can only reach by boat - here are no streets on no power-supply from the mainland. But you can reach Raily very very easy with many longtail-connections from Ao Nang Beach, costs max 100 Baht oneway !
If you are searching for an unique and typical Thailand-Charme i think you don´t find it here anymore, because before the Tsunami many vistors talk like the same conditions like on Phe Phe Island - so in the daytime it becomes very crowded and very touristic - only in the evening and nights it already very beautiful and quiet. So we visited Raily after the Tsunami and it was very quiet but not lonley, the tourists are already back, but it was not so fully booked like before. In the evening at the westbeach you can allready enjoy with chill-out music the fantastic sundown - it´s amazing ! This beach, the rock-formations and the sundwon is one of the best in whole Asia. Furthermore you can get every evening arround the island a small beach party or something else !
Hoteltip: We avoid the big touristic Hotels at the westside of the island eg, the Railay Resort Hotel - ca 140 rooms - or Railay Village. Our choice was the new builded and very friendly small Sunrise Tropical Resorts at the eastside of the island, ca. 5 minutes from the Westbeach Railays.
This dreamful hotel is located in a wonderful garden and have only 8 beautiful bungalows. The Internet-guest comments and the description of this hotel was the reason, that we have choiced this hotel and yes: it was much better, than we´ve hoped. The Hotel is very luxerious and have a special flair, you can get sure that you´ll never forget this impressions ! But take care: check the rates by internet, becuase we´ve safed around 500-800 Baht per night. Our booking was made by Thaihotels.com and we´ve paid 2470 Baht bzw. 52 Euro in the high-season for one of the big and goog furnished bungalows with a big bathrrom, A/C, coffeemaker, Safe, hairdryer, big big bed on a small gallery, TV, luxery furnishment and a patio incl. good breakfast in their own restaurant for 2 PAX. If you want an outside-Shower you can book a Thai Villen Plus! But believe me, the normal bungalows have such a beautiful bathroom - matchless beautiful
But all the other resorts on the island are also very nice and most located towards the best beach of the west side, so it´s up to you ! The Sunrise Tropical is only our most favorite tip, if it´s not sooo important to stay directly at the sweet westbeach.
After the Tsunami Railay is now better than before, becuase now the tourists are not so much as before, that you can think it´s like Patong Beach . In the last High-Season it was really good, because there was enough toursits but not overcrowded, so you´ve your privatsphere at all time - if you want. But please note, in the daytime already many day-toursits comes from the mainland or other island to see this famoust and beautiful beach at westside of Railay, so at this time your´re definatly NOT alone !
On the island there are many things to do, many people comes for rock-climbing at one of the famoust rocks, here you get for this hobby the best conditions and if you are looking upwards the rocks and hills you find all times a rock-climber! Yes aloso in the night time, when you drink your beer or cocktail at the nice “Rock-Bar”, you´ll find some lights in the rocks.
And here our restaurant-tips: of course at the westside are many small and sweet restaurants with a magnificant view from railay beach, especially in the eveing and the sudnwon. But also a good tip is the Rockbar on the hill (10 minutes from the beach) with a beautiful ambience, the prices are all near the same and so you´ve to test all bars and restaurants and find your favorite. A good choice at the beginning of the BoBo´s Passag is the restaurant where you´ve a amazing view for your private sundown !
PS: Here you get no alcohol, but you can buy it at nearby the bar or in the supermarket and enjoy it with you dinner - it´s really not a problem - the waiter will bring you a glass for you own beer or wine !
Diving at Railay beach:
So, we´ve only found one dive-operator named RAILAY Divers,it´s located in the middle of the BoBo´s Passage:
It´s small and good dive-operator with multilangual instructor and dive-guides, they offer differnt day-trips (2-tank-dives) to the most popuplar and famoust dive spots like Kho Phe Phe and Hin Daeng.
The daytrips are in a normal prive-range for Thailand approximately 5000 Baht für 2 Dives incl. lunch on a very comfortable boat !
Also you can get different education dives under swedish leadership, but with english and german spoken diveguides. So because of the most dive-spots are the same like arround Phe Phe Island you´ll find the U/W-Photeos here: Phi Phi.
|
