Railay

Railay Beach was my last stop on my beach getaway.  Just like Koh Lanta, it was a ghost town.  And again, I loved it.  Railay Beach is known for climbing, and photos of the beach usually show people hanging from every piece of available rock, dangling above the white sand.  I did not get a single photo of a climber.  

The first night I stayed in a very inexpensive bungalow in the woods, and definitely off the beaten path.  After a dark, quiet night in the woods, I upgraded.  I never felt unsafe in the bungalow in the woods, but I was up for a while that night thinking, what if?  If something happened, I wasn’t completely convinced someone would hear me scream.  Therefore, the next morning I checked out of my simple jungle bungalow and into a high class (relatively speaking) hotel with an infinity pool and cable television.  With only two nights left, I thought I deserved to splurge.

The scenery at Railay Beach was incredible.  Even though the beach is technically part of Krabi, it can only be reached by longtail boat.  Once you arrive there are three beaches to choose from.  Garvey had recommended I stay at Tonsai Beach, but that wasn’t going to happen.  There was only one small resort open on that beach, and when I travel alone, I need at least a few people nearby.  

One morning I decided to hike to Tonsai Beach, and the hike kicked my butt!  Yes, the path was overgrown from the rainy and low season, but I was not impressed with myself.  By the time I reached Tonsai I was a sweaty mess.  So, I decided to be the sweaty mess that took photos of myself!

It was still pretty early in the morning when I arrived at Tonsai, and the tide was out far enough that I could follow the beach back to where I was staying.  I had to go through that tiny space that I am pointing at in this photo.

And, I had to make it through that space before the tide beat me to it!

I scrambled through the rocky spaces, and yes I was a little nervous.  Can you tell by my crazy neck?  But, look at my awesome new ring!  That was a Koh Lanta purchase that I am very proud of.

It began to rain, so I hung out and read for a while, before setting out for my next adventure.  I had been told about a hidden beach and lagoon, and I was determined to go.  Of course I took a gorillapod shot!

But, when I saw how muddy, steep and dangerous the “path” to the beach was, I realized how nice the pool sounded.

The infinity pool was perfect, and just what I needed.

On my last day in Railay, the sun was so bright that I could actually see my shadow!  One last day of sunbathing before heading back north.

And, on my last night of vacation, I saw the most perfect rainbow.  I was exploring other resorts and as I turned around to head back to dinner I saw it!  I decided to try a self photo, and it was perfect!  You can see my tonsils, but other than that, it is pretty awesome.  I think I need to start traveling with other people, because my self-photography skills are embarrassingly good.