Ao Nang and Railay Beach are the beach part of our Thailand route. Ao Nang is the base and Railay Beach, with its limestone cliffs, is right next door. We spent four days here. This is a deeper look at that stop of our 3-week Thailand itinerary.

Getting to Railay Beach

Railay can only be reached by boat: the longtail boat from Ao Nang takes 15 to 30 minutes. Pay in cash and bring small change.

Where to stay in Ao Nang and Railay

In Ao Nang

In Ao Nang we stayed at Hula Hula Resort. It is about 15 minutes from the boulevard, but the hotel takes you there for free by tuk-tuk. We had a room with pool access: straight from the room into the water and then on to the pool bar.

On Railay

On Railay we stayed at Railay Phutawan Resort, perhaps the most beautiful hotel of our trip through Thailand. You have views of the limestone rocks, plenty of monkeys in the trees around the pool and we even saw a big monitor lizard. The hotel sits on a hill, so you have to climb, but every step and extra sweat stain is worth it.

Where to eat and drink in Ao Nang: Recommendations

Ao Nang has plenty of touristy restaurants, but there are nice local spots among them too.

• D&E’s Jungle Kitchen: small, run by a Thai family.
• Ton Ma Yom Thai Food: a tip on a side street.

Nightlife in Ao Nang

In the evening Ao Nang has a real reggae vibe, with plenty of small bars where the Bob Marley factor is high and live bands that get people dancing.

• Roots Rock Reggae Bar: live music and a fire show at 11 p.m.
• Reggae Town: live music almost every night.
• Boogie Bar: live music in high season.
• Last Fisherman: a bar with your feet in the sand.

Activities: island tours from Ao Nang

From Ao Nang you can book day trips to the islands off the coast. The bestseller is the premium 4-island tour by longtail boat with lunch (4.6 from over 6,400 reviews). Prefer a speedboat? Then look at the 4-island tour by speedboat with lunch (4.5 from 319 reviews).

Want to go to James Bond Island? There is a tour by longtail boat and kayak (4.2 from 389 reviews). It is a long day of 8 to 9 hours, and the island itself is mostly crowded.

👉 Tours and activities in Ao Nang:

From Ao Nang to Koh Phi Phi

We took the speedboat from Ao Nang. Read on in our 3-week itinerary.

Frequently asked questions about Ao Nang and Railay

How do you get to Railay Beach?

Only by boat. The longtail boat from Ao Nang takes 15 to 30 minutes. Pay in cash and bring small change.

Where is it best to stay: Ao Nang or Railay?

We stayed in both: Ao Nang as a base with plenty of restaurants and bars, and Railay for the limestone cliffs and the peace and quiet.

Is James Bond Island worth it?

It is a long day of 8 to 9 hours and the island itself is mostly crowded. The 4-island tour had a better rating.