The last thing you want on a trip is to trek through mountains and rivers, yet everyone who visits Railay Beach in Krabi, Thailand, seems to crave just that “painful joy”! The reason? To challenge one of the world’s top natural rock climbing spots. The only way to reach this climbing paradise is by long-tail boat (Long Tail Boat), which takes about 15 minutes from the dock. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of steep and bizarre limestone formations, shaped over years by constant rain erosion, creating nearly a thousand climbing routes of varying difficulty.
Upon arriving at the Railay Beach peninsula, you’ll find climbing shops lining the walkways, offering courses and equipment rentals. There are also many hotels and hostels in the area, usually filled with avid climbers. For beginners, the best option is to join a half-day experience course, which includes instructor fees and gear for just 1000 THB (about HKD 220).
At Real Rocks Climbing School, after putting on a harness, choosing climbing shoes, and strapping on a chalk bag and helmet, you’ll head to Phra Nang Cave Beach on the southwest side of the peninsula. It’s a 10-minute walk along a path beneath the limestone cliffs, where the stunning natural scenery already elicits gasps of amazement. Upon reaching the destination, you’ll be awestruck by the towering cliffs above the beach. Watching the “spidermen” on the cliffs scale to the top in no time—or sometimes get stuck mid-air—leaves those waiting their turn feeling both thrilled and nervous.
For this climb, I had practiced beforehand on an artificial outdoor climbing wall in Hong Kong, successfully reaching a height of 10 meters. Full of confidence, I couldn’t wait to try, and I remembered my Hong Kong coach’s tip: don’t rely solely on brute strength from your arms to pull yourself up—use your legs.
The instructor explained that the cliff has routes of varying difficulty levels. As a beginner, I naturally chose the easiest one, but I still ran into challenges right away. The biggest difference from artificial walls is that the limestone has no pre-installed holds—you have to find your own footholds and handholds on the uneven rock surface, which is quite tricky for a beginner. With the instructor’s guidance, I made some progress, then dusted on some anti-slip chalk powder to keep climbing. But after just two or three more moves, I got stuck again, suddenly felt vertigo, and my arms started to weaken.
At that point, I reluctantly decided to give up. I signaled to the instructor to head back down. All I had to do was relax, lean back, spread my legs shoulder-width apart, and slide down the rope like a commando. The instructor on the ground kept my safety rope taut, which made me feel completely at ease.
But the moment I landed, I felt unsatisfied. I immediately asked the instructor to try another route, but alas, I failed again. My friends, who were also first-timers, didn’t manage to reach the top of the 20-meter cliffs, but they were already hooked and excited, even expressing interest in taking lessons back in Hong Kong. Not being able to admire the view of Railay Beach from high up might just be the best excuse to visit again.
Real Rocks Climbing School
Address?116 Moo 5 Tambon Saithai, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi,
Business Hours?9:00am-6:00pm
Fees?Half-day course 1,000 Baht; full-day course 1,800 Baht
Website?www.realrocksclimbing.com
Special Thanks:
Tourism Authority of Thailand (Hong Kong)
More Thailand travel info: https://www.facebook.com/TAT.HongKong/