Railay

Saturday 11 February: From Krabi town's jetty it's easy to organise your own day-trip to the beaches at Railay (pronounced as the Irish surname O'Reilly). From muddy Railay East, where the long-tail boat's dock, it's a short walk to sandy Railay West where, a paddle north at low tide, or a scramble over the headland at high-tide, leads to the cheap rock-climbers shacks at Tonsai. For, apart from the soft sandy beaches, the spectacular overhanging craggy limestone cliffs make this whole area a haven for climbers.
Sunday 12: I'm returning to Railay again today and cut south under overhanging limestone stalactites to Pranang Bay where, as soon as I see the phallic lingas in Pranang cave I remember it from 2005: wonderful beach, crystal clear waters, stunning overhanging cliffs and little Muslim 'kitchen' boats that pull up on the sand to offer meals that rival anything provided by the expensive hotel restaurant that backs onto the beach.
Photos of Railay's beaches.