Railay Beach – Our Place Of Broken Dreams
Our Story
We all have them, places we have travelled to, falling in love, sat around many a friends house and shared amazing experiences in the hope one day we would return.
Well, that’s how Railey Beach was for us.
1999
My first trip to Railey was in 1999, the moment we landed on the beach I knew this was about to become one of my favourite places.
This Peninsula was only reachable by long boat so no traffic only walking. Just one sandy walking path from East Railay Beach to West Railay Beach we thought this was heaven.
Accommodation (Railay Bay) on the beach for 300 baht, around $15 NZ dollars, basic but perfect for backpackers. With the quiet tranquil beach of Ao Phra Nang and its emerald green waters, white sands and its breathtaking scenery.
West Railay, the main beach that you arrive at from Ao Nang
Here we spent most days swimming and eating corn on the cob with hardly anyone else insight.
In the evenings we would eat in West Railay playing beach football, as the sunset, with the local workers who had finished their shift or were having a break.
East Railay was very bohemian, cheaper accommodation, tent sites and a few cafes and restaurants. A four-day stay turned in nine and it was hard to even leave then.
2003
In 2003 we returned, we had expected changes and there were but it still had the same feel as 1999.
Prices had increased but not that much.
Property had changed, either new or rebuild. And I still played footy on the beach with the Thai staff at sunset. More happy memories…
The beautiful Ao Phra Nang Beach. This spot is just perfect, before it became over crowded
2007
Four years later (2007) once more we returned for a week (Diamond Cave Resort) and yes this was one place hit by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami..
The sandy path was gone, replaced by a concrete one, no worries.
Accommodation had built up, new places opened, prices further increased but it still kept that unique feel of 1999.
The way you can arrive at a place and just instantly relax, forget about your troubles. Oh and play footy with the Thai staff on West Railay at sunset.
Over the next few years, we would chat with friends and family about this special place. In our hearts knowing 95% of our friends would never set foot of these shores.
The front entrance to Market street and so the mass changes begin
2016
Fast forward to 2016 and the opportunity to return with Lukas. We were so excited, a chance to show him one of our special places in Asia.
We were under no illusion things had changed. Booking online we knew prices had increased and more accommodation had been built.
But as the longboat swung around the corner West Railay come in view and the excitement soon fell from our faces, travellers everywhere, a new street (Market Street) with tailors, shops, travel agents etc had been build, expensive 5-star accommodation had popped up.
Everywhere we looked there was … just… people!
We even struggled to find our accommodation but once we did and once we settled into our room we sat, in shock.
We talked of the horror we witness (Lukas was asleep at this time) however we also said too that change happens and let’s make the most of it.
The next morning after breakfast Ao Phra Nang beach had our name on it. As we arrived and found a spot for the day we settled in, Lukas swam with me and Connie sunbathed.
Sadly, within an hour, the silence was broken. In the distance around 20-30 long boats powered towards us and within minutes and beach was crawling with countless day visitors.
Also, many other travellers staying on Railay turned up and soon it was towel to towel like sardines in a tin.
Gutted!
My last hope was footy on West Railay but there were so many travellers watching the sunset there was just no room.
We also believe with more people comes more health risks as for the first time we all got sick.
Even under the night sky, you could see long boats piled high with rubbish being removed from the peninsula.
Sunset on Ao Phra Nang beach just before our final swim for the day
East Railay’s bohemian feel was gone too now replaced by flash hotels, expensive restaurants and shops.
We looked, searched and did find a couple of small family run restaurants but how long will this remain, only time will tell.
It was no longer our piece of paradise in the world. I know, places grow, more people will visit as undiscovered places get discovered. I just wish it didn’t happen to Railay.
We loved our family time with Lukas and created some fabulous memories however it wasn’t what we thought it would be and when we took our last step off Railay beach we knew it would be the final time we would set sight on its shores.
Thumbs up from Lukas as we board the long boat and say goodbye to Railay Beach
Final Thoughts
So now we ask ourselves, do we return to our other slices of paradise, undiscovered places like Railay, where we have a special connection too. Could they now be overrun tourist hotspots?
Or do we just leave it as that, a special place and continue to look at new destinations to create new memories with our children.
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Hi, I've been fortunate enough to have travelled for over 25 years. My parents gave me the travel bug when I was 10 years old by taking my sister and I to the USA and Mexico for two months. I've travelled by myself, with mates, with my wife and now as a family of four. My goal is to inspire our families to get out and see the world.
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