Railay

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We both decided there wasn’t much more to explore in Aonang and so headed for a beach called Raily. The guide book recommended Raily for its stunning sunset and its rock climbing. The water was too choppy so get into a long tail boat on the beach so those of us waiting jumped into a van and headed for what they called a ‘port’. This was most defiantly NOT a port it was a walk way of concrete that then went into rocks that you had to clamber across to bored the boat! Image that with a backpack on your back and a rucksack in your arms! I was nervous about going in the choppy sea as it was and just flung myself to the side of the boat and Matt cocked my leg over, I knew if my body was kind of in the boat then my backpack would follow.

After a very wet and choppy boat trip Matt and I arrived on this semi deserted island, Raily. The west side was very expensive with limited hotels the most expensive being £800 and night! So we headed to the backpacker friendly East side of Raily, a five minute walk however very different beaches. This side was fully of mangroves and not so great hotels however we found a nice one called the View point. It was a little bamboo hut style and we made it our home for the next few days. As soon as we had dropped our bags in our room Matt set out for actives and at two o’clock we met a guide and Matt went climbing (I watched of course). As you can see from the pictures Matt did brilliantly his highest point was thirty meters. He was a little worried as you had to tie all your own knots after the guide had shown you. The guides were like tiny monkey men, they had no fear and would climb up without safety ropes, and they made it look so easy.

That evening we both went for a massage. Matt opted for a herbal massage where they rub a big hot ball of steamed herbs onto your skin which he claims smelt like weed! And I opted for a soft oil massage. We had our own section and I even felt asleep at one point however I did laugh a lot as it was very tigerly and a little pokey in places.

The guide books were right the sunset in Raily is not to be missed, exactly how you would picture it in your head a slow warm glow lowering towards the ocean.

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