Krabi: Railay Viewpoint and Princess Lagoon Guide
Amazing Viewpoint And Hidden Lagoon
THAILAND: KRABI
The Railay Viewpoint and Princess Lagoon are always on our itinerary when we visit Railay. The viewpoint is one of the best in Railay and the Princess Lagoon is truly a hidden gem.
The start point to both is roughly half-way along the track from Railay East Beach to Phra Nang Beach, you will see a steep, muddy trail leading up the almost vertical wall on the left and a notice-board with a map.
The track is very short but extremely steep, assisted by ropes for most of the way. The walk is more of a vertical scramble, when you reach the top of this first wall you will see signposts to go left to the viewpoint or right for the descent to the Princess Lagoon.
The viewpoint is definitely worth the climb! The best time to visit the viewpoint is during high tide, otherwise you will see nothing but wet sand!
Branching off the same trail to Railay Viewpoint trail is the steep, scrambling descent to the Hidden Lagoon, also called the Princess Lagoon or Sa Phra Nang, a huge emerald-green pool surrounded by tall limestone cliffs with overhanging caves on all sides.
The best time to visit the lagoon is a personal choice. We always choose to head out just after sunrise as it is quieter and you are more likely to enjoy the lagoon on your own. In some places the track is only passable by one person at a time in each direction and going early reduces the chances of having to wait for others to pass. For us, with teenage boys, the hike up and down is all about exploring and adventure rather than capturing the best photographs. If photographs are important to you, plan your visit to coincide with high tide as the lagoon only exists during high tide and this creates the best photographs.
The descent down to the lagoon is a challenging climb and we strongly advise AGAINST bringing young children and/or elderly people to this climbing trail. It doesn’t require a great level of fitness but it can be challenging even for adults because of the climbing and at times you need to support your whole bodyweight with your hands. In places the trail is almost vertical and extremely muddy. The trail down to Princes Lagoon is closed for safety in wet weather, but exercise caution either way.
We recommend bringing some water, wearing proper shoes (bring some water shoes if possible to enter the lagoon),and wearing clothes you don’t mind getting ruined with red mud! If you’re not staying at Railay, bring some clothes to change into after climbing and then spend the day at the beach.
There are four walls you need to climb down to get to the lagoon. They get progressively challenging as you go down. After the first wall, there’s a beautiful path leading to the next one. It feels like a true jungle adventure! There is a huge buttress rooted tree here, perfect for photographs.
Once you get to the second wall, you will be rewarded with a glimpse of the lagoon!
Then follows three consecutive walls down to the lagoon, each one progressively harder. There are ropes to assist but finding footholds can be tricky. The climb down should take around 45 minutes.
Once you make it all the way to the lagoon, prepare to be amazed!
The lagoon is a truly magical place hidden inside an open ceiling cave called a hong. As the bed of the lagoon is made of clay the water here is not clear but the colour is still vibrant.
If you are entering the water there is a small area next to the opening where you can leave your things. The lagoon is really muddy, be aware that whatever you bring here is going to be red and dirty when you leave. Water shoes are recommended as there are hidden sharp rocks and branches under the water.
In the far corner is a small cave you can explore.
Recommended:
Wear proper shoes and take water shoes
Wear old clothes
Waterproof bag
Camera
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
Swimwear
Towel
Hat and sunglasses
Water
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