Even though it’s under a kilometre long, the Railay viewpoint hike is classified as hard. I believe in you, you can do it. But you need to be a bit prepared. Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know about this in-and-back trail in Thailand.
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Railay viewpoint hike
The Railay viewpoint hike is absolutely worth it, and a nice change of pace from the otherwise laid-back, beach bum vibes of Railay. The trailhead is hard to miss on the left as you’re walking to the famous Phra Nang Beach.
How long is the Railay viewpoint hike?
The hike to the epic viewpoint on Railay Beach will take you about 1 to 1.5 hours total return to get to both the viewpoint and the lagoon. Or 45 mins if you just go up to the viewpoint and back.
If you’re fit, you could speed run it and get it done in an hour. But 1.5 is more realistic because you’ll want to spend a bit of time at the viewpoint/lagoon and you might get stuck behind some people on the way up or down.
So if you’re staying in Railay or on a long day trip, you have tons of time. If you’re on a day trip that drops you in Railay for an hour, prob not.
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What to wear for the hike
Here’s what you need for a successful walk:
- You NEED shoes. I saw several people trying to do it barefoot but I don’t know what they’re trying to prove. Flip flops won’t cut it either — would make it harder IMO. You don’t need serious hiking boots but wear trainers or something. I met two women who made it all the way to the lagoon barefoot but couldn’t make it down.
- Bring/wear a bathing suit if you want to take a dip in the lagoon. But keep your expectations low it’s not some kind of swimmer’s paradise. And if you go at low tide there might not be much water for swimming at all!
- Otherwise just wear comfy walking clothes. Things you don’t mind getting temporarily dirty with red mud.
- Sunscreen is still a good idea, but the Railay viewpoint hike is tree covered the whole way. So this is one rare occasion where sunblock isn’t necessary.
- Avoid bringing a tote or any type of bag. This will free up your hands for all the scrambling. A backpack or fanny pack would be fine.
My shoes aren’t technically hiking shoes, but Keens with good grip!
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All about the Railay viewpoint hike
Most of the hike is scrambling over rocks and tree roots, right from the get-go at the start of the trailhead. There are ropes to help you but they’re more useful for the way down. Here’s the full breakdown of what you can expect on the Railay viewpoint hike and lagoon.
- 20 minutes straight up from the start of the trailhead. Scrambling over rocks and roots.
- 10 minutes to the viewpoint on a normal flat-ish trail.
- 20 minutes down to the lagoon decision point.
- 15 minutes down to the lagoon — basically repelling down a rock face with ropes.
After the viewpoint you’ll start a rocky but reasonably easy descent down to the lagoon. You’ll know when you reach the decision point because you can see the lagoon from above. But it’s a sheer, vertical descent down where you’ll need the ropes and shoes for this part for sure. This is where I even saw some super fit people give up.
There’s no shame in not going down to the lagoon — and I’m not just saying that because I didn’t. It’s legit a bit dangerous and I wasn’t the only person who chose to admire the view then turn around.
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However, Chesney, with his climbing experience and upper-body strength went the whole way down to the water. He had to repel through a hole in the rock.
Even though we went at high tide, he didn’t bother swimming and said the water wasn’t super appealing. But it’s very scenic!
When you’re ready, you have to climb back up to the viewpoint and down to the trailhead, which takes about 45 total from the lagoon.
This is the lagoon at high tide
Tips for your Railay hike
- Go early in the morning to beat crowds and the heat. We started at 9am.
- Look at the tides. At low tide there isn’t much of a lagoon at all. (There’s even a little tides app for your smartphone or Apple watch to make this easy.)
- Do NOT go after rain. It will be sooo treacherous. The lagoon may also look murky.
- Consider bringing water — it’s a short hike but the heat will still getcha.
- I don’t know why you’d do this anyway, but don’t go when it’s dark.
Other activities to do in Railay
If you’re at all into rock climbing, this is an amazing place to do it! The limestone cliffs are stunning and there are some world-class routes. You don’t have to be a pro to enjoy it, either. Chesney went with King Climbers and said there were some beginners in his group and the guides adapted to different skill sets and chose suitable routes.
Then a Hong Island or 4 Island day trip via long tail boat is a must for classic Thai island scenery.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
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