Hot Rock Climbing SchoolRailay West, Krabi

Railay, since '94.

Rock climbing on Railay Beach with the school that opened here in 1994 and is still run by the man who started it. Groups of three or four, all gear and insurance included, every day of the year.

Book a half day See all programs
The bay at Railay seen from the mouth of a cave

A peninsula you can only reach by boat.

Ten minutes on a longtail from Ao Nang or Ao Nam Mao. No roads, no cars, one walking street.

Seven hundred routes on limestone that rises straight out of the sea.

From beginner 4a to 8c+, and we climb it every day of the year. In the rains the overhangs keep the routes dry.

One of the very first. Still the same hands.

Luang came to Railay at the end of the 1980s, when it was a handful of bungalows and a beach you reached by longtail. He lived in a cave he climbed into, and guided the few travellers who came for the rock.

A climber high on grey limestone at Railay
Railay limestone. Photograph by @climbermotion.
  1. 1994

    Luang and his Swedish wife Saralisa open Hot Rock on Railay East. The family lives on a ten-metre sailing boat in the bay.

  2. 2002

    The shop moves across to Railay West.

  3. Today

    Still run by the two of them, from the shop on Walking Street.

"Local legend Luang and his wife Saralisa run the school. Both boast expert knowledge of local crags and an impeccable reputation for safety and fun."

Fah Thai, the Bangkok Airways magazine

Pick a day.

Every program includes harness, shoes, helmet, rope and Tokio Marine insurance. Prices in Thai baht, per person unless stated.

Two guests in helmets on the beach before a climbBeginner · around 6a

Half day, joined group

1,500THB
9am or 2pm4 hours3–4 peopleChild under 10 1,200

Your first time on real rock. Easy top-rope routes, an instructor beside you the whole way. No experience needed.

Book this session
A guest hanging upside down on the rope above the bayBeginner · two crags

Full day, joined group

2,600THB
9amAbout 8 hours3–4 peopleChild under 10 2,200

Two climbing locations in one day. Can end with the Big Bat Cave and a rappel, if the whole group is up for it.

Book this session
Two instructors laughing with a young guest at the foot of the cliffKids & family

Kids and family

1,200THB half day
Under 10: 1,200 / 2,20010 and up: 1,500 / 2,600

Kid-sized harnesses and helmets, easy routes, and a focus on having fun rather than reaching the top. Leave early if the small ones have had enough; the price stays the same.

Book for the family
An instructor coiling rope on a ledge above turquoise waterAll levels · flexible start

Private, one instructor to you

3,500THB half day
Full day 5,500Two guests sharing: 5,000 / 8,100 total

Your own instructor, your own pace, routes at your level. The way to learn lead or multi-pitch if you already top-rope.

Book private
A climber leading up an orange limestone wallCourses · 2 or 3 days

Learn to lead

6,500THB · 2 days
3-day sport course 8,5009am daily

Two days takes you from top rope to lead. Three days adds belaying, multi-pitch, knots, safety and abseiling, a full grounding in the sport.

Book a course
Two climbers on a ledge high above Railay bayExperienced

Multi-pitch and Ao Nang Tower

from 6,500THB
Priced by routeAssessed first

Long routes on Thaiwand Wall, or the tower that rises out of the sea and can only be reached by boat. We meet you first and pick the right line.

Talk to us first
A climber with a coiled rope over her shoulder, harness on, ready to climb
First

Clip in.

Your instructor ties your knot, checks it, and checks it again. Then it's your turn to learn it.

A guest climbing an overhang above the bay
Then

Climb.

Easy routes first. Then one that makes you think. The rope holds; your instructor is on the other end of it.

Two climbers with their arms up on a ledge high above Railay bay
And at the end

The top.

The view is the reward. The best climber is the one having the most fun.

Ask for them by name.

Eight instructors, all fluent in English, all checked regularly on first aid and technique. Guests come back for a particular person, and we'll put you with them if we can.

The Hot Rock team in front of the shop on Walking Street
The team outside the shop, Walking Street.

Luang

36 years on the rock

Owner. Came in the late eighties, lived in a cave, and knows every hold on the peninsula.

Chai

26 years

Quiet and steady. The longest-serving member of the team after Luang.

Por

12 years

Focused and confident. The name that comes up most in reviews.

New

12 years

Service-minded and easy to be around.

Fon

12 years

Energy for the whole group, all day.

Baimon

8 years

Warm, calm, organised. Guests ask for her again.

Bis

4 years

Dependable, and the friendly face at the shop.

Ris

4 years

The youngest. Strong climber, excellent English.

What guests say.

4.9Google, 440 reviews
4.5TripAdvisor, 59 reviews
5.0Half-day product, Viator

"My first time climbing with Hot Rock was in 2001 and now back with the family for the third time. Only 2–4 people per instructor, which was perfect."

Charlotta H, TripAdvisor, November 2024

"I've seen tired ropes at other schools, but here everything is very well maintained."

TripAdvisor, September 2025

"He was calm and patient, giving clear instructions."

Alex D, TripAdvisor, August 2026

Good to know.

Short answers to what people ask us most. Anything else, ask us on WhatsApp.

Ask a question

Message us on WhatsApp or LINE at +66 85 641 9842, on WeChat at saralisaandluang, or email info@railayadventure.com. Tell us the date, the program and how many of you are coming. Then check in with us the day before, so everything is ready for you.

Come to the shop on Walking Street ten minutes before your start, 9am or 2pm, to fill in the form, pay and try on your shoes and harness. The crag is a short walk from the shop. If you're running late, let us know: a joined group can't wait long, and arriving late shortens your climb.

No experience is needed for the half day, the full day or the kids' sessions. Climbing suits all ages and sizes. Tell us about any medical condition when you book, so your instructor can plan for it. Warming up and stretching are up to you. You're insured by Tokio Marine while you climb.

Joined groups are set up for beginners, so the level in a group can vary. We put experienced climbers together when we can, but can't promise it. For harder routes at your own pace, book a private session. Private sessions, and groups of three or more, can also ask for a different start time.

Cash, Visa or Mastercard (the bank adds a fee), or a PromptPay QR code.

In light rain we climb under the overhangs. In very heavy rain your guide may call the day off: there's no charge, and if we have to stop partway you pay only for the part you climbed. If you decide to finish early yourself, the price stays the same.

Yes, from a half day to several days. The gear is cleaned every day and replaced regularly. Prices in baht, half day / full day:

Full set for two
1,200 / 2,400
Rope, 60 m
300 / 500
12 quickdraws and a belay device
300 / 500
Harness
150 / 300
Shoes
200 / 300
Helmet, chalk bag, slings or belay device
100 / 200 each

We keep your passport as a deposit, and lost or damaged gear is charged. The latest guidebook to Railay is for sale in the shop.

Yes. A second instructor comes along only to take pictures, so your guide can stay on the rope: +1,500 baht for a half day, +2,600 for a full day. They're climbers who know the angles, not professional photographers.

We sometimes share photos from the day on our social media. Tell us before you start if you'd rather not be in them.

Yes, groups of 10 to 20 people or more, for a half day of easy or intermediate top-roping, with the Big Bat Cave and a rappel if you like. Ask us for a group price.

The dry season runs from November to early March. April is the hottest month, and May to October is the rainy season. The overhangs keep plenty of routes dry, so we climb all year.

No. Deep water soloing has been banned by the National Park since 2016, and no operator has permission to run it. Anyone who does it risks a fine, and no insurance covers it.

Climb with us, stay with us: we have two beachside stays with a sea view, on Airbnb. Beachside stay one and beachside stay two.

See you at the top.

Getting here

Longtail boat from Ao Nang or Ao Nam Mao, about ten minutes, 100 baht each way. We're on Walking Street, Railay West. Open in Google Maps

Hours

09:00 to 22:00, every day of the year. Sessions leave the shop at 9am and 2pm.

Bring

Comfortable clothes, sunscreen, a swimsuit for after. Everything else is included, and the minimart is next door.

Rain

Light rain, we climb under the overhangs. Heavy rain, your guide calls it and there's no charge.

Book on WhatsApp +66 85 641 9842 Email us