North Wall is in Ao Nang town, under five minutes' walk away. All titanium bolts (Hilti 500 glue), 103 routes from 4b+ to 9a, a 50 THB all-day entry fee, gear rental, toilets, and it climbs from September to March. theCrag carries two warnings: you must park outside in a designated spot and not by the pond at the main entrance, and there are thieves targeting climbing gear, phones and cash. Private land, and drilling or chipping the rock is forbidden.
Chiang Dao is red limestone 1.5 hours north of Chiang Mai, with 61 routes logged on theCrag from 5b to 8a+ and 30 of them on the Pha Daeng main wall. The crag sits inside Pha Daeng National Park and is tolerated rather than permitted: rangers very occasionally ask you to leave, and a park closure closes the climbing. The area was shut for fire prevention from 1 March to 15 May 2025.
Chong Phli, also called Spirit Mountain, sits on the Krabi mainland between Ao Nang and town, with 157 routes logged on theCrag from 4b+ to 9a across ten sectors. About 90% of the bolts are titanium with RE-500 glue, some routes use slings because the rock is soft, and every anchor and sling is checked once a year. There is a homestay and community centre at the crag with bungalows, water and toilets — the closest thing to a resort base on the mainland.
Crazy Horse is a limestone sport crag in the Mae On valley east of Chiang Mai, with 289 routes in 22 sectors on theCrag. It is closely bolted, mostly 5s and 6s, and its caves hold 4- and 5-pitch lines, which makes it northern Thailand's best crag for climbing from beginner grades up to 6c. It closed in 2018 over a criminal case between local government offices, and since then it has reopened and had prohibition signs put up again. As of October 2026 there is still no official reopening notice, so when you book the CMRCA shuttle the evening before, ask them face to face whether you can climb.
Koh Tao is Thailand's only real granite bouldering destination, with 496 routes logged on theCrag using Font grades from 1A+ to 8A+, and 123 routes in the Backyard & Frontyard sector alone. But it is a community crag, not an open public resource: some sectors have sensitive access, bolting needs the Koh Tao Climbing Club's permission, and the guidebook is an US$8 app whose revenue goes entirely into route development.
Lampang is northern Thailand's newest crag, developed by CMRCA and 30 minutes from the town. But it sits on military land: you must register with CMRCA in advance and pay for permission, and you can only climb on days when a CMRCA guide is present. theCrag logs 25 routes from 5b to 6c+, there is a lot of loose rock, and you wear a helmet.
Lopburi is a 200-metre limestone tower 160 km north of Bangkok, with 127 routes logged on theCrag from 3a to 8a. Reaching the Temple Area means walking through Wat Pa Suwannahong, and the status is tolerated rather than permitted: since March 2023 a 20-climber daily cap with advance registration, leave before 6pm, say hello to the monks on the way in and out, and donate 20 to 100 THB. The other approach is a 20–30 minute walk to the back of the mountain.
The Nam Pha Pa Yai camp sits about 130 km northeast of Bangkok, with 101 routes logged on theCrag from 4a to 8b. But the biggest wall, River Wall with 65 routes, has been closed since January 2024 over access problems, and theCrag still carries a warning saying it looks shut with no sign of change. The camp still takes bookings and closes from April to June. With the main wall gone, the trip is not worth a special journey.
Railay East sits on the west side of the Phra-Nang peninsula; theCrag logs 314 routes for the whole of Railay, with Muay Thai, the 123 Wall, The Keep, Hidden World and Diamond Cave on this side. From 9am to 4pm is climbing school territory and it is very crowded — theCrag literally says do not come between those hours if you dislike crowds. Many routes run on old expansion bolts, and the three old routes on the left of the 123 Wall plus the four extensions above Kratoy are all marked do-not-climb.
The west side of Railay holds Southeast Asia's most famous multipitch: Lord of the Thais (7b, 5 pitches, 120 m), Continental Drifters (7c+, 4 pitches) and Circus Oz (7a, 4 pitches), plus Crystal Flame (6b+, 3 pitches, 70 m). But the descent notes are where the risk lives — two routes say do not climb, and the abseils need two 60-metre ropes, extra rope at the rappel station, or a knot in the end.
Tonsai is the island on the east side of the Phra-Nang peninsula, with 448 routes logged on theCrag from 4a to 9a and two thirds of them on the beach side. The rock is limestone with jugs, stalactites, tufas and cave roofs. Bolt condition is the big trap: one route can be all titanium while the one three metres away has rusty expansion bolts and says Do not climb. There is no road access — you rely on longtail boats that only run in daylight.
Thailand's crags split three ways: Krabi's islands and mainland are the busiest, Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao hold northern limestone, and the central valleys come with temple and camp rules. December to February is driest in Krabi. Crazy Horse still has no official reopening notice, Lampang sits on military land, and Koh Yao Noi is officially off limits. Pick a region first, then deal with bolts and transport.