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Railay East: The 123 Wall, Muay Thai and a Host of Routes You Should Not Climb | Thailand Climbing Crags

Oct 21, 20261 min
TL;DRRailay 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.

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Railay is on the west side of the Phra-Nang peninsula, Tonsai on the east, with a narrow channel between. theCrag logged 314 routes on 21 October 2026 and 19,094 ascents.

This guide covers the east side: walking right from the beach you pass Muay Thai, then the 123 Wall, then higher up The Keep, Hidden World and Diamond Cave. This is climbing school ground, and the busiest part of the island.

What kind of crag this is

Limestone. theCrag's description of the whole of Railay is one line: "Thailand's climbing mecca." The east side's sectors:

SectorRoutesHeightCharacter
Muay Thai2412 mOne of the oldest sectors on the peninsula, always full of climbing schools and spectators
One-Two-Three (123 Wall)3121 mThe most routes, many easy ones, the most crowded
Diamond Cave2831 mThe teaching wall that gets lit up at night
The Keep927 m
Hidden World819 m
Low Tide Wall932 mThe name tells you
Duncan's Boot1013 m
Jungle Gym1528 m
Castle Wall423 m
Kochel Rock412 m
Project Wall8—
CoCo Wall434 m
Amphitheater1125 m
Hueco Wall918 m
Jurassic Park Wall290 mThe tallest in the area

One line from theCrag's Railay page has to be read before anything else:

This area is actively being rebolted at time of writing (2023) and much of the info on this website is outdated. Pop into one of the many local climbing shops and grab a guidebook as well as chat with the lovely local guides for the most up to date info. Please consider donating to the local rebolting fund if you have the means.

That sentence is the ceiling on all the data in this series. Every route figure here comes from theCrag, and theCrag says its own data may be behind. So bolt condition in this guide is always written as "theCrag records this as…" — never as "this route is titanium."

When to go

PeriodConditionsPlanning note
NovEnd of the wet seasonFewer people, but walls may be wet
Dec–FebDry and cool, best frictionKrabi's peak season, the most people
MarGetting hot
Apr–MayHot
Jun–OctMonsoon

Muay Thai and Diamond Cave are almost permanently shaded (theCrag tags both "Always shady"). That is the east side's advantage over the west, where the walls are shaded in the afternoon instead.

Low Tide Wall's name is literal. theCrag's One-Two-Three page carries a "Low tide" tag — some routes are only reachable at low water.

Getting there

Public transport

There is no road access. Take a longtail boat from Ao Nang; the boats that go to Railay stop at Tonsai first. Boats only run in daylight.

By car or motorbike

Vehicles stay on the Ao Nang side. Motorbikes can go across by boat but it is a hassle. Most people stay in a hotel in Ao Nang or on the Railay side and take the boat over each day.

Approaches

Muay Thai's approach is specific: "Walk all the way to the right of Railay East bay. Routes start right of the beach and in the corner a little up behind the small hut." 30 to 45 minutes.

One-Two-Three: "Go all the way to the right side of Railay East bay. Pass the 'Muay Thai' sector right on the small beach. Behind some of the big boulders are the first routes of 'One-Two-Three'."

Diamond Cave has two routes: up the walking street at the end of Railay beach, or the steep jungle trail from Tonsai — up past "Mama's Chicken" from Basecamp, through the forest for 20 minutes to a small meadow, through the high grass to the road, then right, with the Phutawan resort on your right and the crag in front of you.

Rules to know before you go

Crowding: the structural problem of the east side

Muay Thai's description: "Vertical climbing on highly structured though polished orange rock and some short routes on sharp rock up in the corner on the right side. Always busy with climbing schools and spectators. Do not come here if you prefer quiet spots."

One-Two-Three's description: "Top quality rock with many easier graded routes. Warning, this crag gets extremely busy with climbing schools. Do not come here between 9 am and 4 pm if you don't like crowds."

Diamond Cave's description: "Extremely busy during climbing school hours. Not recommended to climb here between 9 am and 4 pm."

Three walls, the same sentence. In practice: go before 8am or after 4pm, or skip these three walls and go to Thaiwand on the west side.

Bolt condition: different in every sector

Muay Thai (24 routes):

  • The left side is mostly titanium bolts plus slings.
  • Reaching Like a Monkey (6c+): "Not rebolted with titanium. All stainless steel glue-in bolts."
  • Piece of Cake (6a): "Old rusty expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
  • No Name (6a, right side): same warning, "Old rusty expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
  • Deborah (6b): same warning.
  • Several simple routes on the right side are "all slings" (Tamada, Hello Christine, Take It to the Left, Take It Easy, The Beacons Memorial Climb, The Devine Ascention of Sully, Unknown Route).
  • Vegan Snake (6a) can only be climbed top-roped from Take It Easy's anchors.

One-Two-Three (31 routes):

  • The three old routes on the left (No Name 6a, Mei Mi Arom 6c+, Hello Tu 6b) are all rusty expansion bolts, marked "Do not climb unless rebolted!"
  • All four Kratoy extensions are marked un-climbable: One Thousand Knives (6b+), Lucky (6b+), La Riba (7c+) and Triana (7b+).
  • Gandalf (8a+): "Second pitch of 'We Sad'… Old rusty expansion bolts. Do not climb unless rebolted!"
  • Massage Secrets (6b): of its three pitches only P1 and P2 can be climbed; P3 is old expansion bolts and loose rock, "Do not climb!". theCrag adds: P1 and P2's anchors have been rebolted with 4 titanium bolts, and skipping the midway anchor (which was set for 'Beginner') links P1 into a 30-metre single pitch with 7 titanium bolts.
  • The Pinnacle has been fully rebolted — that is the good news on this wall.

Diamond Cave (28 routes):

  • The three old routes around the left corner of the main face (Attic Antics 6a+, Thread of Life 6b+, Jugs-o-Plenty 6b) have old expansion bolts and slings. Thread of Life is marked "loose rock, old slings. Do not climb!" and Jugs-o-Plenty "old expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
  • Keep the Jam, Man (7a): three pitches, only P1 and P2 have been rebolted; the P3 slings have been removed, "Do not climb!".
  • Mot Daeng (5) carries a fixed-gear warning.
  • Seven Seven Seven (6c) carries two warnings — "Insect(wasp?) nest near 3rd sling" and "One of the anchor slings for the first pitch needs replacing (sheath worn through, core exposed)".
  • Dreamteam (6b+): "Old slings and expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
  • No Name 3 (6b): "Not rebolted with titanium. Stainless steel glue-ins."
  • The North Face Right Side area (Nullaktion 6a, Dreamteam, Les Petites Oreilles 6b+, Diamonds are Forever 6b+, Seven Seven Seven, Attacktit 6b+, Almost Heaven 7a+): theCrag says "often free, even during climbing school hours" — this is the best pick on the east side if you want to avoid the crowds.
  • The old routes inside the actual cave (Unknown 6b, Mr No Name 6b+, Mrs No Name 6b+, Lost Sock in the Laundromat of Oblivion 6b+, Bar You Tee Nai? 7a, Sixty Degrees North 7a+, Mao Say 7a+): "Bolting status unclear, probably old expansion bolts. Anyway most certainly not anymore climbable due to the existence of the Diamond Cave National Park."

Routes by level

YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.

The tables come from theCrag's Muay Thai, One-Two-Three and Diamond Cave pages, read 21 October 2026. Mountain Project's classics list provides a cross-check across sectors.

Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)

The right side of Muay Thai has a whole row of 5s, but theCrag says those are "all slings, be prepared to replace." That is the classic case of looking easy while needing to bring your own consumables.

RouteGradeYDSLength / pitchesSectorNotes
New Route4+approx. 5.6—Muay Thai★; a new short line
Shadow Show5approx. 5.7–5.812 mMuay Thai★; 3 titanium bolts + 1 sling; shares the start with Idapaccayada
Tamada5approx. 5.7–5.810 mMuay Thai★; all slings, be prepared to replace
Take It to the Left5approx. 5.7–5.810 mMuay Thai★; all slings
Take It Easy5approx. 5.7–5.88 mMuay Thai★; all slings
The Beacons Memorial Climb5approx. 5.7–5.88 mMuay Thai★; all slings
The Devine Ascention of Sully5approx. 5.7–5.89 mMuay Thai★; all slings
Unknown Route5approx. 5.7–5.813 mMuay Thai★; all slings; the furthest route to the right
Selee6a5.10a10 mOne-Two-Three★; the leftmost line on the 123 Wall; 1 titanium bolt + 3 slings
Samiboy6a+5.10b12 mOne-Two-Three★; 2 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Ymer, The Giant6a+5.10b24 mOne-Two-Three★★; 7 titanium bolts + 2 slings
Ramazon6a5.10a24 mOne-Two-Three★★; directly left of Kratoy, up the left side of the cave; all titanium
King Cobra5approx. 5.7–5.813 mOne-Two-Three★; a guiding route through the corner; "it hardly gets more polished than this"; titanium bolts
Beginner5approx. 5.7–5.820 mOne-Two-Three★; an easy variation of Massage Secrets P1 and P2 with an extra midway anchor
Giggerig for Climbing5approx. 5.7–5.812 mOne-Two-Three★; another short, easy line used for guiding; titanium bolts
Ling Noi / Little Monkey5approx. 5.7–5.8—One-Two-Three★; another guiding route; titanium bolts
Long Live the Herm5approx. 5.7–5.8—One-Two-Three★; theCrag flags a warning
Voie du Club Alpine Thailand / Cash Flow5approx. 5.7–5.8—One-Two-Three★
No Name 14approx. 5.4–5.58 mDiamond Cave★; a short climb just left of Kai Kad; 2 slings + 2 bolts
Kai Kad5approx. 5.7–5.810 mDiamond Cave★; the leftmost route on the main face; all titanium bolts
Run Away5approx. 5.7–5.810 mDiamond Cave★; all slings, be prepared to replace
Jungle Gym5approx. 5.7–5.850 m, 2 pitchesJungle Gym★★; no bolts, a trad climb
Blade Runner5approx. 5.7–5.860 m, 2 pitchesJungle Gym★; no bolts, a trad climb
A Walk in the Park6a5.10a15 mLow Tide Wall1 titanium bolt + 3 slings
Karaoke6a5.10a12 mDuncan's Boot★; shares anchors with Mai Prue; new slings and titanium bolts
Space Head Gone Ape6b5.10c11 mHidden World★; all titanium bolts

Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)

This is the east side's main event. Nearly all the good routes on the 123 Wall sit here.

RouteGradeYDSLength / pitchesSectorNotes
Nuat Hin / Massage the Rock6a+5.10b15 mMuay Thai★; shares the start with Bad Boy and Pattica Samupade then goes right into the cave; 6 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Bad Boy6b5.10c15 mMuay Thai★★; shares the start then goes straight up after the 3rd clip; 5 titanium bolts + 2 slings
Pattica Samupade6b+5.10d15 mMuay Thai★; shares the start, traverses right at the overhang and up the pillar; 4 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Muay Thai6b+5.10d15 mMuay Thai★★; the crux is right at the first overhang; a lead fall can be dangerous with the ledge below; all titanium bolts
Chicken Head6c+5.11c15 mMuay Thai★; just right of Muay Thai; shares start and anchors with Reaching Like a Monkey; all titanium bolts
Alone6b5.10c15 mMuay Thai★; 2 titanium bolts + 4 slings
Valentine6a+5.10b12 mMuay Thai★; a cool little cave to peek into; solid rock, less polished than the 123 Wall; 3 titanium bolts + 4 slings
Dr Jekull & Mrs Hyde6a+5.10b27 mOne-Two-Three★★; 7 titanium bolts + 3 slings
We Sad6a+5.10b25 mOne-Two-Three★★; 5 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Make a Way6a+5.10b27 mOne-Two-Three★★; shares the start with Big Shit, veers right about halfway, shares anchors with Confusion; all titanium bolts
Confusion6b+5.10d27 mOne-Two-Three★; shares the start with the popular guiding routes King Cobra and Orientales; all titanium bolts
Orientales6b+5.10d27 mOne-Two-Three★★; an excellent long route that seems to get very little traffic; all titanium bolts
Kratoy / Lady Boy6c5.11a/b26 mOne-Two-Three★★; the original line starts inside the cave and moves right, now rebolted straight up the right side; titanium bolts and slings
Short and Savage6b5.10c8 mOne-Two-Three★★; short climb up the steep face; titanium bolts
Quarks7b5.12b13 mOne-Two-Three★★; short crimpy moves into a generous finish sequence; titanium bolts
Attic Antics6a+5.10b27 mDiamond Cave★; the leftmost line; 7 old expansion bolts but also many slings — do not clip the old bolts and be prepared to replace slings
Thread of Life6b+5.10d27 mDiamond Cave★; loose rock, old slings. Do not climb!
Jugs-o-Plenty6b5.10c27 mDiamond Cave★★; old expansion bolts. Do not climb!
IKRC-20086b5.10c30 mDiamond Cave★★; shares the start with No Name 2; 7 titanium bolts + 5 slings
Chok Dee6a5.10a20 mDiamond Cave★★; shares the start with Mot Daeng then straight up the left bolt line; 3 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Mot Daeng5approx. 5.7–5.820 mDiamond Cave★; theCrag flags a fixed gear warning; 3 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Mosquito Coil6a+5.10b20 mDiamond Cave★★; 3 titanium bolts + 4 slings
No Name 36b5.10c20 mDiamond Cave★★; the rightmost line on the main face; not rebolted with titanium, stainless steel glue-ins
Nullaktion6a5.10a21 mDiamond Cave★; all slings, be prepared to replace
Les Petites Oreilles6b+5.10d20 mDiamond Cave★★; 5 titanium bolts + 2 slings
Diamonds are Forever6b+5.10d27 mDiamond Cave★★; the second pitch of Les Petites Oreilles; 7 titanium bolts + 3 slings
Attacktit6b+5.10d20 mDiamond Cave★★; shares anchors with P1 of Seven Seven Seven; 3 titanium bolts + 6 slings; first pitch of Almost Heaven
Completely Harmless6b5.10c18 mThe Far Side★★★
Monkey's Bum6b5.10c20 mThe Keep★; the first climb as you enter The Keep; up slimy tufas; awful anchor placement
Gengis Bond6b5.10c32 mThe Keep★★★; great 3D climbing with good rests up a series of stalactite features; it's long, make sure you have enough
Nut Cracker6c5.11a/b25 mThe Keep★★★; a great technical face climb with multiple small cruxes; 6 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Aspirin6c5.11a/b28 mThe Keep★★★; the left of the two climbs off the boulder; titanium bolts and slings
Medusa's Lover6c5.11a/b26 mThe Keep★★★; sharp start into an interesting mid section; all titanium bolts
Babo Does Thailand6c5.11a/b28 mThe Keep★★★; the best line at The Keep; not hard but stellar the whole way; all titanium bolts
The Gecko / Viper6c+5.11c25 mHidden World★★; slab start to a powerful finish up tufas; careful not to break the stalactites at the start; 10 titanium bolts
Rocket Head6c5.11a/b18 mHidden World★; wasp nest after the 5th bolt; in the roof climb the bolts, not the slings
Satanic Alliance6b5.10c17 mHidden World★; reachy start, crux badly protected; not rebolted with titanium, 3 stainless steel glue-ins
Acid-Mouth Wife6b+5.10d18 mHidden World★★; the crux after the second clip is badly protected; 6 titanium bolts + 1 sling
The Voice of Doom6c5.11a/b15 mDuncan's Boot★; climbs the tufas just right of The Dark Side, sharing anchors; all titanium bolts
Mai Prue / Never Mind6c5.11a/b12 mDuncan's Boot★; rebolted with titanium bolts
Top Knot6b+5.10d10 mDuncan's Boot★; the rightmost line; sharp rock; 3 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Robert's Dilemma6b+5.10d12 mDuncan's Boot★★; not rebolted with titanium, 5 stainless steel glue-in bolts + 1 sling
Low Tide6b5.10c45 m, 2 pitchesLow Tide Wall★; the crux at the start is harder than graded; 7 titanium bolts, then 9 titanium bolts + 1 sling

Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)

The east side has noticeably fewer 7s than the west. The high-grade routes on the 123 Wall cluster in the small sectors of The Keep, Hidden World and Low Tide Wall.

RouteGradeYDSLength / pitchesSectorNotes
Big Shit / Flying to the Stars7a+5.12a24 mOne-Two-Three★; shares the start with Make a Way; all titanium bolts
Knights in White Satin7b+5.12c25 mOne-Two-Three★★★; all titanium bolts
Gandalf8a+5.13c28 mOne-Two-Three★; the second pitch of We Sad; old rusty expansion bolts, do not climb unless rebolted
Strider (Direct)8a+5.13c28 mLow Tide Wall★; no bolts, top rope from Strider
Quarks7b5.12b13 mOne-Two-Three★★; short crimpy moves into a generous finish; titanium bolts
Keep the Jam, Man7a5.11d70 m, 3 pitchesDiamond Cave★; pitches 6a+ / 6a / 7a, only P1 and P2 rebolted
Almost Heaven7a+5.12a25 mDiamond Cave★★; the second pitch of Attacktit; 8 titanium bolts + 2 slings
Bar You Tee Nai?7a5.11d50 mDiamond Cave★★; an old route inside the cave, most certainly no longer climbable
Sixty Degrees North7a+5.12a—Diamond Cave★★; an old route inside the cave
Mao Say7a+5.12a—Diamond Cave★★; an old route inside the cave
Night in White Satin7b+5.12c—One-Two-ThreeMountain Project classics list (theCrag lists the same name at 7b+)
Lom Mon / Cyclone7a5.11d29 mThe Keep★★; watch out for the crux — the photo says it all; beautiful long run afterwards; 11 titanium bolts + 2 slings
Tongue Thaid7b5.12b32 m, 2 pitchesThe Keep★★★; can be climbed as one pitch; 1. 6 titanium bolts + 2 slings, 2. 5 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Bottom Feeder7c5.12d23 m, 2 pitchesThe Keep★★; 6b for 5 bolts to the first anchor, two more to the second; 7 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Red Dwarf7a5.11d18 mHidden World★★; shares the first four clips with Banana Ship then right along the crack; rebolted with 8 titanium bolts
Banana Ship7b+5.12c18 mHidden World★★; shares the start with Red Dwarf then left after the 4th clip; titanium bolts
Tom's Pitch7a+5.12a25 mHidden World★★★; rebolted with titanium except the anchor, which is on 2 stainless steel glue-in bolts and a sling
The Narsilion7a5.11d22 mLow Tide Wall★★★; all titanium bolts
Strider7a+5.12a28 mLow Tide Wall★★★; all titanium bolts
Definitely Makes You Whinge7c5.12d30 mLow Tide Wall★★★; 11 titanium bolts + 1 sling
Lost Lek7a5.11d20 mDuncan's Boot★★; the leftmost line, up the thin crack; all titanium bolts
Make a Bow7a+5.12a13 mDuncan's Boot★★; short, hard and reachy; all titanium bolts
The Dark Side7a+5.12a15 mDuncan's Boot★; shares anchors with The Voice of Doom; all titanium bolts
Alter Schwede!7b5.12b12 mDuncan's Boot★★; rebolted with titanium, be sure to clip the new bolts since the old stainless ones are still there

Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)

Railay East has exactly one route above 8a, and you cannot climb it.

RouteGradeYDSLength / pitchesSectorNotes
Gandalf8a+5.13c28 mOne-Two-Three★; the second pitch of We Sad; old rusty expansion bolts, do not climb unless rebolted
Strider (Direct)8a+5.13c28 mLow Tide Wall★; no bolts, top rope from Strider

The east side's 8a+ band is therefore empty. The real high-grade climbing sits on the west side, in Thaiwand and Candlestick, with lines like Lord of the Thais 7b and Continental Drifters 7c+.

Where to look things up

  • Online databases: theCrag's Railay page has all 314 routes and the sector structure, and carries the "2023, still being rebolted, much of the info is outdated" warning. Muay Thai, One-Two-Three and Diamond Cave have per-route details and bolt notes. Bolt notes differ in every sector, so you have to read sector by sector.
  • Guidebooks: grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority. Two cover Railay: The Pocket Guide – Thailand (10th edition, 2026-01, 238 pages, 1,000 THB, 800-plus routes) and King Climbers (10th edition, 2025, 85 areas and more than 1,000 routes). theCrag itself advises "pop into one of the many local climbing shops and grab a guidebook as well as chat with the lovely local guides" — that is the most useful thing you can do here.
  • The actual rebolting list: not findable online. It is in the guidebooks and on printed lists in the King Climbers shop in Railay and Watts bar in Tonsai.
  • Rental and guiding: justclimbthailand's rental page and course page list rope, quickdraw and private guiding prices.

References