TL;DRTonsai 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.
Series: Thailand Climbing Crags (5 / 12)
🌏 中文版
Tonsai is the island on the east side of the Phra-Nang peninsula; Railay is on the west, separated by a narrow channel. Tonsai is one of the most famous climbing spots in Southeast Asia: theCrag logged 448 routes on 21 October 2026, with 25,344 ascents and 168 photos. Greed (8c+) is flagged on theCrag as "currently the hardest ascent in Thailand".
The core of this guide is not how famous the place is — it is that bolt condition here is the least consistent in Thailand: one route all titanium, three metres away one with rusty expansion bolts, and next to that one a description that simply says "Do not climb". The theCrag Ton Sai page also carries a warning: "This area is actively being rebolted at time of writing (2023) and much of the info on this website is outdated."
What kind of crag this is
Limestone. theCrag's description: "Ton Sai has hundreds of routes to offer, from 5c to 8c. Expect three-dimensional limestone with huge jugs, tiny pockets, slopers, stalactites, tufas, caves."
The island's walls fall into three groups, and theCrag divides them by sun: most walls on the beach side are in shade until noon, the west walls are shaded in the afternoon, and the east group is not specially marked.
24 sectors
Tonsai's routes are spread thin, and nearly every wall has its own character:
| Sector | Routes | Height | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Boulder Cave | 71 | — | A bouldering field — the sector with the most routes in the area |
| Ton Sai Wall & Roof | 64 | 19 m | The main wall plus the roof section, where Humanity lives |
| The Nest & Wild Kingdom | 35 | 20 m | Tufa systems, lots of exploratory lines |
| Eagle Wall | 36 | 22 m | Three sub-walls (Left Side, Main Face, Lord of the Fives) |
| Dum's Kitchen | 36 | 19 m | Steep beach-side wall, climbing school territory |
| Tyrolean Wall | 22 | 24 m | Where the long routes cluster, including Tyrolean Air |
| Melting Wall | 21 | 22 m | Cross Eyed 7b is here |
| Fire Wall | 21 | 22 m | Home of The Groove Tube |
| The Gibbon Roof | 19 | 16 m | The roof specialist, including Captain Crunch |
| Sleeping Indian Wall / Mammoth Cove | 16 | 43 m | Big-cave multipitch |
| Monkey World | 15 | 33 m | Multipitch, but the way to the ledge is blocked by lianas |
| Cat Wall | 12 | 48 m | Two 5-pitch multipitches: Peyote and Musang |
| Shadow Wall | 12 | 25 m | Marked Closed on theCrag; all 12 routes are un-climbable |
| Tiger Wall | 11 | 38 m | Year of the Tiger, 3 pitches at 8a+ |
| Cobra Wall | 9 | 24 m | Fixed-rope approach |
| Big Wave Pillar | 7 | 59 m | The tallest in the area |
| Generator Wall | 6 | 28 m | 5 of its 6 routes say "old slings, be prepared to replace" |
| Lost Wall | 6 | 13 m | Partly rebolted in 2019, partly un-climbable |
| Resort Cave | 6 | 20 m | An 8a and an 8b, plus 4 un-climbable routes |
| Iguana Park | 6 | — | Marked Closed on theCrag; all 6 routes are un-climbable |
| The Golden Bowl | 4 | 25 m | |
| Marley Wall | 5 | 40 m | |
| Tom's Cave & 4:20 Wall | 5 | 17 m |
Tonsai has 24 sectors, but the two biggest are the main wall (64 routes) and the bouldering field (71). You do not need to research all of them on a first trip — the beach-side Ton Sai Wall & Roof, Dum's Kitchen and Fire Wall alone give you 120 routes.
Multipitch is the signature here
Tonsai has the highest density of multipitch routes in Southeast Asia:
- Humanity (6b+, 110 m, 7 pitches): theCrag says it "could be 5, 6 or 7 pitches, depending how you see the climb", with 45 bolts — the longest single line in the area. But theCrag warns on it: "Dangerous and never climbed" — dangerous and nobody has climbed it, because pitch 7 is a traverse on old slings.
- Monkey See, Monkey Do (6b+, 85 m, 4 pitches): "Could be the best multi pitch at the grade on the peninsular. Great climbing, especially on the upper pitches."
- Pavel, Wish You Were Here (7b, 95 m, 4 pitches): the first pitch is Schwer und Steil, all titanium.
- Year of the Tiger (8a+, 100 m, 3 pitches): all titanium, "a classic multi pitch".
- Peyote and Musang (both 7a, 120 m, 5 pitches): the two long multipitches on Cat Wall. Rappelling Musang is difficult — theCrag says take 15 quickdraws.
- Eviction (8a, 52 m, 2 pitches): all titanium.
- The Monitor (7a, 88 m, 4 pitches): the first pitch reaches a big cave with multiple windows, and every multipitch on Sleeping Indian Wall starts from there.
When to go
| Months | Conditions | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Nov | End of the wet season | Fewer people, but walls may still be wet |
| Dec–Feb | Dry and cool, best friction | Peak season. theCrag is explicit that from November to March the easier routes "are usually pretty busy, especially during high season, and super polished" |
| Mar | Getting hot | Still the tail of peak season |
| Apr–May | Hot, start of the wet season | Cheaper rooms but wet rock |
| Jun–Oct | Monsoon | Walls stay wet. The Fire Wall page is specific: "When the wind comes from the seaside (from southeast), the wall gets wet when raining. When there is no wind, or the wind comes from northwest the wall stays mostly dry." |
Peak-season crowding is a structural feature of this crag. theCrag's overall Ton Sai description says: "The easier routes are usually pretty busy, especially during high season (November to March), and super polished, but still worth jumping on." Travel notes add that peak season runs from mid-December to the start of March, and January and February have sold out.
The Fire Wall's rain note is worth remembering. Whether that wall stays dry depends on wind direction: a southeast sea breeze plus rain means wet, no wind or a northwest wind means mostly dry. It is the only sector where theCrag says anything about climbing in the rain.
Getting there
Public transport
There is no road access to Tonsai. theCrag's access note reads: "No road access. From Ao Nang hire a longtail boat to take you around to Ton Sai. Boats only operate during the day."
Concretely: take the roughly 1-hour shuttle from Krabi airport to Ao Nang, then a longtail boat. Boats heading to Railay also stop at Tonsai.
By car or motorbike
Most people do not stay on the island — they take a boat over from Ao Nang each day. Motorbikes can be rented in Ao Nang, but you can only use one if you get the boat across.
Parking
There is no car park on Tonsai. Vehicles stay on the Ao Nang side.
Lodging
theCrag puts it plainly: "There are many different accommodations in Ton Sai and Railay, from cheap bamboo huts (no air cons, not very clean, not too safe and plenty of mosquitoes) to luxury resorts with air con and swimming pools. Camping is not allowed."
Current situation, checked October 2026:
- Open: Tonsai Bay Resort, Basecamp, Garden View, Dream Valley, Green Valley, Chill Out, Pasook, Jungle Hut, Countryside.
- Permanently closed: Andaman, Banyan Tree, Thiew Khao, Saithong.
- Basecamp runs 700 to 950 THB per night (maximum 2 people), direct booking only (info@basecamptonsai.com), with a 100 EUR deposit and a five-night minimum.
- There is no ATM on Tonsai — bring cash from Railay.
- Peak season runs from mid-December to the start of March.
Rules to know before you go
Bolts: the big trap here
There is no public official list of what has been replaced. The Thaitanium Project that drove the rebolting has taken its site down, the old domain is now a gambling spam page, and the crowdfunding page says only that "around two thirds of the routes have been rebolted". Actual rebolting is done by local climbing shops, and the lists live in the two guidebooks and on printed lists in the shops.
theCrag's per-route descriptions are full of "all titanium bolts", but those are observations reported by climbers, not an official list. This series always says "theCrag records this as all titanium" for that reason.
What actually matters are the routes flagged as un-climbable. theCrag marks several on Tonsai, and these are current status, not stale information:
- Beauty and the Beast (6c, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): marked Closed — "The route has been closed and the crux bolts removed".
- Aunt Mary Johanna & Two Girls (6b+, Dum's Kitchen): Closed — "Old bolts and slings, overgrown. Cannot be climbed anymore."
- Hot Springs (8c, Dum's Kitchen): theCrag gives it 0 stars — "Broken hold, needs repairs and rebolting. Protected by expansion bolts."
- Polish-Czech (6b, Fire Wall): "2 stainless steel glue-ins, 7 slings, which might need replacement."
- I No Speak England (6b, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): "5 stainless steel glue-in bolts, 6 slings. Stick-clip the 2nd bolt."
- Whipper Snapper (6b+, Sleeping Indian Wall): "Old rusty expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
- Shaft of Light (6c+, Sleeping Indian Wall): "Old rusty expansion bolts. Do not climb!"
- Little Fish P2 (6b+, The Nest), Trophy Hunter, Swingtown, Wild Thing: old rusty expansion bolts or stainless glue-ins.
- Flame Thrower (7b+, Fire Wall): "Old rusty expansion bolts. Cannot be climbed anymore."
- Burning down the House (7a, Fire Wall): "Not rebolted. Old stainless steel glue-ins. Do not climb!"
- The Ninth Life (7a+, Sleeping Indian Wall): marked Closed — "Due to fire in the past, the rock is very unstable here and stones pop off and fall down every other day."
- Bird's Nest Drop (7c, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): "Old stainless steel glue-in bolts. Do not climb!"
- Easy Approach (5, Fire Wall): "old slings".
- Lost Cave, Drunky, Masala Ton Sai, Visa Run, Caroline's Last Day P2, Whipper Snapper, Frog's Hair, Project: all marked un-climbable.
- Generator Wall (all 6 routes): thetopo says "not yet rebolted, strongly advise against climbing". theCrag's per-route notes are more specific: 5 of the 6 say "old slings, be prepared to replace" (The Ancient Lighthouse 6b+, The Bolt from Hell 6c+, Truls 8b+, The Way of the Emperor 7b, Pearl Jam 7b); only Rolling Thunder (7c+) is recorded as all titanium.
- Shadow Wall (12 routes) and Iguana Park (6 routes): theCrag marks both whole sectors Closed. All twelve Shadow Wall routes carry "old slings, do not climb" (Little View Point 4, Panique a Bord 4, Mai Technology 5, Fistrouille Poupouillie 4, La Mano Negra 4, Bouts D'Nouilie 6a, Domingo 6b, Moulin D'Brainant 5, Fakir II the Return 5, Bloody Route 5, Mafiosito Style 5, Pico Pico 5). Iguana Park's six are likewise marked Closed throughout.
- Resort Cave (6 routes): Sysiphus (8a) and Sissyfuss (8b) are the two hardest routes on the island, recorded as titanium bolts and slings sharing the same start and anchors; the other four (Copy Wrong! 6a, Brösel 6b, Copyright! 6b, Hin Yong Lun) all say "old rusty expansion bolts and slings, do not climb".
- Eagle Wall's Mai Rhu Sheu! (6a): "loose rock, old rusty expansion bolts, do not climb". Totem Pole (6a+) in the same sector is closed — "climbed the big column in front of the cave. Bolts have been chopped, because it was not possible to re…"
- Big Wave Pillar's Short Wave (6a+) is closed: "old route left of 'Big Wave' P2. Old expansion bolts seem to have been removed…"
- Two Monkey World multipitch routes carry liana warnings: Chunky Monkey (6b) — "lianas blocking access to belay ledge" — and Curious George (6b) — "covered with lianas". Holy Wall (7c, the second pitch of Monkey Bizness) says "old expansion bolts, do not climb".
Three more things worth knowing:
- The Pinnacle, the main wall of the 123 Wall, has been fully rebolted — but the three old routes on the left, the four extensions above Kratoy, Gandalf and the third pitch of Massage Secrets have not.
- Judge the slings yourself. Many routes rely on slings as well as bolts, and theCrag says "All slings. Be prepared to replace." in several places.
- The material research says titanium genuinely works (Crag Chemistry 2025-09: titanium bolts have been in local use for over 20 years with very few recorded failures, and the UIAA's ten-year testing found 304 stainless "in bad shape", 316 with surface corrosion and titanium "like new"). But that does not mean this wall has been rebolted.
Other people's routes are your risk too
Several descriptions warn about shared anchors and fixed ropes:
- Snake Skin, Cobra Head and Snake Whisky on Cobra Wall all say to use the fixed rope for the belayer.
- Snakeskin (6c, Sleeping Indian Wall): "Access by climbing the first pitch of 'The Monitor'."
- Snake, Ganja & Rastaman (6b+, Sleeping Indian Wall): "Re-established after it had been recycled into 'The Monitor'."
- Hin Rong Hai (6c, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): "Do not skip the crux by going right towards the anchor — only 6b then and risk of breaking the fragile tufas."
Wildlife and rock
- Baby Snake (6c, Cobra Wall): "Hornets Nest. Hard start through the overhang. Careful, potentially dangerous lead fall!"
- By Way of Deception (7a, Dum's Kitchen) and Spanish Wreck (7c+, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): both flagged for wasps and hornets.
- For You & For Me (6b, Ton Sai Wall & Roof): "anchors not equipped with rings. Do not lower through."
- Road to Damascus (7b+, Cat Wall): "lowering from the anchor requires an extra 20m to reach the ground".
- Schlingal Moritz (6a, Dum's Kitchen): "The rope sheath at the top anchor was damaged".
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 per-sector pages, read 21 October 2026; stars are theCrag's quality stars. "Do not climb" flags are theCrag's current status, not old information.
Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)
Tonsai's 5s cluster on Lost Wall and Tyrolean Wall. Note that Lost Wall is a rebolted area (2019) — but three routes in the same sector are un-climbable.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hin Kum | 5 | approx. 5.7–5.8 | 11 m | Lost Wall | Rebolted 2019, 1 titanium bolt + 3 slings |
| Chalk Walk | 5b | 5.8 | 12 m | Lost Wall | ★★; rebolted 2019, 2 titanium bolts + 3 slings |
| Gun Solo | 5c | 5.9 | 12 m | Tiger Wall | ★; shares the anchor with Home of The Lost Turtles; all titanium |
| Cactus de Tonsai | 5c+ | approx. 5.9+ | 18 m | Tyrolean Wall | ★ |
| Egk Coming, Rit Going | 6a | 5.10a | 16 m | Lost Wall | ★★; all slings, replaced 2019 |
| Tonsai Space Program | 6a | 5.10a | 20 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★; 1 titanium bolt + 8 slings |
| I Lost 10 Bhat | 6b | 5.10c | 16 m | Lost Wall | ★; rebolted 2019, 4 titanium bolts + 2 slings |
| Easy Dude | 5a | 5.7 | 12 m | Eagle Wall (Lord of the Fives) | ★; rightmost start and anchors; titanium bolts |
| Ann's First Time | 5b | 5.8 | 11 m | Eagle Wall (Lord of the Fives) | ★; shares the start with Out of Line; titanium bolts |
| Sharp Cove | 5b | 5.8 | 11 m | Eagle Wall (Lord of the Fives) | ★★; titanium bolts |
| Out of Line | 5c+ | approx. 5.9+ | 11 m | Eagle Wall (Lord of the Fives) | ★; titanium bolts |
| Balance Crack | 5c+ | approx. 5.9+ | 15 m | Eagle Wall (Lord of the Fives) | ★; the leftmost line through the obvious corner; titanium bolts |
| Dead Spanish Bolts | 5c+ | approx. 5.9+ | 23 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★; the obvious corner left of the belay ledge; all titanium bolts |
| Broken Leg Bird | 5c | 5.9 | 20 m | Melting Wall | ★★ |
| Orange Shot Chimney | 5c | 5.9 | 16 m | Melting Wall | ★ |
| Grove of Vines | 6a | 5.10a | 20 m | Melting Wall | ★★ |
| 4:20 | 6a | 5.10a | 15 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; a nice line but extremely polished; all titanium bolts |
Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)
This is Tonsai's thickest band, and nearly every sector has something in it. Dum's Kitchen is especially crowded in this range — theCrag describes that wall as "steep beach side routes on top quality rock. The easy graded climbs are starting to get polished."
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snake Skin | 6a+ | 5.10b | 20 m | Cobra Wall | ★★; 5 titanium bolts + 6 slings; belayer uses the fixed rope |
| Cobra Head | 6a+ | 5.10b | 25 m | Cobra Wall | ★; titanium bolts and slings; belayer uses the fixed rope |
| Son Thoi | 6a+ | 5.10b | 15 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; shares the start with Schlingel Max |
| Up in Smoke | 6a+ | 5.10b | 17 m | Fire Wall | ★★; 3 titanium bolts + 6 slings |
| For Helga | 6a+ | 5.10b | 30 m | Fire Wall | ★★; be mindful of the ledge; all titanium |
| Infected Mushroom | 6a+ | 5.10b | 12 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★; all slings; very steep and pumpy for the grade |
| The Last of Its Kind | 6b+ | 5.10d | 25 m | Cobra Wall | ★★; 2 titanium bolts + 10 slings |
| The Sit Spins | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; shares the start with Asia Shadow Play |
| White Hot Hernias | 6b+ | 5.10d | 16 m | Fire Wall | ★★; crux very polished, stick-clip the first bolt |
| Missing Snow | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m | Tyrolean Wall | ★★; very popular and polished, bouldery move into easy climbing and ridiculous tubular jugs |
| On the Terrace | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; the start is a little hard to read; 5 titanium bolts + 4 slings |
| Little Fish P1 | 6b+ | 5.10d | 15 m | The Nest | ★★; "certainly one of the most polished climbs in Ton Sai!" |
| Perfectly Imperfect | 6a | 5.10a | 40 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; a 40-metre pitch, watch the end of your rope |
| Spiderman | 6a | 5.10a | 32 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; the left-hand route on the small belay ledge, reached up a fixed rope; 6 titanium bolts + 5 slings |
| Where Eagles Don't Dare | 6a+ | 5.10b | 30 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; beautiful through the obvious corner, nice bridging and a rewarding view; 7 titanium bolts + 2 slings |
| Lost in Space | 6b | 5.10c | 25 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; the wall left of the Where Eagles Don't Dare corner; 3 titanium bolts + 4 slings |
| Speaking out Loud | 6b | 5.10c | 30 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; all titanium bolts |
| Australian Invasion | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; 6 titanium bolts + 1 sling |
| Asian Invasion | 6b+ | 5.10d | 40 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; shares the first three bolts with Australian Invasion, then right under the roof |
| Into the Spiderverse | 6b+ | 5.10d | 27 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; the second pitch of Spiderman |
| Alta Ruta | 6b+ | 5.10d | 30 m | Eagle Wall (Left Side) | ★★; 4 titanium bolts + 5 slings |
| Sea Monkeys | 6b+ | 5.10d | 30 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; shares the start with 4:20, then right |
| 5D Mak Mak | 6c | 5.11a/b | 15 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; all titanium bolts |
| The Annihilator | 6c | 5.11a/b | 20 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; all titanium bolts |
| The Smoking Room | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m | Melting Wall | ★★; climbs the tufa system on the very right of the wall; 5 titanium bolts + 5 slings |
| Doing the Trad | 6b | 5.10c | 15 m | Melting Wall | ★; shares the anchor with Captain Hook and Right Hand of Buddha for top-rope access; now bolted |
| Schlingel Max | 6b | 5.10c | 15 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★; interesting crux on polished rock; 5 titanium bolts + 1 sling |
| No Onion, No Garlic | 6c+ | 5.11c | 20 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; old slings |
| The Lion King | 6c+ | 5.11c | 12 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; around the prominent flake with insanely polished feet |
| King Cat | 6c+ | 5.11c | 30 m | Cat Wall | ★★★; "must do! exposed and absolutely great pockets" |
| Fire Show | 6c+ | 5.11c | 17 m | Fire Wall | ★★; a stiff reachy boulder problem to get over the bulge |
| Stalagasaurus | 6c+ | 5.11c | 13 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; originally 6a+, upgraded after a huge stalactite broke in 2004 |
| Jumping for Jugs | 6c | 5.11a/b | 15 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; the name says it all, jump for the jug to start; all titanium |
| Good Medicine | 6c | 5.11a/b | 23 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; one pockety crux mid-wall, then smooth sailing to a much easier slab |
| Placebo | 6c | 5.11a/b | 19 m | Tyrolean Wall | endurance climb with a stiff crux over the bulge; all titanium |
Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)
Tonsai's advanced routes are roof territory. theCrag's Ton Sai Wall & Roof description says the roof and terrace sections are almost entirely titanium — but "almost" contains routes that cannot be climbed.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babes in Thailand | 7a | 5.11d | 12 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; popular climb on pinches and jugs; all titanium |
| Amazing Thailand | 7a | 5.11d | 25 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★★; straight up the overhang, then technical moves, finishing up at easier grade on the arete |
| Kuhn Ba | 7a | 5.11d | 15 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; reachy crux into the tufas, slightly awkward finish; 4 titanium bolts + 1 sling |
| Afterburner | 7a | 5.11d | 20 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; a three-bolt extension of 4:20; all titanium bolts |
| Yaa Bhar | 7a+ | 5.12a | 17 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; all titanium bolts |
| Flavour of the Week | 7b | 5.12b | 28 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★★; shares the slabby start with Where Eagles Don't Dare, then right onto the face |
| Sang Trip | 7b+ | 5.12c | 14 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★★; all titanium bolts |
| Black Hole | 7c+ | 5.13a | 15 m | Eagle Wall (Main Face) | ★; climbs through the big holes on the steep wall; all titanium bolts |
| Climb of the Ancient Mariner | 7a | 5.11d | 28 m | Melting Wall | ★★★; passes two anchors at 6a level, then climbs diagonally left up the overhang |
| Cockroach Beach | 6c | 5.11a/b | 50 m, 2 pitches | Melting Wall | ★★★; shares the first pitch with S.O.S. |
| S.O.S. | 7a+ | 5.12a | 50 m, 2 pitches | Melting Wall | 0 stars; shares the first pitch with Cockroach Beach then veers left |
| Affenhitze | 7a+ | 5.12a | 30 m | Melting Wall | ★★★; just as long as Cross Eyed, though a bit easier; all titanium bolts |
| Bonsoir | 7a+ | 5.12a | 18 m | Melting Wall | ★★; easy climbing into the first overhang, reachy crux to the arete |
| Cross Eyed | 7b | 5.12b | 28 m | Melting Wall | ★★★; a long endurance climb; all titanium bolts |
| Big Wave | 6b | 5.10c | 110 m | Big Wave Pillar | ★★; shares the start pitch with The Beauty & the Beast |
| The Beauty & the Beast | 6b | 5.10c | 85 m | Big Wave Pillar | ★★; "the 3rd pitch is the beauty, the 1st pitch is the beast" |
| Shoulda Woulda Coulda | 6b | 5.10c | 82 m | Big Wave Pillar | ★★; a new multipitch left of Big Wave; very sharp rock in some of the easier sections |
| Cockblocker | 6b+ | 5.10d | 44 m | Big Wave Pillar | ★★; shares the first pitch with Shoulda Woulda Coulda with a separate anchor |
| Stranger Danger | 6c | 5.11a/b | 44 m | Big Wave Pillar | 0 stars; shares the first pitch with Shoulda Woulda Coulda |
| Catastrofarian | 6b | 5.10c | 25 m | Big Wave Pillar | |
| Tom Yum | 7a | 5.11d | 10 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; big moves on big holds, getting polished |
| Sweating Mekong | 7a | 5.11d | 20 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; short crux about halfway; all titanium |
| Straight out of Tonsai | 7a | 5.11d | 10 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★★; a must-do, steep on good holds |
| Peyote | 7a | 5.11d | 120 m, 5 pitches | Cat Wall | ★★★; rebolted with titanium; 15 quickdraws |
| Musang | 7a | 5.11d | 120 m, 5 pitches | Cat Wall | ★★; Musang means "civet cat" in Thai; rappelling is difficult, take 15 quickdraws |
| Wake & Bake | 7a+ | 5.12a | 16 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; climbs the obvious corner crack; all titanium |
| Reminiscence | 7a+ | 5.12a | 28 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; a true Tonsai beach classic |
| Mai Mee Fahn | 7a+ | 5.12a | 15 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; hard crux right at the start, then easier but continuous |
| Ton Sai Playboy | 7b | 5.12b | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; easy start into pumpy roof climbing, just keep moving |
| Tuna Meltdown | 7b+ | 5.12c | 25 m | Fire Wall | ★; all titanium |
| Chicken Skin | 7b+ | 5.12c | 40 m | Fire Wall | ★; climbs all the way through the left side of the big cave; all titanium |
| April Fools | 7b | 5.12b | 30 m | Cat Wall | ★★★; big holds, steep and pumpy; soft for the grade |
| Road to Damascus | 7b+ | 5.12c | 32 m | Cat Wall | ★★★; lowering needs an extra 20 m to reach the ground |
| Gilles No Limits | 7c | 5.12d | 28 m | Cat Wall | ★★★; 11 titanium bolts + 1 sling |
| Full Crimp Milk | 7c | 5.12d | 11 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; leftmost line, short and bouldery; all titanium |
| Tidal Wave | 7c | 5.12d | 10 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; very popular and very polished, short and powerful |
| Phet Maak | 7c+ | 5.13a | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; a real classic of the area, originally graded 8a |
| Society of Gravitational Studies | 7c+ | 5.13a | 12 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; all titanium |
| Kitty Porn | 7c+ | 5.13a | 90 m, 3 pitches | Cat Wall | ★★; rebolted with titanium; descend by rapping down three times |
| Eviction | 8a | 5.13b | 52 m, 2 pitches | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; all titanium (P1 12 bolts, P2 7 bolts) |
| Eviction (Variation) | 7c+ | 5.13a | 56 m, 2 pitches | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★; splits left about halfway up P1; all titanium |
| Human Frality | 6b | 5.10c | 92 m, 4 pitches | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | A trad climb, used to open 'Humanality' |
Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)
Tonsai has Thailand's hardest roof climbing. These are all short lines between 10 and 30 metres, and not one of them is easy.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain Crunch | 8a | 5.13b | 19 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★★; straight out through the widest section of the Gibbon Roof; 8 titanium bolts + 3 slings |
| The Sit Spins (Extension) | 8a | 5.13b | 25 m, 2 pitches | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; endurance climbing with an interesting finale; titanium bolts |
| Sex Power | 8a | 5.13b | 13 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; all titanium |
| Elephant | 8a | 5.13b | 13 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; 4 titanium bolts + 1 sling |
| Tantrum | 8a+ | 5.13c | 12 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; "the Tonsai beach classic! Get on it." |
| Cream of Tom Yum Kai | 8a+ | 5.13c | 13 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; "too much fun for one climb" |
| Old Chicken Makes a Good Soup | 8a+ | 5.13c | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; originally 8a, upgraded after a stalactite broke |
| Arts & Sport | 8a+ | 5.13c | 15 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; shares the start with Wake & Bake then left; all titanium |
| Asia Shadow Play | 8a+ | 5.13c | 20 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; all titanium |
| Bros before Hoes | 8a+ | 5.13c | 18 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★; "amazing roof climbing" |
| Ninjas with Lasers | 8a+ | 5.13c | 20 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★★; "a wild adventure" |
| Year of the Tiger | 8a+ | 5.13c | 100 m, 3 pitches | Tiger Wall | ★★★; classic multipitch, all titanium |
| Smith & Wesson Berreta | 8b | 5.13d | 19 m | The Gibbon Roof | ★★★; 7 titanium bolts + 2 slings |
| Jai Dum | 8b | 5.13d | 25 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; a series of small flakes up the beautiful orange wall; all titanium |
| Ant Jump | 8b | 5.13d | 13 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★★; all titanium |
| Cara Cangreso | 8b | 5.13d | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; shares anchors with Czech Open |
| Avocado Power | 8b+ | 5.14a | 22 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★; all titanium |
| Of Popes and Power | 8b+ | 5.14a | 25 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; all titanium |
| Dragon Ball | 8b+ | 5.14a | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | ★★; very dynamic climbing |
| Czech Open | 8b+ | 5.14a | 15 m | Ton Sai Wall & Roof | Start variation to the right of Cara Cangreso, shared anchor |
| Greed | 8c+ | 5.14c | 30 m | Dum's Kitchen | ★★★; "currently the hardest ascent in Thailand. 'It's On' from start to finish. Phenomenal climbing." |
| Sysiphus | 8a | 5.13b | 20 m | Resort Cave | ★★★; shares the start and anchors with Sissyfuss, left bolt line; titanium bolts and slings |
| Sissyfuss | 8b | 5.13d | 20 m | Resort Cave | ★★★; shares the start and anchors with Sysiphus, right bolt line; titanium bolts and slings |
| Black Bird | 8b+ | 5.14a | — | Melting Wall | ★ |
| Truls | 8b+ | 5.14a | 26 m | Generator Wall | 0 stars; old slings, be prepared to replace |
Where to look things up
- Online databases: theCrag's Ton Sai page has all 448 routes, the spread across 24 sectors, the approach and the accommodation note. Each sector page carries per-route grades, stars, lengths, bolt material and "do not climb" flags. Every figure in this guide comes from there.
- Guidebooks: grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority. Two cover Tonsai: The Pocket Guide – Thailand (Sirichai Pongsopon, 10th edition, fully updated January 2026, 238 pages, 1,000 THB) and King Climbers – Rock Climbing Thailand Guide (Somporn Suebhait, 10th edition, 2025, ISBN 979-8306073606). theCrag rates The Pocket Guide as the most accurate of the four southern Thai guides, and its author is a local climber who rebolts routes himself, so its bolt markings are the likeliest to be current. Rock Climbing in Thailand and Laos (9th edition 2018 plus a 2025 update) is older overall but does clearly mark each route's bolt condition.
- The actual rebolting list: not findable online. It is in the two guidebooks and on printed lists in the shops — the King Climbers shop in Railay and Watts bar in Tonsai. Asking in the shop beats guessing from a website.
- Rental and guiding: justclimbthailand's rental page lists full-day rental (rope 500 THB, 12 quickdraws 400 THB), and the course page has private guiding at 6,000 THB per day, multipitch guiding for Humanity 6,000 and Crystal Flame 5,500 THB.
References
- theCrag: Ton Sai
- theCrag: Ton Sai Wall & Roof
- theCrag: Dum's Kitchen
- theCrag: Fire Wall
- theCrag: Tyrolean Wall
- theCrag: Cat Wall
- theCrag: Tiger Wall
- thetopo: Ton Sai description (Generator Wall warning)
- Railay: rebolting page
- GoFundMe: Thaitanium Project (around two thirds rebolted)
- Crag Chemistry: Thailand crags (titanium and stainless testing)
- justclimbthailand: The Pocket Guide – Thailand
- justclimbthailand: gear rental
- justclimbthailand: climbing courses
- Basecamp Tonsai: October 2025 lodging update
- Travelfish: getting to Railay