Climbing

Climbing Krabi, Thailand

Climbing in the area of Krabi will certainly go down in your memory for a lifetime. This charming part of Thailand can be easily identified as one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. Krabi is a phenomenal recreation territory formed by rugged coastline, which is flanked by huge limestone cliffs and surrounded by a nearly 50 islands that belong to the same name National Natural Park. It is a region with strong focus on different sports and extreme tourism, which can run on marvelous beaches, in lush jungles, or on the mountain slopes and ubiquitous rock overhangs.

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Krabi would certainly not miss the climbing-minded travellers. The cliffs in the area seem to have been created by nature for this very purpose. Thousands of years formed overhangs above the sandy beaches or Andaman Sea waters provide a huge amount of routes ranging from beginner 5a's to the extreme of 8c. Since most local climbing enthusiasts and operators will convince you that the number of Krabi routes exceedes 1500, we dare to argue the actual figure hovers somewhere around 900. Still, quite enough to keep any climber busy for years. Almost all the routes are bolted, offering multiple sport climbing possibilities. We strongly recommend that you always get informed about conditions of your intended routes prior to your climb.

Railay Beach with Thaiwand Wall (right) and Wee´s Present Wall

However, more than a dozen local Krabi climbing providers and their companies offer a versatile and quality services. Instructors are usually well trained and ready to assist beginners as well as people who try climbing for the first time. Their patience is remarkable. Sometimes it's literally a bizarre spectacle, the instructor navigates virtually every movement of the new-climber´s body and keeps motivating even utter butterfingers. On the other hand, most instructors are very experienced climbing matadors with perfect knowledge of Krabi´s crags. Some of them are willing to show you really delicate climbing sites or take you for a night climbing adventure.

Ton Sai Beach

Ton Sai crag panorama

Ton Sai „Wall and Roof“

Ton Sai Dum´s Kitchen

Do not expect to be the first, anywhere ...

Throughout the Krabi district there are 4 most recognized, world-famous beaches of Railay, Phra Nang, Ton Sai and Ao Nang. As already mentioned, the selection of routes is very diverse. We decided to mark only 5 selected key locations (can be found in the Climbing Locations section), with the rest left to our readers. Anyway, before you embark on a journey to Krabi, make sure that you have the really high-quality and possibly updated climbing guide. Probably the best you can get is „Rock Climbing in Thailand and Laos“ written by Krabi´s climbing icon Elke Schmitz. To date of this article (2013) the guide already had 6th edition with 288 pages, 80 easy to read topo maps and 100 climbing areas, specializing on Railey and Ton Sai in Krabi province (53 areas) and Deep Water Soloing.

The most popular crag on Ton Sai

Basecamp Tonsai

Elke Schmitz has route recommendations for every grade level. You can meet this woman personally at her own climbing base built exactly at Ton Sai Beach. All Basecamp Tonsai guides speak excellent English and have been trained as climbing instructors following the standards of the German Alpine Club. This "German base" has been for years one of the most popular climbing habitats across Asia. When it comes to DWS, they are the pioneers of DWS trips in the area and know the good sites for both beginners and advanced climbers. Adrex.com wrote the details in 2013, here is the full article.

Signs on the road to Basecamp

Basecamp Tonsai „reception“

No need to worry about lack of equipment

Railay East

Muay Thai 123

Always in a perfect shade

Muay Thai

Tex Rock Climbing

Another great Krabi´s climbing legend is Tex „The Grandmaster“. Tex is probably the very first climber in Krabi area who decided to establish his own climbing company as a business. He started it some 25 years ago taking the first visitors up the various cliffs at Railay. He was also the first to teach climbing courses. Over the years, he has managed to built one of the most respected rock climbing schools in Krabi.

Tex „climbing shop“ is located at Railay Bay Resort, Railay Beach East, right where the long tail boats stop. It is just a short walk from crags on Phra Nang Beach (The Defile routes), just few meters from all-day shaded location called Muay Thai and famous routes of The Keep or Duncan´s Boot. Tex still works as a guide himself.

Eagle, Cobra, Fire and Shadow Walls taken from Railay Beach

Eagle Wall, Deep Water Solo from your kayak ?

Hot Rock Climbing

Swedish-Thai couple of Saralisa and Luang gave birth to the Hot Rock Climbing School, which is the third and final climbing center that we decided to publish here on Adrex.com. Luang arrived in Railay at the very end of the 80's and lived in a cave for the first few years, getting there by climbing! It's hard to imagine someone of greater experience with climbing the local walls. The original Hot Rock Climbing School was set up on Railay East in 1994 and keeps its Railay East location between Ya Ya resort and Bhu Nga Thani resort until now. Hot Rock climbing School is a cool and relaxed place to hang out on.

Our short stay at Krabi focusing on climbing had convinced us, there is no wonder that renowned for the spectacular views and accessibility, the cliffs of Krabi see flocks of tourists and avid climbers annually.