How to get to Princess Lagoon? How to get to Railay Viewpoint?
When I was travelling through Ao Nang, I made a point of visiting Railay beach, like most would.
Two pieces of information that I found were lacking: how to get to Railay lookout? And how to get to Princess viewpoint?
For those who don’t know how to get to Railay lookout, or how to get to Princess lagoon, this post as well as the accompanying video should clear it up beyond doubt.
How to get to Princess Lagoon? How to get to Railay viewpoint? – The Video Guide!
If you’re in a hurry then check out this video guide. With the help of Google, a DJI Mavic 2 Pro (affiliate), and some plugins for FCP, I was able to show which way to go with relative ease.
The start of the video explains how to get to Railay viewpoint, then the ending is how to get to Princess lagoon, which is only a short walk and a climb away from Railay viewpoint.
*Disclaimer
Affiliate links may be present on this page. These are links to websites such as Amazon, where if you decide to purchase something, then they will offer me a tiny commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and is just a way for me to try and support myself and the blog. I only link to the best of the best with careful consideration, thank you.
(Shot on the Sony a7R III using the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6).
How to get to Princess Lagoon? How to get to Railay Viewpoint? – Common Questions
The most obvious question is how to get to Princess lagoon? And how to get to Railay viewpoint? Here I will answer those as well as any other questions that are related.
What is Princess Lagoon? What is Railay Viewpoint?
Princess lagoon is a hidden body of water on the peninsula of the Railay beach area. It is a secluded spot that requires a bit of climbing to get there. You can swim in the lagoon and escape the crowds that are present at the beach.
Railay viewpoint is an elevated position over Railay east beach, that looks back towards Railay west in the direction of Ao Nang beach. It is a great way to see the beauty of the area from up high with your own eyes, instead of relying on a drone.
Is it hard to get to Princess lagoon? Is it hard to get to Railay Viewpoint?
To get to Princess lagoon is harder than it is to get to Railay lookout.
This is because you need to climb up in elevation about 50-60m (at a guess) to get to the Railay viewpoint, but then to get to the lagoon you need to climb down that same distance. Then up again to get out of the lagoon.
Neither requires a great level of fitness, but the more agile you are the better when trying to find footholds in the rocks, especially when going down the rocks.
Where is Princess lagoon? Where is Railay viewpoint?
Princess lagoon is located at the very end of the peninsula, about 230m east of Princess cave on Phra Nang beach.
Railay viewpoint / Railay lookout is located at the southern end of Railay east beach at the very top of the cliff face.
How do I get to Railay viewpoint?
To start off, we will talk about how to get to Railay viewpoint. Once you’re at Railay viewpoint you’re already half way to Princess lagoon anyway.
When arriving by long boat from Ao Nang, you will get off at Railay west, the prettier of the beaches and the one you will most likely recognise from brochures.
As you will see in the map below, the peninsula has another beach called Phra Nang, which can only be accessed by first walking to Railay east, and then down a path from the south end of Railay east towards Phra Nang beach.
As you walk down this path you will see on your left a large rock wall, it will be well sign posted and you can’t miss it. This is what you need to climb to get to Railay Viewpoint.
Once you climb to the top, you simply follow the path to Railay viewpoint.
How do I get to Princess lagoon?
Getting to Princess lagoon is sort of easy once you’re at the top at Railay viewpoint. All you need to do is follow the path around the top of the peninsula until you see the signs.
THE PATH DOWN TO PRINCESS LAGOON WILL BE CLOSED IF THERE IS WET WEATHER OR HAS BEEN WET WEATHER RECENTLY!
The path down to Princess lagoon is much like the one you took to get up to the viewpoint, but worse. There are longer stretches between footholds, less things to grab onto, and even a small hole you need to fit through.
Along the way are ropes to assist you, you probably couldn’t do it very well without them. Going up is much easier.
How Long Does it Take to Climb to Railay Viewpoint?
It took me 15 minutes to climb from the bottom of the rocky wall to the top, and then a further 3 or 4 minutes to walk around to where Railay viewpoint is.
How Long Does it Take to Climb to Princess Lagoon?
This is hard to judge, when I went there were people in front of me, and due to the single file and more difficult nature of the climbing, everyone had to wait their turn while others went down.
I would guess that it is about 10 minutes of climbing down, and at least that going back up again once you are finished at Princess lagoon. The actual walk from Railay viewpoint to where you begin to descend is less than 5 minutes.
(Shot on the Sony a7R III using the Sony 16-35mm f/4).
When Should I go to Princess lagoon? When Should I go to Railay Viewpoint?
Ordinarily I would suggest going early to avoid the heat, but seeing as how you will be able to swim at Princess lagoon or at Railay west afterwards this is less of an issue.
There is still a benefit of reduced crowds if you go straight away.
I went at about 11:00 and the climb to Princess lagoon had a small queue.
How to climb to Princess lagoon? How to climb to Railay viewpoint?
Honestly, just follow the paths, watch your footing and use the ropes when you need to. Move aside to rest as you get tired and let others pass you.
What do I need to take to go to Princess lagoon?
I would recommend shoes for the climbing, or sandals with plenty of straps.
Take water as it gets very hot and humid and you will be climbing a lot to get to where you need to go, it is quite exhausting going straight up in elevation for 15 minutes at a time.
Take snacks if you want to stay at Princess lagoon a bit longer.
Don’t forget your camera.
How much does it cost to go to Princess lagoon? How much does it cost to go to Railay viewpoint?
It is free to go to Princess lagoon. It is also free to go to Railay viewpoint.
(Shot on the Sony a7R III using the Sony 16-35mm f/4).
Railay Viewpoint and Princess Lagoon – Secondary Questions
We’ve covered nearly everything you need to know about how to get to Princess lagoon, as well as how to get to Railay viewpoint.
However, there are some more things worth knowing before you go.
Can I fly my drone at Princess lagoon?
No.
Reason being is that you won’t have reception or GPS signal. I tried to fly my drone briefly but it would not hover correctly and it was about to crash into the side of the lagoon.
Luckily I had a line of sight to the drone and was able to guide it in my direction and catch it. If you have never flown a drone without GPS before, it isn’t fun. It literally goes all over the place, because it thinks it knows where it is and that it is still, but it drifts quite fast to the side.
So don’t do it.
Is There Anything To Be Aware of at Princess lagoon?
The path down to the lagoon isn’t done justice in photos. It is quite slippery and they close it after heavy rains, I can see why.
It’s still great fun though, but just be wary of where your feet are. Take water as well because you’ll be sweating by the end of it all.
(Shot on the Sony a7R III using the Sony 16-35mm f/4).
Closing Thoughts
Princess lagoon and Railay viewpoint are two of the best things to do during your visit to Railay beach. Both activities are fun, rewarding, and completely free.
