I struggled with how to write a more in-depth blog post about Railay Beach. Was I just going to bombard you with postcard photos of beautiful sunrises, grand limestone cliffs and clear jade water stretching to the horizon until you rolled your eyes, cursed my name out loud and swiftly hit the x on your browser? Don’t hate me, it’s beautiful here. I’m going to share some of this beauty with you because I think you, too, should add this to your travel bucket list. Forget the Caribbean, forget Florida, come here. COME HERE!

Come here because you love sunrises and sunsets, both of which you can see from Railay East and Railay West because we’re on a small peninsula with only a 5 minute crosswalk separating the two sides. Where else do you get to walk to one side in the morning and the other in the evening to take in both golden hours?

Come here because the only way to get here is by boat and the feeling of total seclusion is just what the doctor ordered.

Come here because the imposing cliffs jutting into the skyline at the waters edge is unlike any beach you’ve been to before and it doesn’t matter how many pictures you take, it’s never enough.

Come here for a bit of adventure if you’re into exploring the clear blue seas by kayak or scaling the cliffs (or watching others do so) and these signs don’t scare you (insert wide-eyed emoji.)

Come here because sometimes nature ^ makes you laugh.

Come here because this is how you want to start your morning…even if these guys are lurking overhead ready to steal it (look at that sweet blond baby holding on to his momma):

And in case you’re starting to reach for that x on your browser right about now, I’ll share with you that it’s 99% paradise and 1% tropical WILDerness, which we were reminded of not only as the monkeys leapt from tree to tree eyeing our food, but also last night around 4am when Sarah went to the bathroom and found a rat scurrying around. Um, yeah, A RAT. To the hotel’s credit we called the front desk and someone was at our room in 30 seconds to trap our unwelcome friend and save us from girly distress. I also had to pull out my negotiating skills that I thought I had left back in NY to get us some moola back since we didn’t pay for this furry friend to join our vacation. C’est la vie, is it too early for a beer?

Don’t let that 1% discourage you. Come here with your significant other, your best friend (me, me, me!), or even by yourself because this place is both too good not to share, but also can make you feel like you’re on a honeymoon with yourself and every person should go on a honeymoon with yourself at some point in your life. Sometimes there’s nothing more relaxing than having no one to talk to for a few days. And really, anyone can appreciate this fine towel and flower art, whether alone or not.

And if all of this hasn’t yet convinced you to come to Railay Beach, come here for the $12 massages while you lay in the sand under a shaded tree and drift into dreamy half-consciousness to the sound of the waves. Come here because there is not a list of things to do each day, they haven’t figured out the commercial aspect of beach vacations, and things are simple, really, truly simple.

That’s all for now. Device is going back in the safe while I enjoy my last day in this magical corner of the world. See you in Bangkok, where I expect things will not be so simple, but really really delicious.

Xo, xt