Day 19: Railey Beach

I spent the last 4 days in Tonsai Beach. I tried to summarize the wonderful atmosphere of the place in the previous post. What made this place essential is the many climbers. And that's what this post is all about. Tonsai and Railey Beach are known for their climbing, it is the best and only big climbing area in Thailand. Many athletes come here regularly for several weeks to climb the limestone walls that rise from the water. There are a variety of options, whether it's overhang or slab, difficult or easy, as well as some multi-pitch routes. I was particularly drawn to the overhangs right on the beach, with a height of just under 8 meters and roofs 15 meters long, they not only look spectacular, but also create countless movements. Most of the time, the day started with warm-up routes on the beach in Tonsai. However, as many climbers were already there in the early morning, the classics were always occupied, so we warmed up on grade 8 climbs. Then we went to a project or further over a small hill to Railey Beach. Most of the routes were reached in about 20 minutes with an easy approach. For another wall, we could either take a long detour around the mountain or go through a cave system through the mountain. Of course, we chose the shorter way. It started with a grade 4 that could be climbed free solo. Then we went through narrow tunnels with bamboo ladders until light appeared on the other side. Definitely a real highlight, even if the wall on the other side turned out to be a flop. Overall, we climbed for 3.5 days. I managed to climb two grade 9 routes, flash two grade 8+ routes, and climb another grade 8 route. Overall, the grade was less important to me, as each route had its advantages in terms of movement and moves. There was, for example, a 15-meter-long roof where you hang upside down like a bat only on your feet, then you can make a knee jam and then completely crawl into a hole. Overall, it was a lot of fun, firstly to climb again and secondly, the routes were consistently beautiful and fun. In addition, being in a group of climbers always creates a sense of community, there is discussion, exchange, and laughter. And in the evenings, we met for dinner at Mama Chicken and reviewed the day. EDIT FURTHERCharacters: 0
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