The small Pai Plong beach is separated from Ao Nang beach by a collapsed mountain slope that juts out into the sea and is densely covered with jungle. A path runs through this elevation called Monkey Trail – named after the large number of long-tailed macaques living there.
The beach has ended up with only one entrance and exit, in a lagoon closed on all sides, surrounded by impassable mountains. It’s a beautiful, small and private little beach, behind which is located the only hotel – the expensive chain Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi – SHA Extra Plus. From the beach there’s a view of a picturesque cliff in the sea, south of which, behind the cape on the left, hides the tourist-popular peninsula Railay.
Beach Overview
Pai Plong is also called by the name of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi – SHA Extra Plus – Centara Beach. The Centara beach is about 656 feet (200 metres) long and in my opinion, it’s one of the best beaches in Krabi. There’s just one drawback – it’s difficult to get to.
The beach is positioned such that not everyone would want to walk along the Monkey Trail, certainly not every day. That’s why it’s never crowded, the sand is clean and smooth, and it’s surrounded by cliffs on three sides, creating a cosy, small bay.
Despite looking private, any tourist who wishes can come here, sunbathe and swim as much as they like. The sand on the beach varies slightly depending on how close you are to the sea. At the water’s edge it’s yellow, coarse, with shells and larger stones mixed in.
Closer to the grassy areas it’s fine, light-coloured, pleasant to touch and clean. The reasons are obvious – this is a luxury hotel beach, it’s well-maintained and thoroughly cleaned, so there’s no rubbish.
Swimming
Entry into the water at the beach is gradual, without sharp drops or ledges. The slope of the bottom increases gradually and very slowly. Neck-deep water comes at approximately 66 feet (20 metres) from shore, and during low tide you’ll need to walk 130-150 feet (40-50 metres) or more. What’s wonderful about Pai Plong is the clean bottom, without stones or corals.
At different times of the year the water can be slightly cloudy, but in calm weather the sea is amazingly beautiful. There can be waves at Centara, but mainly off-season, in summer. On this beach, just like on neighbouring ones, the tides are very pronounced. When the water recedes, the width of the beach grows from 33 to 100 feet (10 to 30 metres).
Sunbeds and Shade
There are no sunbeds for public use on the beach; they’re only for hotel guests and are located on its property. So if you’re not staying at Centara, you’ll need to bring your own mat or set up camp on the sand like a proper Robinson Crusoe. Shade is only available at the edges of the beach (from the cliffs) and it’s there depending on the time of day.
I also saw several trees that lean over the shore, but hotel sunbeds are placed under them. So during the day, when shadows become short, there’s hardly anywhere to hide from the sun – the beach faces west, and the further the time from noon, the less shade there is. Along Centara’s fence, two or three guards constantly patrol who politely but firmly escort away the curious.
Beach Photos
Amenities
There are no shops on the beach, nor the vendors we’re used to. If you want to buy water or something to eat, you can do so at the Centara hotel cafe, but prices there will be inflated by at least double compared to prices for the same items in Ao Nang cafes. So if you’re heading to the beach, it’s better to bring everything with you, especially water.
Among the attractions and entertainment, you can mention snorkelling near the rocks next to the beach. There’s also surfboard and kayak rental, but everything costs more than in Ao Nang. For those who enjoy diving and swimming in deep water, as well as for receiving boats, Centara has its own pontoon pier made of plastic sections.
Accommodation
As already mentioned, there’s a large luxury hotel on the beach Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi – SHA Extra Plus, and there’s nothing else in terms of accommodation. Pai Plong could have been a private hotel beach, but since by law in Thailand all beaches are public, visitors are allowed freely.
How to Find the Beach
From the southern edge of Ao Nang, where a small river flows into the sea next to a cliff, begins the so-called Monkey Trail – a path of wooden platforms going over the mountain. Face the sea, then go to the leftmost part of Ao Nang. Walk through rows of massage salons, then cross the bridge over the smelly river (behind the massage salons, marked on the map) and follow it to the very end.
To the wooden platforms. You can also walk along the beach itself, but there’s a very flimsy bridge across the riverbed, which is scary to walk on especially during high tide. Near the entrance to the Monkey Trail there’s a large car and bike park; you can’t miss it. In just about 15 minutes, enjoying excellent views and accompanied by monkeys, you’ll reach Pai Plong beach.
At the bottom, at the end of the trail, a guard might be sitting in a booth recording the names of beach visitors in a notebook. Why this is done is unclear, since when going back you don’t need to check out and the recording is generally done without verifying documents. The path on the rocks is built from sturdy boards, goes up, crosses over the cliff and descends to Centara beach.
The second option is by sea, on longtail boats. Usually boats from Ao Nang to Railay pass by this beach. It’s located right between these two beaches. Hotel guests at Centara are brought to the beach by boats to their pier. You can arrange transport to the beach, for example, with the boatmen standing in Ao Nang.
When walking along the trail, be careful with the monkeys. It’s better not to feed them or show them food. Monkeys can be aggressive and there are indeed many of them on the trail!
