Condé Nast Traveller ranks Railay second in Asia on 14 November

Thailand's environment ministry announced the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards result for Railay on 14 November 2026, giving the Krabi beach second place in Asia and first place in Southeast Asia. The announcement places the site within Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park and gives travellers a current reason to reassess a familiar Andaman Sea destination.

Railay receives a new regional ranking

The result comes from Condé Nast Traveller's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards. The survey ran from 1 April to 30 June 2026, while the Thai announcement naming the result and the beach appeared on 14 November 2026. Railay received a score of 94.44 in the Asian beach category.

The ranking places the beach behind the category winner and ahead of other destinations in the regional list. A ministry announcement on 14 November attributes the result to a report from Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The ministry also linked the wider recognition of Krabi's marine sites with visitor management and environmental conservation.

Railay's cliffs remain central to the result

The beach is described in the announcement as part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Its setting combines the Andaman Sea with high limestone cliffs, the physical feature most closely associated with the destination and with its established climbing culture.

The park authority describes the wider coast as a landscape of steep mountain ranges, bays and karst landforms. This gives the new ranking a specific geographical context: the award recognises a beach within a protected coastal system rather than an isolated strip of sand. The national park information page records the park's location in Ao Nang Sub-district, Mueang District, Krabi Province.

For travellers, the combination of cliffs, beaches and marine park status also explains why access and conservation rules matter. The award announcement asks visitors to follow national park regulations, while the park authority presents the coastline as a managed natural area.

Visiting Railay: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The current news peg is the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards announcement made on 14 November 2026, with Railay ranked second in Asia and first in Southeast Asia.
• The beach forms part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, so visitors should follow the regulations issued for the protected area.
• The national park authority lists boat access from Chao Fa Pier or Ao Phra Nang Pier in Krabi Province; there is no road approach to the beach described on the park information page.
• The terrain is defined by steep limestone cliffs, coastal bays and karst formations, so a visit involves a natural landscape rather than an urban promenade.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Railay

When was the Readers' Choice Awards result announced for Railay?

Thailand's environment ministry announced the result on 14 November 2026. The beach ranked second in Asia and first in Southeast Asia.

Where is Railay and how do you get there?

It is in Krabi Province within Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The park authority lists boat access from Chao Fa Pier or Ao Phra Nang Pier.

What is Railay?

It is a beach and coastal destination surrounded by limestone cliffs on Thailand's Andaman coast. The area forms part of a national park managed by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.