Thailand Guide
Southern Thailand: the Andaman coast
Princess Cave and Lagoon
Address: Inside the outcrop between East Railay and Ao Phra Nang beaches, east off the walkway connecting the two
Like the beach, and indeed the whole peninsula, Tham Phra Nang, or Princess Cave, is named for the princess (phra nang means "revered lady"), whom the local fisherfolk believe lives here and controls the fertility of the sea. To encourage large catches, red-tipped wooden phalluses are left as offerings to her at the cave entrance, beside the beach on Ao Phra Nang.
Buried deep inside the same cliff is Sa Phra Nang (Princess Lagoon), which is accessible only via a steep 45-minute descent that starts halfway along the walkway. You'll need proper shoes for it, as slippery descents and sharp rocks make it hard in flip-flops or bare feet. After an initial ten-minute clamber, negotiated with the help of ropes, the path forks: go left for a panoramic view over east and west Railay, or right for the lagoon. (For the strong-armed, there's the third option of hauling yourself up ropes to the top of the cliff for a bird's-eye view.) Taking the right-hand fork, you'll pass through the tropical dell dubbed "big tree valley" before eventually descending to the murky lagoon.