Diamond Cave Resort

After traveling all day to reach Railay, I was tempted to fall into the first guest house or bungalow resort that I saw. However, the first place I stopped at wanted to charge me more money than I felt inclined to pay. I had heard that the 'highland' accommodations up the hill were cheaper and more rustic than those at the beach.

What I ended up with was not at all rustic, but it was cheaper. Disoriented and carrying my large backpack, I got frustrated trying to navigate the trail to find the highland bungalows, and stopped when I got to Diamond Cave. The pool and grounds were beautifully kept, clean, and welcoming. I figured I was in for a high price tag, but since it was August, prices tend to be cheaper. The peak tourist season is around January, I believe. I was offered a private bungalow fan room with a full bathroom for 500 baht per night.

For those not familiar with Thailand accommodations, there are 'fan rooms' and 'aircon rooms', and although A.C. was tempting, I found it was not necessary in any of my locations.

As it turned out, my room not only had a fan, but it also had air conditioning, a television, a small refrigerator with free bottled water, and a king sized bed! The bathroom came equipped with toiletries such as shampoo and soap.

This was by far the nicest place that I stayed during my whole trip. The staff cleaned my room and made my bed each day, as if I was staying in an American hotel, and they re-stocked my mini-refrigerator with more bottled water. I didn't buy water during my whole stay in Railay.

After dropping my bags in my room, I went immediately to the artistically shaped swimming pool, where I found friendly travelers to play paddle ball with. Paddles and balls were kept at the pool area, and there was a beautiful outdoor shower there as well.

The receptionist at the front desk was very kind and helpful. There is an additional receptionist desk down at the Diamond Cave Restaurant at the beach. I believe if you check in from there, the staff will help you carry your bags up the short hill from the beach to the bungalows, but of course I only found this out after I had checked in.

The resort has internet at a good price. I don't remember the exact price, but it was cheaper than my internet at the resort I visited in Haad Rin, Koh Pha Ngan. Laundry services take one day, if you drop your laundry in the morning, you can retrieve it that evening.

One of the days I spent in Railay was quite rainy, so I got a massage at the spa a few steps away from my bungalow. Off-season prices are cheap. This is my new mantra. The Thai massage was wonderful; there are few people who work my shoulders hard enough, but the Thais know how. The woman who did my massage was not nearly as sweet and friendly as the woman that I went to in Haad Rin, but she got the job done.

I would highly recommend this hotel to someone who is visiting during low season, or who wants a fairly fancy place for the price. The most expensive and beautiful places are on the west coast, so any place on the east coast will most likely be a better deal, and is a short walk from Hat Phra Nang, Princess Cave, Railay West, and Hat Ton Sai.

If you are interested in night life, Railay East has a greater selection of bars and cafes, and Diamond Cave is a perfect halfway point between the 'highland' bars featuring fire dance and thai boxing demonstration, and the beach bars featuring mellow lounge areas full of pillows and candles.