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winkwinklambonini
Jan 1, 2009, 12:08 PM
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Registered: Sep 17, 2002
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I read in the economist there is a word for showing off for the opposite sex in groups: Lekking. If this is what you do, go there, it's so crowded you're bound to find someone. It's also quit beautiful if you ignore the ashtr....beach. And the smell. And the sounds of everyone puking in bungalows around you because the water is fukin nasty. And the gallons of water pouring out of your ass. And the locals ACTUALLY PUSHING YOU OUT OF THE WAY because their friend wants to boulder first, out of turn. And the farangs glaring at you trying to size you up. And it's too freakin' hot. I'm sorry, but it's true. Save the carbon.
PS, we gave it 2 weeks, and we didn't get used to it. The DWS is awesome if you tell the longtail drivers to shut up and let you figure it out themselves(they take it well).
(This post was edited by winkwinklambonini on Jan 1, 2009, 12:14 PM)
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jacobbelsher
Jan 1, 2009, 12:59 PM
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Registered: Apr 10, 2005
Posts: 147
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oh yeah, it totally sucks. I mean first of all you have to put up with conveniently located WORLD CLASS rock, then there are the HUNDREDS OF BEAUTIFUL WOMEN to dodge, and, as if that weren't already too much to bare, mid-jungle accommodation goes for an exorbitant FIVE DOLLARS a night.
sucks? please. sounds to me like some one couldn't take the heat. Maybe next time, get your back ripped before you come here and you won't feel so intimidated. And climb the fantastic multipitch if the bouldering gets crowded.
I read somewhere, pretty sure it wasn't the economist, another word: Milquetoast
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wonderwoman
Jan 1, 2009, 10:11 PM
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Registered: Dec 14, 2002
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We went for our honeymoon and loved it so much we may go back in June for our 5yr anniversary. We went right before monsoon season and nobody was there. My stomach got upset the last day, but my doc had given me antibiotics to take as soon as the symptoms started so I didn't have any problems. I loved it! You just have to go when nobody else is there, I guess.
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phillygoat
Jan 1, 2009, 10:16 PM
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Registered: May 22, 2004
Posts: 428
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Yeah, just awful:
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caughtinside
Jan 2, 2009, 6:26 AM
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Registered: Jan 8, 2003
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I had a fantastic time there. Sorry you didn't.
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arrow
Jan 3, 2009, 8:05 PM
Post #6 of 19
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Registered: Jun 17, 2005
Posts: 69
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I have to agree with the original poster.... I love it and hate it. My major complaint with Tonsai is the rasta bar owners who pass out slumped over their bar and forget to turn their stereos off for the night. Thank God for ambien!!! Alternatively for the ultra quiet charming side of Thailand with great climbing try Koh Yao Noi or go to Malaysia.
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Hennessey
Jan 3, 2009, 8:13 PM
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Registered: Dec 3, 2007
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Boy that place looks horible to climb at
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guangzhou
Jan 5, 2009, 1:15 AM
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Registered: Sep 27, 2004
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arrow wrote: I have to agree with the original poster.... I love it and hate it. My major complaint with Tonsai is the rasta bar owners who pass out slumped over their bar and forget to turn their stereos off for the night. Thank God for ambien!!! Alternatively for the ultra quiet charming side of Thailand with great climbing try Koh Yao Noi or go to Malaysia.
I may head to Malaysia this spring. Any advice? You have alocal driver contact by chance?
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arrow
Jan 6, 2009, 10:52 PM
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Registered: Jun 17, 2005
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Sorry guangzhou. The guy who owned the place where we stayed hooked us up with a driver who dropped us off and picked us up in the afternoons. You know the drill flash some cash and you can find what you need....in asia anyway.
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guangzhou
Jan 6, 2009, 11:26 PM
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arrow wrote: Sorry guangzhou. The guy who owned the place where we stayed hooked us up with a driver who dropped us off and picked us up in the afternoons. You know the drill flash some cash and you can find what you need....in asia anyway.
Thanks, appreciate it. I am sure finding a driver will be easy, but always nice to hire a driver others have used for the same pupose.
Cheersaerial, asia, asian, blue, clouds, cold, conservation, environment, flora, fog, forest, forestry, fresh, grass, green, hiking, hill, hills, jungle, lake, landscape, light, mirror, mist, misty, morning, mountain, mountains, mountainside, national, nature, outdoors, park, peaceful, rain, rainforest, reserve, ridge, scenery, scenic, sky, summer, sunrise, sunset, tranquility, tree, trees, view, weather, woodlands
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bodyboarder
Jan 7, 2009, 12:19 AM
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Registered: May 19, 2005
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I'm going to agree with OP. I was there for about 2 weeks, which may not have been enough time to get used to the humidity. However, the place is crowded, like waiting in line for routes crowded. All the trade routes are polished like crazy and its so hot and humid that in the time it takes for your hand to go from chalk bag to hold, it is sweaty again. That said it's beautiful and really really cheap. The routes are good, but conditions sucked when i was there (january).
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krazyk011
Jan 7, 2009, 1:53 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2005
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Yea. my wife and I went and had a blast. You should try getting out to Lao Liang if you got the time and money. It is dope. Mike runs the operation there and is a rad dude. Otherwise, the people are nice and the rock is even better.
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kachoong
Jan 8, 2009, 1:38 AM
Post #13 of 19
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winkwinklambonini wrote: Blah blah crowded blah smell blah puking blah blah freakin' hot
What do you expect.... you went in January.
wonderwoman wrote: We went for our honeymoon and loved it so much we may go back in June for our 5yr anniversary. We went right before monsoon season and nobody was there. My stomach got upset the last day, but my doc had given me antibiotics to take as soon as the symptoms started so I didn't have any problems. I loved it! You just have to go when nobody else is there, I guess.
My wife and I also went at the start of low season... Mid May. Was perfect timing and we had an awesome time! Great climbing, no crowds, no problem with the water (we drank bottled water) and it only rained a couple of times (dried in an hour).
(This post was edited by kachoong on Jan 8, 2009, 1:39 AM)
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billcoe_
Jan 8, 2009, 9:15 PM
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Registered: Jun 30, 2002
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bodyboarder wrote: I'm going to agree with OP. I was there for about 2 weeks, which may not have been enough time to get used to the humidity. However, the place is crowded, like waiting in line for routes crowded. All the trade routes are polished like crazy and its so hot and humid that in the time it takes for your hand to go from chalk bag to hold, it is sweaty again. That said it's beautiful and really really cheap. The routes are good, but conditions sucked when i was there (january).
All true, and it would really suck if you were sick there. I got sick for a few days, despite drinking bottled water exclusively and it does suck to be puking and shitting water at 3 in the morning. That being said, it's like being in a climbing Gym except prettier:-) There is some real wild looking rock formations that are worth seeing and climbing on at least once in your life for sure.
Here's some pics I took last month.
It was 80 degrees, so people climbed mostly in the shade, or earlier and later in the day. It was fine if you were out fo the heat. Then I came back and got stuck in Seattle airport as they had Snow so they had canceled all outgoing flights. There's a few thousand idiots like moi hanging in the airport doing nothing but ....wait. So I'm walking around Seattle in a t-shirt and its 20 degrees and windy with dry cold snow blowing around wishing I was back on the beach. I mean, look at those pictures up there, from where the plane left from it looked like that without the beach! I was able to find a rental car off site, one of the last, and get the hell out of town.
BTW, if you are thinking of heading over, as the poster above says, the routes are hard and steep. So be working out beforehand so your back gets ripped, as he says up there or don't bother unless you can get up most 5.10s in the gym or just want to hang on those beautiful beachs a lot:-).
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seanpmccormick
Jan 18, 2009, 4:36 PM
Post #15 of 19
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Registered: Aug 14, 2008
Posts: 19
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Why did you go to Railay/Tonsia to boulder???
World Class climbing. Beautiful, adventurous (avoiding gear before all the rebolts) and UNIQUE. So what if it's hot? You're at the beach, take a dip. Good grief, find the good, man.
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climbingnoise
Mar 3, 2009, 9:49 PM
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I went there at the end of february 08 which is just getting into the thailand off season. It wasnt that hot, and I thought it actually wasnt crowded enough, though i wasn't climbing yet. after ton sai I decided I was going to start climbing after spending a few days hanging out with climbers and scrambling around on the amazing rock. The complaints about sickness shouldn't be blamed on Railay as that could happen anywhere in that part of the world. I didnt get sick :D
I'm not sure if I'll have the luxury of going back though as a climber..
whats the break down of routes.. how many 5.10s and .11-s are there?
and how would you all rate the difficulty of the dws?
If you are in SEA this is definitely a must stop regardless of whatever negatives you hear. Its simply soo cheap and soo beautiful even if you didnt get to climb a single day it would be worth it, as I think the south is the best part of thailand.
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rockvoyager
Mar 4, 2009, 8:32 PM
Post #17 of 19
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Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 84
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Thailand is a great place. We spent a month there last winter. Some climbing but mostly exploring. I climbed on Railay and at Chiang Mai. The climbing is pretty much like what everyone has already described. Crowded, hot, interesting rock, good routes with some bad gear, people posing, local climbers, etc. It was great and I enjoyed every minute of rock time. People were generally fun and polite with an occasional dickhead. But that's the way it is at any crag. If I was choosing a destination for a climbing trip it wouldn't be Asia. We have much better climbing in the eastern Sierra's or any number of places in the US. But, if I was looking to travel overseas on the cheap and do a little climbing while enjoying another countries people, sites, food and culture, Thailand and Vietnam would be high on my list.
We are late 50's so the Railay beach scene didn't appeal to us. We stayed in Krabi and boated out on the days I wanted to climb. Renting motorbikes in pretty much all of Asia is really cheap. I think we paid 5 dollars per day plus gas in Krabi and we explored much of the surrounding area. Be careful if you do rent scooters. If you go down you will have to pay for damages regardless of who's at fault. No insurance over there. They take your passport when you rent so you won't be able to skip out.
Like I said, go for the right reasons. If it's just for the climbing, stay here.
Brad
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rtwilli4
Mar 9, 2009, 3:52 PM
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Registered: Feb 14, 2008
Posts: 1867
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I live and work at a climbing shop on Koh Phi Phi and let me say this first.... if you love Railey/Tonsai... you are in the majority. If you got sick in Tonsai and couldn't afford to stay in Railey, you are in the majority. If you didn't like all the beached whales on Railey Beach West, you are in the majority. If it was hot and sweaty and the culture was a bit different from your home, you are in the majority.
I'll say the same thing to the OP that I say to everyone else in Thailand that complains about this stuff:
"Dude what did you expect?... you are in Thailand! If you want it to be like it is at home then STAY HOME!"
Thailand is a huge tourist trap and Tonsai has turned into a toilet. Yea it's a shame, but that's the way it is here and it has been like this for years and years. It's unfortunate that people are too lazy or timid to find a way to get around those problems. All you have to do is stay higher up on the hill in Tonsai and you get cheaper bungalows, nicer people, cleaner water, and quieter nights. Not to mention the dozen or so other islands with amazing climbing in Thailand.
Next time you go half way around the world to climb do some research. You were a short boat ride away from hundreds of routes on uncrowded walls with cheap accommodation and clean water. And if you must go to the famous Tonsai then check out some places other than what the guidebook recommends and maybe you won't be so disappointed.
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rob.climbs
Mar 14, 2009, 4:03 PM
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Registered: Feb 16, 2009
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just get the guidebook off www.weesclimbingschool.com was great for preparing my first trip. paid with paypal, got shipped to US. I was also there in jan, felt ok in the heat, some problems with the food as well, though. awesome rock any way you look at it!
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