Private Jet Krabi: Railay, Rayavadee and a 24-Hour Runway

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A runway without constraints, forty minutes from Phuket

According to the Thai civil aviation authority's aeronautical information publication, the CAAT, Krabi's runway 14/32 measures 3,000 m by 45, in asphaltic concrete, at 93 feet elevation. Services run continuously, with no closing time.

That puts Krabi on the same operational footing as Phuket, forty minutes of flying away. Two differences work in its favour in high season. Traffic is markedly lower, and ramp access is direct, which shortens the time between the aircraft door and the car.

The arithmetic often surprises. When Phuket saturates between December and March, Krabi becomes the fastest arrival in the Andaman Sea, including for passengers whose final destination lies on the Phuket side, because the crossing by road or boat costs less time than waiting on the ground at the other end.

Railay, a peninsula with no road

Railay is not an island, and that is what makes the situation interesting. The peninsula is attached to the mainland, but limestone cliffs block any road access. No road leads there.

The result is a place reached exclusively by boat, longtail or speedboat, from Krabi pier or from Ao Nang. That constraint makes its reputation. It explains the pull its walls exert on climbers from around the world, and the quiet of its beaches compared with the rest of the coast.

The Rayavadee occupies the tip of that peninsula, with access to three beaches, Railay, Nammao and Phranang. The property covers twenty-six acres of gardens and coconut groves, with 96 pavilions and five villas. From Krabi pier the crossing takes around thirty minutes, and the property runs the connection from the airport, by vehicle and then by boat.

What the seaplane changes here

The province opens onto a whole archipelago without runways: Koh Lanta, the Phi Phi islands, Koh Jum and Koh Hong. Each is traditionally reached by ferry or speedboat, with crossing times counted in hours from the pier.

IBC Aviation is the official partner of Siam Seaplane, whose first approved landing sites are in the Andaman Sea, around Phuket and Krabi. Its amphibious Cessna Grand Caravan EX lands on the water as close to the island as possible, up to eight passengers and in daylight only.

The rollout happens site by site, as approvals come through from the Thai authorities, which means an island served this month may not have been served the month before. We confirm it at the time of the request. Never in advance.

Beyond Railay, the province

The province is not only its peninsula. Ao Nang, some twenty minutes by road from the airport, serves as the departure base for excursions and holds the seafront hotels reachable by road. Krabi Town, further south-east, keeps a working river port and a night market. Neither requires a boat.

Inland, the landscape is dense karst, mangrove and hot springs. That proximity of sea and mountain, across some thirty kilometres, is what separates Krabi from Phuket, whose relief stays gentler. It also gives the province a second season of activity, climbing and trekking, that runs when the water is less inviting.

One practical detail for tight programmes: the airport sits about fifteen kilometres from Krabi Town, on the mainland, with no crossing or bridge involved. Transfers there are more predictable than in Phuket, where the length of the island introduces a traffic variable.

The season and the national parks

The Andaman regime applies here as it does further west: south-west monsoon from May to October, high season from November to April. January and February concentrate demand.

One point deserves checking before building a diving or excursion programme: several Thai marine national parks close for part of the year, with dates that vary by park and by year. Our teams reconfirm those periods with the local authorities at the time of booking, rather than relying on last year's calendar.

Arranging your flight to or from Krabi

The typical file has three stages. The first is the flight itself, about 1h20 from Bangkok on a light jet, longer from Singapore or Hong Kong, non-stop from Europe on an ultra long range aircraft. The second is the sea or air connection to the final destination. The third covers entry formalities, which change on 15 September 2026 and which our guide to private jet travel in Thailand sets out.

Our Bangkok office coordinates all three, and the comparison of Thai runways is on our Thailand private jet airports page. Our indicative rates by category are published in our pricing guide.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

Can Railay be reached by road?

No. Limestone cliffs cut the peninsula off from the road network, and access is by boat only, from Krabi pier or from Ao Nang. The crossing from Krabi pier takes around thirty minutes.

How long is the runway at Krabi?

3,000 m by 45, in asphaltic concrete, with services provided 24 hours a day, which lets every category of aircraft operate there up to ultra long range.

Krabi or Phuket for the Andaman Sea?

Both runways take the same aircraft and forty minutes of flying separates them. Krabi receives less traffic. Its direct ramp access often makes it the faster arrival between December and March, when Phuket saturates.

How do I reach Koh Lanta or the Phi Phi islands from Krabi?

None of these islands has a runway. The connection is by speedboat, ferry or seaplane, the Andaman Sea holding the first approved landing sites of Siam Seaplane.