Just like the good old days

The plan was simple: to pick up where we left off three years ago when fire, flood and pandemic paused everything. We'd revisit the sleepy resort town in Southern Thailand we fell in love with on the last overseas holiday.

After a seemingly interminable winter, we craved the warm embrace of Asia. No matter it would be the tail end of the rainy season. The idea of getting off this giant island of ours for two weeks after three years of confinement was irresistible.

Railay Beach sits across the water from Phuket in a watery fantasy land of towering limestone karsts, idyllic beaches and mysterious caves.

Lara Croft would be at home here, along with James Bond and Indiana Jones.

Wedged on a spit between karsts, Railay is inaccessible by road, so getting there is an adventure in itself. It's a magnet for rock climbers, beach bums like me and families preferring a quiet alternative to the party destination of Phuket.

We flew into Krabi after a few days in Bangkok. After the frenetic pace of this Asian Gotham of 10 million people, it seemed time slowed the moment we deplaned.

As we waited for the airport transfer, a massive sign opposite the terminal announced Krabi's reopening - and had us wondering about a few things.

Would our favourite restaurant - the one that served an eye-wateringly hot chicken dish - still be there? And what about that reggae bar, where we whiled away languid afternoons with mojitos, accompanied by Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff?

COVID-19 had changed so much of the world but we hoped it had left little Railay unscathed.

Finally the minibus arrived to take us to Ao Nang and the floating pier where the longtail boat would take us across the bay to Railay. Luggage bundled aboard, we set off into a sea agitated by a low pressure system.

Out came the GoPro. In this part of the world, the sturdy little camera is essential - along with shorts, T-shirts, adventure sandals, hat and sunscreen, and not much else. If the journey is as important as the destination, you want to be able to record it without drowning your expensive smartphone.

Offloaded at the floating pier on the eastern leeward side of Railay, we wheeled the carry-ons to our home for the next week, the Railay Bay Resort and Spa.

The resort fronts the Malacca Strait on the windward side and today was being hammered by wind and rain.

Uh-oh, we thought, perhaps coming at this time of year wasn't the best idea. Misgivings dissolved the following day when the sun chased away the weather and we settled in for the big chill.

Fears the little street of shops and cafes we'd so enjoyed three years ago would have been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic also evaporated.

There was our favourite restaurant, its menu unchanged. Oh, and there, look, the reggae bar. It had changed a little. Now it offered cannabis cookies and joints, thanks to Thailand's recently liberalised marijuana laws, but those we'd leave to the more adventurous travellers.

Also still on offer were the many boat tours to surrounding islands and snorkelling spots, but we did those last time around and were happy this time to just relax.

After three years of rolling crises, it was heavenly to kick back in the sun lounge, book in hand, punctuating proceedings with a dip in the pool, a swim in the sea, a mango fruit shake, with the occasional distraction of monkeys cavorting in the trees above.

The resort itself was comfortable but not too flash. No need for Gucci resort wear or Prada sunglasses here. Indeed, no pretence whatsoever. Our privacy cottage, with its own courtyard, lotus pond and outside spa, was abundantly comfortable - the perfect place to sit out the afternoon downpour.

Railay is one of those places where it's almost impossible to take a bad photo, so the GoPro and iPhone had solid workouts. On a particularly luminous morning, we decided to hire a paddle board (for her, I'm hopeless on these) and kayak, and explore the nearby bays and islands and, of course, along came the GoPro.

Getting there: Thai Airways' regional airline Thai Smile offers frequent flights from Bangkok to Krabi. In Krabi, take a shuttle from the airport to Ao Nam Mao Pier where you can buy a ticket to board a longtail boat to East Railay. From there, all resorts are within walking distance. Regular ferry services also run between Phuket and Ao Nang.

Staying there: There is a variety of beach-side resort-style accommodation on both east and west sides of Railay, as well as inland. The Railay Bay Resort and Spa (West Railay) offers studio rooms, private cottages and suites with private pools. Prices start from $66 per night for a studio and $744 per night for a two-bedroom family villa with a private pool. There are several resorts on the beach at West Railay and all offer great sunset views and access to the beach.

Explore more: tourismthailand.org