Thailand - Railay/Tonsai & Chiang Mai in January 2017!

I am a Canadian female from Toronto who will be in the Railay/Tonsai area to climb from January 10th for 1-2 weeks. Hoping to find partners to climb with! Pretty new to sport climbing (been leading 5.9 (5b/c) outdoors in my area and just started trying 5.10a (6a) outdoors. And currently leading 5.10s (up to 6b/+) in the climbing gym). However, I am happy to also tag along and toprope/clean slightly harder routes as well (5.10s?). Just hoping to meet some friendly climbing folks since I will likely be heading there alone. This is part of a longer SE Asia trip (mostly not involving climbing) so I will probably only have my shoes, harness, PAS and belay device on me and had planned to rent when there if no one else has all the gear. I should also mention I am pretty light - I weigh about 105lb/47kg, so I wouldn't be comfortable to belay some heavier climbers over 150-160lb.

Will also be heading up to Chiang Mai sometime at the end of Jan if anyone will be around there then.

Please get in touch if you might be there around any of these times!

Hey! I'm on the international partners page looking for someone to travel and climb with around January February. I've been to tonsai, and want to go back. Whether I decide to go then, or not, there are very few, if any, 5.9-10. Mostly 7a. If you venture over to Railay east or west you'll find more easier grades. Cheers!

If you are going to be there in January, let me know! Someone else from here also sent me a message recently, and we will meet up to climb if the dates overlap.

Thanks re: the advice on routes in Railay vs. Tonsai! I've been debating about which side to stay on while there.

Arriving in Thailand in a week so just bumping this!

I've been here for a couple weeks but will be solo as of Sunday. Would love to meet up. I have extra gear except shoes and helmet.
Jeremy (Colorado)
0950178831 (Thai number)
The rock here is awesome!

I am thinking about climbing in Thailand in March 2017 and I am looking for partner(s). Are any of you who have posted on this thread potentially interested? I like climbing sport 11s and 12s or trad 5.9 but I don't have a rack.

I am from Cleveland, OH but my "home crag" is the Red River Gorge in Kentucky (and the New River Gorge in West Virginia) and I will be in Kentucky from April through November of 2017.

Hi all, I hope to meet some of you there! There is another friendly fellow from this forum named Duncan and his friend whom I have made plans to meet with once there. I am not yet 100% sure of my dates, but the earliest I will be in Railay would be Jan 11th, but it is likely to either be more like Jan 12th or a few days later (will be ferrying it from Phuket or Phi Phi first). Would be really amazing to meet up with some climbers!

Sarah: I will be in north Vietnam in March, but if you end up that way, let me know.

Thanks for the heads up, Helen! Vietnam could be fun! Hope your adventures are going well. If I do go climb in Thailand, I would love your advice on if it would make sense to possibly buy or rent a rope there (or borrow one) as I am fairly sure I will be traveling without a rope.

Hi HelenL,

I will be in Thailand from the end of January to the beginning of February. The main purpose of my trip is not to climb although I will be bringing my shoes and harness so I'm hoping to get in a few pitches here and there. My flights are booked but I may have to delay my trip a week due to family health issues. I'll update this thread for you and anyone else who might be in Thailand at the same time. Do you already have your return flight booked already?

Cheers, -cliff

p.s. Me: Experienced climber, 145lbs, can lead 5.12. I've climbed several weeks in Railay/Tonsai and Chiang Mai. I just did a 2 week climbing trip in Railay & Koh Phi Phi this past July.

You should bring your own rope if you can as rentals are kind of expensive here, and I heard it is hard to buy a rope here, however, if you stay on Tonsai, it seems easy to meet other climbers. I climbed today with 3 others, all of whom were alone. Seems climbers hang out at Freedom Bar on Tonsai beach. We had people join us by approaching us to ask.
Cliff, I did book a return flight but I will be in SE Asia for a few months so I don't go home till May.

Let me know if anyone reading this in Tonsai or Chiang Mai want to do some easier routes with me, like 5b-6a+ (5.9-5.10b). Been finding the humidity and polished holds challenging. I had a great day of climbing with new friends on Tonaai yesterday and will see them again, but they are all much better than me so I was struggling up some of the routes even on TR, and the easy ones are probably not too fun for them. :)
I don't have rope or draws with me but have shoes, harness, chalk, cleaning gear, Grigri. I weigh about 105lb (47kg) so can belay you up to 160lb (70kg) max.

I'll be heading to Chiang Mai probably in a week or two.

My plan is to be in Chiang Mai Jan 25-27.

Helen, I am in Chiang Mai until the 20th. Always down for some chill routes

Hi all, will be in Tonsai or at least the south for probably another week or so, so unlikely to make it up to Chiang Mai by the 20th. Any tips for solo climbers up there, especially in terms of meeting others?

I'll be leaving the day you show up. Follow the directions on Mtb project to Crazy Horse. It just says to go to the climbing shop etc. if you go to the meet up point around the time that the pick ups happen you can talk to peole.i just have been going to the crag and climbing with people. Some one ks always willing to let me join in

Hello! I just arrived in Chiang Mai yesterday and would love to go climb at Crazy Horse tomorrow (Friday, 27 Jan). I'm traveling with my young son so I'm only looking to go for a half day. Doesnt matter too much what grade you climb as long as you are a good lead belayer and know how to clean. We'll be able to find enough to climb together. Hit me up if you're interested. I'll probably head to Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Adventures today if you want to meet. I might try to get in some bouldering.

Sorry I missed you, Cliff, and hope you got to climb! I have been recovering from an injury for the past 9 days and still in no shape to climb. I will am hoping to Feb 16-18 though.. should be all good by then!

No worries, Helen. Hope you're recovering well. It seemed like half the foreigners I saw in Chiang Mai were bandaged up from motorbike accidents.

If anyone is going to be in Phi Phi on 1-3 Feb or Railay on 3-8 Feb and are looking for a climbing partner, post here or message me. :)

Cliff, it is easy to find partners to climb with in Railay. Go to Tonsai and hang out at Freedom Bar, which is the one by the beach near the overhang wall. Climbers hang out there. You can also walk up to people at any of the crags on Tonsai or Railay and ask to join. I met a few great people who came up to us and did just that! In fact, I was there solo for 1.5 weeks (wish I stayed longer!) and ended up hanging with a group of people who were also all there solo. It is really easy to meet climbers, especially if you stay in Tonsai. Just talk to everyone you can and chances are, you will meet a ton of friendly climbers. I don't know much about what the climbing is like on Phi Phi, but the place itself is horrible, unless you enjoy the uber touristy vibe (expensive, so many tourists and everything is catered for tourists), and tourist party scene and don't need any sleep (people are drunk out on the streets to 5am)! I'd suggest spending all that time in Railay/Tonsai instead. I even find west Railay beach more beautiful than Phi Phi Don, although Phi Phi Leh is very nice (but also overrun with tourists) but you can just do a day trip there. Wish I had listened to people saying not to go to Phi Phi and spent those 2 days I spent there in Tonsai instead! I have also heard there is a climbing ban on Phi Phi, but people just do it on the down low. However, it is more of a tourist party scene there so won't be easy to randomly meet climbers.

I got injured during a bad whipper on my last day in Railay.. but am planning to rent a motorbike to check out May Hong Son province, Will have to be extra careful!