There's no overland access to Ton Sai, so all visitors arrive by boat. Rai Leh is a two minute long-tail ride or a 10-15 minute walk away, while long-tails from Ao Nang to Rai Leh will also stop at Ton Sai on demand. Boats between Ton Sai and Rai Leh generally don't run at night. If you're arriving from Krabi (which most people are) its usually quicker and easier to get a taxi or songthaew to Ao Nang and then a share or charter a boat from there to Ton Sai. Boats do run directly from Krabi to Ton Sai, but they run infrequently, the touts can be pushy and usually they take you to Rai Leh beach, so you end up walking from there to get to Ton Sai.
There are three ways to reach Rai Leh on foot:
1) At low tide it's possible to walk around the rocky outcrop which separates Ton Sai from Rai Leh (10 minutes).
2) At high tide, most opt for the steep path which climbs up and over the rocky outcrop, which is densely covered with foliage (10 minutes).
3) The least used option is a longer trail which starts on the northern, forested, edge of Ton Sai and meanders past bungalows, thick jungle, and eventually to the back of Rai Leh, near the Diamond Cave area (20 minutes). This trail is smoother and easier to walk than the shorter one.
None of these options are possible at night without a flashlight/torch, and the jungle paths can be slippery and treacherous after the rain.
The only way to get around Ton Sai is on foot. The beach and the main road act as the primary through fares for the area. It may take five minutes or less to cover the entire area. During heavy rains, the dirt road becomes muddy and treacherous.
'''Playing with fire''' -- Ton Sai could well be the world centre for fire tricks: light something on fire, twirl it in the air, that's the basic idea. A lot of climbers can be found on the beach during their rest days practicing on the beach.
'''SCUBA Diving'''
Share or charter a boat to nearby islands. '''Chicken Island''' is good for snorkeling.
'''Rent kayaks''' from one of the bungalow operations along the beach and paddle around to Railay or the beautiful Phra Nang beach.
'''Look out cave''' Next to the Freedom Bar, there is a bamboo ladder that climbs to a lookout point of the bay. Although the ladder is fairly safe, be cautious especially after the sun goes down.
There are several restaurants and bars on the beach and most bungalow operators have restaurants as well. Beware that many operations in Ton Sai are not electrified throughout the day meaning that unless they are careful with food storage you'll end up with a nasty case of food poisoning. Normally there is electricity from 6:00pm-6:00am during low and mid season. During high season there is electricity for most of the businesses.
The street vendors also make fantastic authentic Thai food. Try the mango with sticky rice or Som Tum (papaya salad). Cheap too!!
There are several bars on the beach, several of which (oddly enough) feature non-stop reggae music. You can even chill out with a "special" coffee or tea. A popular climber's hang out is Ton Sai Roof, at the east end of the beach, where the routes begin at the foot of Freedom bar, another hot spot with glorious views of both the rock and the whole bay.
All accommodation is set off of the beach and tends to be of the bamboo bungalow variety, and a little more rustic (and certainly more affordable though prices have more than tripled over the past five years) than at Rai Leh. Rubbish piles and noisy generators are common nuisances but as TonSai has no mains electricity it is a necessary nuisance.* '''Andaman Nature Resort''' - set well off the beach near the base of the cliffs, the basic bamboo bungalows are popular with budget travelers. The Andaman is largest collection of bungalows in Ton Sai. Rates are around 800 baht during the high season for a basic room with private bathroom. 100-150 baht during low season.*
'''Country Side Resort''' - set back behind the beach (follow the path up the hill from the internet cafe, and take the right-hand fork by Wee's Climbing School - follow the signs), this set of 10 bungalows or so are lovely, well-kept and have views. Each is built on stilts, with its own deck, clean tiled bathroom, single or double beds, many windows and a wall of three glass doors opening onto the porch. During low season it is the best deal on Ton Sai at 250- baht. During high season the rate may rise to 7-850 baht. Aircon rooms are also available at 1200 baht in high season. Plenty of helpful advice and smiles. The downside, as elsewhere, is ongoing construction across the street - not a big intrusion since most days are spent at the beach, on the water or on the side of a mountain. Countryside has recently been taken over (2008) by a new owner, as the old one had left TonSai, and is meant to be investing some heavy money into the place to improve things further including wireless Internet for guests, new and improved restaurant and a funky new bar. The path to Railay East over the back of TonSai (past CountrySide) is also being improved for guest access.
Contacting some of the bungalow operators for reservations can be difficult, although Country Side now has it's own website [http://www.countryside-krabi.com]. You can email them '''info@countryside-krabi.com''' for resrvations and information. Some of the climbing schools including Wee's (he updates the price list for the bungalows each year as well) [http://www.geocities.com/wee_rocks/room.html] will book reservations for a flat fee.