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Elevation: 30 ft
GPS: 7.7347, 98.7657
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 40,811 total · 200/month
Shared By: Ryan Kelly on Jul 31, 2007 · Updates
Admins: Brian Boyd, Tao Techakanon
Warning Access Issue: Warning! Stainless steel bolts are suspect near the coast! DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

The main climbing wall on the beautiful island of Ko Phi Phi Don; not to be confused with Tonsai Wall or Tonsai Beach on the Phra Nang Peninsula. A large wall with nearly 30 moderate routes and a few hard ones as well. Two routes summit the 450 foot tower.

The protection on Tonsai Tower is completely made up of titanium and stainless steel glue in bolts, and all have been placed after the year 2000. The stainless bolts are much newer, and were of better quality to begin with, than most of the bolts in Railey. The correct, Red Hilti RE-500 Glue was used as well. There have been NO failures... compared to about one per week in Railey! The slings and anchor threads are regularly changed and can be trusted, but as always in Thailand, inspect all of the protection you are clipping!

EVERY SINGLE ANCHOR on Tonsai Tower has at least one Titanium Bolt.

The wall is popular with climbing schools, but the guides rarely work on the left side of the tower, or on anything above 5.8. Most of them are very accommodating if you really want to climb something they are using.

The increasing number of gumbies climbing here in high season is the largest hazard, followed by monkeys that will take your food if you leave it laying around.

The tower is packed full of routes and this does take away from some of the climbs. However, the features allow the entire wall to be climbed so that is what happened. See the route descriptions to find out what routes to do and which ones to skip.

Getting There Suggest change

Head out of Phi Phi town toward Tonsai bay and continue west along the beach towards the towering (aptly named) Tonsai Tower (“Tonsai” meaning tower). You can’t miss it. When the Tsunami Evacuation Path turns right toward the Drinking Wall, stay straight on the beach and you'll see the tower.

Follow the beach to the end and say hello to Pi Dar and Bong Dot at Phi Phi Popular Beach Resort. Walk UNDER the left side of the last bungalow, and head up and right the rocky scramble with fixed ropes, 5 min to the wall.

The trail comes out where Gladiator heads up and left, and three other climbs are packed in on the right.

38 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at Tonsai Tower

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 10
Pai Noon Mai
Sport
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 6
Latitude Eight
Sport
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b
 12
[Redacted]
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 11
Sut Yawd
Sport
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 13
Golden Copulation
Sport 2 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 8
Cottonbrains of Infancy
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 14
High Noon (Formerly Mr. Phi Phi)
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 13
Seven Samurai
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 13
Andrea's Spine Line
Sport
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 15
Hanna's Gift
Sport
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 7
Stolen Russian Submarine
Sport
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b
 23
Gladiator
Sport
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 10
Lois Lane
Sport
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b
 4
The Severed Garden
Sport
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 5
Rev de Phi Phi Don
Sport 6 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Pai Noon Mai
 10
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Sport
Latitude Eight
 6
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Sport
[Redacted]
 12
5.10a/b 6a+ 19 VI+ 19 E2 5b Sport
Sut Yawd
 11
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
Golden Copulation
 13
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport 2 pitches
Cottonbrains of Infancy
 8
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Sport
High Noon (Formerly Mr. Phi…
 14
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Seven Samurai
 13
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Andrea's Spine Line
 13
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Hanna's Gift
 15
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Sport
Stolen Russian Submarine
 7
5.10c/d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Gladiator
 23
5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b Sport
Lois Lane
 10
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Sport
The Severed Garden
 4
5.12b 7b 26 VIII+ 26 E5 6b Sport
Rev de Phi Phi Don
 5
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport 6 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Tonsai Tower »

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