How to get to Racha (Raya) Island from Phuket and what to do there

What you will see on Racha

The Racha Islands lie in the Andaman Sea south of Phuket. There are two: the large Racha Yai, where visitors go, and the smaller Racha Noi further south. Racha Yai is part of Rawai subdistrict, and Rawai Municipality lists it alongside the beaches of southern Phuket: several beaches, white sand and quiet.

The west bay. A long curved beach with shallow water that is safe for swimming. The boats come in here, people sunbathe, and there is a viewpoint at the end of the beach. OpenStreetMap labels it Batok Bay, and The Racha hotel stands beside it.

Ao Siam and Ao Khon Khae. Bays on the other side of the island, reached by a path from the west beach. These are the snorkelling spots: branching, plate and bushy corals with small fish such as butterflyfish and groupers, as the municipality describes them.

Racha Noi. The smaller island 12-15 km further south, by our calculation from OpenStreetMap coordinates. The municipality does not describe it, and standard tours do not go there.

The tour step by step

Racha is most often sold together with Coral Island. This is how the day runs in Phuket Tour’s programme as of October 2026:

1. 8:00 hotel pickup and transfer to a pier in southern Phuket
2. 9:20 departure, about 25 minutes to Coral Island
3. 9:45 Coral Island: beach and swimming
4. 10:30 snorkelling from the boat
5. 12:30 lunch
6. 13:30 over to Racha Yai: the west bay beach, swimming and snorkelling from the shore
7. 15:30 head back, at the pier around 16:00, transfer to your hotel

With Simba Sea Trips the guide briefs you on the day’s conditions on arrival and shows you the best reef sections, and lunch is served on the beach.

How long it takes and when to go

With the hotel transfer the day lasts 8-9 hours. The speedboat ride to Racha is 45-60 minutes (Simba Sea Trips); in a straight line Chalong Pier is about 24 km away.

Racha is not a national park, so DNP closure orders do not apply and the island is open all year. The limit is the weather: Racha sits in the open sea, and the southwest monsoon brings swell from May to October.

More in Phuket climate by month.

What to bring

• Your own mask and snorkel if you prefer not to share
• Water shoes: the snorkelling bays have rocks and coral
• Sunscreen and a T-shirt to snorkel in
• Water and cash for small expenses on the island
• Seasickness medication if you need it

Who should skip it

• People prone to seasickness. Racha is in the open sea, unlike the islands of Phang Nga Bay
• Pregnant women on a speedboat in swell. If you go, choose December-April and a larger boat
• Anyone wanting an empty beach in high season. Boats from Phuket arrive at the west beach through the day
• Weak swimmers who want deep-water snorkelling. Wear a life jacket and stay with the group and guide

National park fee

There is no national park fee on Racha: the island is not in the DNP fee table, checked 17.10.2026. The usual reef rules apply: do not stand on coral, do not feed fish, do not take shells or coral home.

How to choose a Racha tour

• Racha only, or Racha with Coral. A combined tour gives you two beaches, but only about two hours on Racha. If you are going for the snorkelling, look for a programme with more time on Racha
• The boat. A speedboat is faster, a catamaran smoother on the swell
• Departure time. An early start gets you to the beach before the main groups
• What is included. Transfer, lunch, masks. Ask whether a guide will be in the water with you
• Group size. Simba Sea Trips recommends groups of 12 or fewer for a relaxed day on the reef

To compare destinations, see the guide to excursions from Phuket.

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