Rawai Beach

Rawai is located at the southern tip of Phuket and is quickly becoming one of the most popular areas to live on the island, teeming with artists, Thai and expat entrepreneurs, and a service sector that, for the most part, moved here from somewhere else. Rawai is quite spread out with lots of trees and greenery so scooter hire is advisable, driving is easy as the area is nice and quiet and it really allows you to explore.

It is much less touristy than nearby Kata and Patong beaches and an excellent place to experience some real Thai culture with a peaceful local atmosphere and is very popular for the many seafood restaurants all along the waterfront. For a bit of fun, its best is to eat on mats placed on the floor as locals do, the food is just as good, but it’s a more memorable experience.  The food and drink tend to be slightly cheaper here too! Overall, Rawai Beach is not your usual beach destination but offers a unique local feel and is perfect if you prefer a quiet and peaceful holiday and a more authentic experience.

The beach stretches east to west with a cape at both ends and is very shady and pleasant, even on the hottest days, and you can while away the afternoon underneath the beach’s casuarina trees, or catch a traditional Thai longtail boat out to one of the nearby islands, Koh Bon, Koh Hey (Coral Island) or Koh Racha. For a glimpse into the day-to-day life of a real Thai ‘working beach,’ Rawai Beach is hard to beat. Some fishermen caulk their vessels while others mend their nets; others work on a new boat and the whole beach atmosphere is decidedly nautical. Catches are hauled ashore while restaurant operators on nearby islands load crates of beer and bags of rice aboard longtail boats. All you have to do is sit and take it all in! There are no jet ski’s, banana boats, ambulant beach vendors or any of the trappings of a west coast beach; this is Thai beach life.

Nai Harn BeachYa Nui Beach

When the urge takes you to spend the day soaking up some sunshine or the kids want to go swimming & snorkelling in the ocean, then Ya-Nui Beach and Nai Harn Beach are only a quick 5 minutes drive away. Ya-Nui lies in the shadow of two of Phuket’s loveliest viewpoints.  It’s a charming little cove featuring good snorkelling, kayaking and fishing. The sand is beautifully soft and children love to collect shells on this beach. Nai Harn is a fabulous beach, tucked away between rolling hills blanketed by rainforest and backed by a lake. It’s one of the islands most popular places with in-the-know locals as well as a popular anchorage for yachts during high season. The thin soft sand and perfect clear blue water is fringed by a delightful pine forest with so many choices to eat you won’t know how to decide!