Already traveled the length and breadth of Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, James Bond and Similan Islands. There are fewer and fewer excursion places left that can be visited between swimming in the sea and sunbathing under the sun. The foot wants to step somewhere else.
And just 12 km from the southeastern coast of Phuket there are two small islands that have still preserved their naturalness: azure sea, palm groves, white creaking sand, corals and fish right under your feet, peace and tranquility.
The Racha Islands, known for their perfectly clear sea water, have been a favorite resort for divers and divers for many years.
The word Racha comes from the word “Raja” - “king, royal”. There are two islands of Racha: Noi and Yai – Little and Big. Racha Noi is an almost uninhabited island with sparse beaches, rocky coastline and wildlife. The lack of tourists makes it a real paradise for diving and fishing enthusiasts.
But Racha Yai is a full-fledged resort with developed infrastructure: hotels, bungalows, walking area, shops, restaurants and entertainment. It is called the Big Island or simply Racha.
How to get there
Planes don't fly there and trains don't go there. An island is an island, you have to travel by boat. From Phuket you can get to Racha Island either by longtail or by boat from the Chalong or Rawai piers. It is preferable to travel by boat or speedboat, as they are less susceptible to waves and sudden weather changes, which often occur in the tropics. A boat ticket costs from 700 baht ($19) one way, travel time is 30-40 minutes. Traveling by longtail will cost slightly less (with active bargaining), but the journey takes about an hour.
In addition, a trip to Racha Island can be booked as a tour at a street excursion bureau or at a hotel right on the island of Phuket. The cost of a day trip, including round trip transfer, lunch and snorkeling, will cost 1200-1400 baht ($33-38) per person.
For those who want to be alone with nature in silence for several days, mini-tours lasting 2-3 days with accommodation in one of the hotels on Racha Island are possible. Such trips make sense, since a one-day trip is too short and it is not possible to see all the fish and monitor lizards of the island.
Boats from Phuket Island come to Racha Island to its main beach - Patok beach, where a pontoon pier has been built. That is, right from the ship, tourists go to the ball - a wide beach strip with snow-white fine sand. Racha Yai welcomes guests all year round, only a few times during the summer season boats cancel their trips to the island due to safety concerns due to storms.
Where to stay - hotels
There are three main beaches on Racha Island: Patok beach, Siam beach and the beach in Kon-Kea Bay. The main accommodation locations are located along these beaches. The best hotel on Racha island is located on Patok beach - The Racha hotel 5*. Excellent sea views, children's pool, entertainment area. All this for a price starting from $200 per night. The cost rises obscenely during the high season. During the monsoon season, there is a chance of waves at this beach as this coast is open to the Andaman Sea.
If you stand on the shore facing the sea, then on the right side of Patok beach is the inexpensive Bungalow Raya Resort. Rooms for the more masculine include a fly screen over the bed, an en-suite shower and a fan. Room rates start from $30.
From Patok Beach to the north of the island there is a path along which you can walk to the second most important beach of the island - Siam beach - in a few minutes. The beach is beautiful. Some claim that it is even better than the famous one from Phi Phi Island. Indeed, a spacious, slightly elongated bay with a wide beach of fine sand and a gentle entrance is a convenient place for families with children. Rayaburi Island Resort Phuket 3* is located here. It only has three stars, but it has its own pride - the garden. The resort is non-smoking only. Room rates start from $60 per night.
In Kon-Kea Bay, on the east coast of Racha Island, the Ban Raya Resort & Spa 3* hotel is located. All 48 hotel rooms have sea views. There is an infinity pool with a children's area. Room rates start from $80 per night. The advantages of the hotel include the presence of corals in the bay and a rich variety of coral fish. There are also a couple of small, cozy beaches on the northeast coast of the island. If you haven’t decided yet, read about what tourists think.
The northern part of the island is mainly used for tourism purposes. There are paths along the entire perimeter. Crossing the island from west to east is not difficult and takes 7-10 minutes of leisurely walking. In the center there are a couple more small bungalow complexes for budget accommodation. In general, you can sail to Racha Island without specific plans, and then act according to the weather and mood. You can extend your stay for another day on the spot, and then return to Phuket any day on one of the arriving boats.
Attractions and entertainment
As already mentioned, Racha is an island for solitude, a relaxing holiday in the middle of nature, so there is not as much entertainment here as on the island of Phuket. You can note the opportunity to ride bicycles, horses, and ATVs. In addition to snorkeling, you can also go diving on the neighboring island of Racha Noi. Trips there on longtails can be organized from any hotel.
Motorized activities such as jet skis and parasailing behind a boat are prohibited on the island, so the island is considered one of the best places for relaxation.
Local attractions include monitor lizards, which are found every now and then on the island, and buffaloes peacefully grazing among coconut palms. All this untouched beauty can be seen from the viewing platform in the center of the island. There is also no nightlife with noisy discos until the morning. But at any hotel in the evening you can sit in a bar or restaurant listening to pleasant music.
Everything you need can be bought in small shops, cafes and eateries. There are also several "casual" restaurants, bars, massage parlors and diving centers. But you need to remember that prices here are twice as high as in similar establishments on the island of Phuket. For example, fresh mango will cost 150 baht.
A quiet piece of paradise called Racha Yai (from Thai “Big King”) is located near the southeastern coast of Phuket. Racha is famous for its clean beaches, the sand on which resembles flour in consistency and color. Gorgeous beaches, so popular among tourists, are located mainly in the northern and northeastern parts of the island. There are hotels and bungalows on Racha to suit every taste, where you can stay for a couple of days and spend a luxurious tropical week-end. Since there is not much entertainment on the island, this number of days will be enough for you. And in addition to swimming and sunbathing, you will also find impressive diving and snorkeling - many tourists come here just for this, and beach holidays here have become popular only recently.
The smallest beaches on the island are Ter and Lha. Both beaches have coral reefs and are suitable for snorkeling. If you want to swim here in low season, keep in mind that there are quite a few boats moored here.
Now we will describe the three main beaches that are on the island of Racha Yai. Siam Beach rightfully occupies one of the places of honor on the island. In addition to the fact that it is the largest on Racha, swimming on it is comfortable in any season. Between May and October, few beaches can boast a lack of waves, but Siam is a privileged exception. If you are vacationing on the island with a child, or do not know how to swim, then this beach is just for you, since the water here is quite shallow.
Batok is the busiest beach in Racha, as speedboats with tourists come here. Swimming here is comfortable and safe only in high season, from November to May.
Konkare is a beach for lovers of romance. It is located on the eastern side and is ideal for those who like to watch sunrises while sitting on the seashore. The beach is famous for its large coral reef with a variety of fish and shellfish.
It should be noted that on each beach there are hotels from which it is very close to the sea. You can and even need to book them in advance if you are going to the island during high season. If you are sailing during the rainy season, then you are guaranteed free space on the island.
In addition to water sports and entertainment, the island has a small list of leisure activities. For example, riding elephants and horses, or cycling. The infrastructure is most developed, which is logical, in the same part of the island where the main beaches are located. Here you will find restaurants, cafes and massage parlors. There is practically no nightlife on the island.
If you wish, you can swim to the “younger brother” of Racha Yai named Racha Noi. It is a huge coral reef with many stones. There are no beaches for swimming, but there is a real paradise for diving and snorkeling. Any hotel will be happy to help you organize a boat trip.
You can decide how to get to the island yourself - either it will be a full-fledged excursion with a transfer from your hotel, or you can get there yourself by various types of water transport departing from Chalong Pier. It only takes half an hour to get to the island by speedboat.
Racha Island
Racha Island: how the excursion goes
The excursion began at 8 am, when a minibus arrived at the condo to pick us up. Along the way we stopped at a couple of hotels and by 9 we were already in the area of Chalong Beach, from where speedboats depart for Racha. First, all tourists are collected at the travel agency office. Here you can have a cup of coffee. There are toilets and showers. You can rent fins.
What surprised us at first was that there were practically no Russian or European tourists here. Only Chinese. We, of course, assumed that since the excursion was in English, the group would be international, but that it was Chinese turned out to be a surprise.
After 20 minutes, the tourists were divided into small groups of about 20 people, and everyone went to board the boat. There were two more Europeans in our group, the rest were Chinese comrades. Everyone on board was given life jackets.
Racha Island and excursion program
Along the way we admired the islands. The waves were small, the boat did not shake and no one even got seasick. We reached the island of Racha Yai in half an hour. While we were mooring, our guide told the excursion program:
- Snorkeling at 11:20
- Lunch at 12:30
- Return at 15:20
The guide constantly broke into a smile and answered all questions. He completely controlled the situation on the island and did not deprive anyone of attention
We will relax all day on the snow-white Patok Beach. The excursion program includes snorkeling; masks and snorkels are provided free of charge, but this is optional. Lunch is also included in the price.
Racha Beach
Racha has an excellent white sand beach. There is little shade, no sun loungers or umbrellas, but in the first half of the day you can find shelter from the sun. We were lucky with the shade; the weather was cloudy most of the day. Turquoise water. There are rocks at the bottom, so we recommend taking swimming shoes with you. We read the reviews before the trip, so we took rubber shoes with us and swam without any problems. It was a pity to watch the girls who were making their way through the corals in pain. Katya also went into the water barefoot for the first time and painfully stepped on a stone.
Racha beach 
We will have lunch in this cafe 
View of the beach from the cafe
Bathing
We swam with pleasure and swam to our heart's content, fortunately there was plenty of time for this during the excursion. Nobody is chasing you. The water is very clean and transparent. The boats do not interfere, they stand to the side, so the entire beach is suitable for swimming. In our rubber shoes there was no inconvenience in walking over the rocks to the depths.
Where can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.
Observation deck
There is a small observation deck in the right corner of the beach. The guide told us in secret about this viewpoint, saying that the site is located on the hotel grounds, but you can easily go there. We turned out to be the only tourists there, no one interfered, and since there is enough time on this excursion for everything, there is no need to rush anywhere, we were also able to enjoy the wonderful view without fuss.
For some reason there is a hotel sign on the lookout Raya Resort, although this hotel is on the other side of the island 
View of Ko Racha Yai beach 
There is a luxury hotel on this side The Racha
We noticed a little bench on the cliff to the right and lower. We spent half an hour there.
By the way, the stones here are strewn with small round poops. Apparently the island is inhabited by mountain goats or some other game.
Snorkeling
The excursion program includes snorkeling. Everyone who wants to snorkel returns to the boat at a certain time and goes to the other side of the island to Kon-Kea Bay. Katya and I split up, she stayed to sunbathe, and I went diving. But I was unlucky, there were small jellyfish in the water, not dangerous, but still unpleasant to swim when you literally rake them with your hands. So, I dived for about 5 minutes and climbed on board. The rest of the tourists did not pay attention to the jellyfish and swam for their own pleasure. In total, snorkeling takes about 45 minutes. At this time, Katya enjoyed the beach, swam and even slept. Full relax.
Dinner
Lunch takes place at a restaurant on the rocks on the right side of the beach. The buffet is not varied, but everything is quite tasty, especially when you are hungry. What was the food: regular rice, fried rice with vegetables, cabbage salad, onion rings, chicken and tom yum soup without meat and shrimp. There were no fish dishes. A fruit bowl that you can take twice if you have leftovers. Drinks include water, tea, coffee.
Monitor lizards
Another interesting feature of Racha is that large monitor lizards live here. Cats somehow get along peacefully with them. Monitor lizards move freely in the forest. They don't attack people, but it's best not to tease them or get too close. The monitor lizard doesn’t even need to bite a person, just hit him with his tail.
Monitor lizards are the size of a small crocodile 
This is how monitor lizards walk openly along the roads in the depths of the island. They don't go to the beach
Second Beach Siam Bay
After lunch, when all the tourists returned to sunbathe on the beach, we went to look for the way to the second beach, which is located on the other side of the island. It's not intuitively clear where to go. They asked at the cafe. It turns out that from the cafe you need to go up the steps and through a small copse. The road runs through the area where monitor lizards live. We carefully, looking around, set off on our way. Katya was scared.
Road through the jungle with monitor lizards. We didn’t meet a single person along the way 
We saw some unusual flowers on the trees. Experts, tell me the name!
According to the map, these 2 beaches are quite close, but it’s a 10-minute walk. They even organize a tractor transfer for Euro-pensioners for 100 baht. We went down the mountain and went to the beach.
Siam Beach turned out to be almost deserted. There are no tourists on excursions here. Hotel guests only Rayaburi Resort. When we arrived, the tide was low, so the beach was unsuitable for swimming. Very small.
Phuket can be seen in the distance
We walked a little along the coast, enjoying the deserted beach and wonderful views of the tropical island.
By the way, the bottom here is also not the most pleasant for walking barefoot. There are also thousands of discarded tiny jellyfish lying on the shore, because of which my snorkeling did not take place.
We return to the first beach
We walked for about 10 minutes and returned back to the first beach. We still had about 2 hours of time to swim. How wonderful and unusual it is when no one is in a hurry during an excursion; there is enough time for photos, swimming, and even independent walks.
We also returned back to . At the travel agency office we quickly changed clothes, and then we were distributed into minibuses and everyone was taken to hotels. We got home around 5 pm.
Racha Island video
A short video with the best views of Racha: a motor boat, landing on a pontoon pier, Patok beach, swimming, the view from the restaurant at low tide, the observation deck of Raya resort and a deserted beach in Siam Bay.
Excursion to Racha Island: our reviews
The excursion to Racha takes place in an atmosphere of relaxation. In fact, this is not even an excursion, you are simply brought to the island and you relax on it all day. There is no need to rush anywhere or run around the sights. The guide does not bore you with his stories, you do what you want all day. You can swim for hours in the turquoise water without waves, then go to a cafe and drink a beer or something cold. That is, this excursion is for relaxation; you don’t get tired of it, like regular excursions. It's not loaded. A program for those who want to spend a blissful day on the island.
How much does it cost and where to book a tour?
We took a tour with the company.
Cost per person - 1000 baht. This is the best offer we could find. The price includes transfer from the hotel and back, the excursion itself, drinks and fruits on the boat, lunch, snorkeling masks.
Hotels in Racha
Book a hotel on Racha Island yourself:
- The Racha
- Rayaburi Resort
In the morning before the boat, it is advisable to take an anti-sickness pill (Dramina or analogues). You get very sick while snorkeling if you don’t swim but sit in a boat. What to take with you:
- Sun cream
- Towels
- Beach umbrella, if available
- Swimming shoes
- Bottle of water and light snacks
Vivid stories from tourists about holidays on the island of Racha usually concern the beaches of Racha Yai. In fact, Racha is two neighboring islands: Racha Yai and Racha Noi. The latter rarely becomes the object of rave reviews from travelers, since its shores are steep: there are no bays, bays or beaches. There are no hotels on its land. Racha Noi is only good for divers. But its brother will not leave even the most experienced tourist indifferent. This is truly a heavenly place. It’s not for nothing that the tourist fraternity calls it “Paradise Island.”
Where are the islands and how to get there?
The island of Racha is located twenty to thirty kilometers south. Therefore, it is usually visited by those who have chosen this particular province for a holiday in Thailand. A visit to Racha Island is a traditional part of excursion programs in Phuket. Just forty minutes on a speedboat or an hour and a half on a boat, and you are in paradise. At first glance, the island strikes you with its classic beauty and bounty atmosphere: virgin jungle, white sandy beaches, fringed by turquoise waters. Racha Island is one and a half kilometers long and only three kilometers wide.
What are the islands known for?
The highlight of Racha Island is its coral reefs. So snorkeling and diving are very popular here. The underwater landscapes of both Rachas are undoubtedly superior to the modest selection of wildlife off the coast of Phuket. Actually, Racha is one of the first on the list of diving tours from Phuket. However, it will be of interest not only to diving enthusiasts, but also to those who prefer to simply frolic on the beach. The water here is clean and warm. The beaches are safe. The island of Racha has one more feature: here you can chat with amateur astronomers and see the stars in all their splendor. The fact is that the island is located in such a way that it is very convenient to observe the night sky from it.
What beaches are there on Racha Island?
Racha Island is famous for its clean beaches and the opportunity to relax from the crowds of tourists. There are an order of magnitude fewer people here than, for example, on popular ones. Quite often the bays of these islands are compared and the general observation is this: today Patok Bay is the same Maya Bay as it was 20 years ago. The beach located in this bay is the highlight of the island. The bay is bordered by almost a kilometer of rocky shores. Patok Bay is three hundred meters deep. It is in this bay that tourists are dropped off from boats. In just a few minutes, without any obstacles, you can go to the neighboring bay - Siam Bay, which will delight you with an equally beautiful beach. In the east of the island there are three more small bays: LhaBay, TerBay and KonKareBay. The beaches here are simpler, but the views are very picturesque and there are many places for privacy.
What should you consider when planning to relax on Racha?
Racha Island is an excellent choice for families with children. However, when going to its shores, keep in mind that not everyone can easily endure this journey. The fact is that the most common transport is a speedboat. It rocks even adults, let alone children. We especially do not recommend choosing a small speedboat if you have children on your team. For pregnant women, this option is generally contraindicated. Of course, if you wish, you can charter a boat with a captain in Phuket for yourself. But this pleasure is not cheap. If a trip on a ferry will cost you 600-800 baht one way, then for an exclusive you will pay at least ten thousand baht for the boat at your complete disposal. However, the entire holiday on the island of Racha cannot be classified as economical. There are three resorts here, and all of them are luxury. The minimum price tag is from four thousand baht per day, the maximum is from ten thousand baht per day.
Features of the “paradise” island
Racha Yai Island, also called Paradise Island, is located 20 km off the southeast coast of Phuket. Travel time on board a speedboat is only 30 minutes. There is no bustle or crowds of tourists here - only turquoise-colored water, palm groves, white sand that creaks pleasantly under your feet, coral reefs and a rich underwater world. A pleasant and relaxing beach holiday awaits you!
The island boasts a fairly developed, but unobtrusive infrastructure - several cafes, shops, bungalows for rent, equipment and transport for water sports. Local attractions include monitor lizards, which periodically leave their shelters and go straight to the seashore, and buffaloes grazing peacefully among coconut palms.
Many people come to Racha not only for the solitude and opportunity to plunge into the world of wildlife, but also for snorkeling and diving. The underwater world off the coast of Phuket, not rich in marine flora and fauna, cannot be compared with Racha Yai! And, according to Thai residents, this is one of the best places for sea fishing, to which we will also be happy to invite everyone as part of an individual or group excursion program.
Excursion “Racha Island-Phuket”
A trip to Racha Yai is the perfect opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of tourist-infested Phuket. The sea here is almost always calm, making an excursion to the paradise island relevant in any month of the year. We strongly recommend visiting it to all fans of snorkeling, beach holidays, and simply the exotic nature of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The price of the excursion includes transfer from the hotel and back, snorkeling equipment, lunch at a small Thai restaurant serving delicious national cuisine.
What awaits you is not just a pleasant, but an informative and exciting journey that will appeal to both families with small children and adult groups!
