Rawai Beach

Formerly the premier tourist beach in Phuket, a title now taken over by Patong Beach, Rawai Beach is now better known as a place where many boats depart for tours to islands off the coast, as well as where local fishermen set out to make a living with their longtail boats. As such, this casuarina tree-lined beach is not exactly a good beach for swimming or sunbathing, but is more fitting for strolls, as well as a starting point for memorable adventures.

Rawai Beach Attractions – Things To See Around Rawai Beach

Rawai Beach is still a scenic beach in itself with golden sands backed by shady casuarina trees and fronted by turquoise waters, so it is still worth visiting. Aside from it, there are other beautiful attractions in the area, too, though.

Phuket Seashell Museum

This unique museum houses over 2,000 species of seashells collected from all around the world by Somchai Patamakanthin. Though small, there is a wealth of knowledge to be acquired here for those interested. There is also a gift shop here which sells seashell souvenirs and pearl jewelry.

Phromthep Cape

Phormthep Cape affords some of the most spectacular views of Phuket, so bringing your camera is a must. The views of the sunset are especially breathtaking here, which is why many tourists come up here during that time.

Apart from the views, though, there is also an excellent restaurant here overlooking Nai Harn Beach which has an extensive menu of international dishes and if you climb up the stairs from the car park, you will find yourself at Elephant Shrine, surrounded by large and small wooden elephants by the thousands, all of which are very impressive works of art. There is also a lighthouse here known as the Kanchanaphisek Lighthouse where you can see a small collection of vintage lighthouse equipment.

Phuket Orchid Farm

The Phuket Orchid Farm is the largest orchid nursery farm in Phuket which gives you a chance to look at different orchid varieties that are all equally beautiful, and also buy some cuttings that you can plant in your garden back home.

Wat Sawang Aron

Wat Sawang Aron is the name of the local temple in Rawai. It is not as large or as grand as some of the other temples in Phuket but it still has some impressive images and paintings, and is a good place to enjoy some peace of mind.

Rawai Beach Activities – Things To Do Around Rawai Beach

Although the beach of Rawai is no longer a prime choice for swimming and sunbathing, there are still plenty of activities to indulge in around the area.

Island Tours

From Rawai Beach, you can take a boat out to Coral Island or Racha Island, both of which are surrounded by amazing underwater landscapes, making them excellent snorkeling destinations.

Sports Activities

If you are a sports enthusiast, you might want to take a closer look at Muay Thai, which is the Thai art of boxing, particularly at the Thailand Camp fitness facility or at the Rawai Muay Thai Gym. You can also visit the Phuket Sports and Tennis Club where you can play tennis, beach volleyball, badminton, croquet, billiards and darts.

Cultural Activities

If you want to take a piece of Thai culture back home with you, you can enroll in a batik painting class at Baan Batik or learn how to cook Thai dishes from the resorts near the beach.

Spa & Wellness Activities

There are many wellness centers in Rawai, including the luxurious spas of the resorts, small herbal saunas and Thai massage parlors. There are two yoga centers, as well.

Rawai Beach Shopping

The main shopping center in the area is Tesco Lotus @ Park Rawai, which is a small mall with a supermarket and various shops and restaurants. Other than this, there are small boutiques selling spa essentials, watersports equipment and local handicrafts.