The dry season
November to April: calm seas and dry, sunny days, the main season for island trips and diving from the pier; the boats and the pier car park are busiest in the mornings.
Chalong Bay
Area · Chalong
A sheltered working bay: a 720 m pier where island and dive boats leave each morning, the yachts' clearance office, and seafood restaurants under the trees.
Chalong Bay in photographs
Chalong Bay.
- Access
- The main pier for the southern islands
- Water sports
- Dive boats and yacht charters
- Food
- Seafood restaurants on the shore
- Views
- Boats and islands across the bay
- Facilities
- Yacht clearance, wholesale stores
About Chalong Bay
Chalong Bay is the wide, sheltered bay on Phuket's south-east coast, about 10 km south of Phuket Town. Its western shore runs through Chalong and Rawai: a strip of fishing boats, piers, seafood restaurants and, behind them, the wholesale stores and schools along the road to Rawai. It is a working harbour rather than a beach.
Chalong Pier reaches about 720 m into the bay, one of the longest in Thailand, with a walkway beside it. Speedboats and catamarans leave it each morning for Coral Island, the Racha islands, Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay, and many dive boats moor here. A one-stop office at the pier clears yachts in and out of the country, and the bay is the south's base for yachts; Chalong's municipality counts it as the province's first government yacht pier.
Along the shore, Kan Eang@Pier has served seafood under big shade trees next to the pier since 1973, with a cheaper sister restaurant and newer places such as a rooftop café over the bay. Mornings belong to the tour buses and boats; by evening the pier is quiet and the restaurants fill.
What is good about Chalong Bay
The pier for the islands
Speedboats reach Coral Island in about 15 minutes and the Racha islands in 30 to 40; most tours leave between 08:00 and 09:00, and full-day trips go to Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay.
Dive boats
Many of the island's dive boats moor at the pier and leave from it for the reefs to the south.
Seafood by the water
Kan Eang@Pier, open since 1973, serves blue crab, Phuket lobster and hor mok under shade trees by the pier; its sister Kan Eang 2 is more casual and cheaper.
A view of the working bay
A walkway runs beside the pier, apart from the boats, and the restaurants look out over fishing boats, moorings and the islands beyond.
Clearance for yachts
A one-stop office at the pier handles the paperwork for yachts entering and leaving Thailand; cruisers report surcharges on weekends and public holidays.
Shopping in bulk
Makro Food Service and GO Wholesale stand side by side on the road behind the bay; a pharmacy nearby is listed as open around the clock.
Things to do at Chalong Bay
Chalong Bay. Chalong Bay. Chalong Bay.
Boat trips · dry season
Island day trips
Coral Island is about 15 minutes away by speedboat and the Racha islands 30 to 40; tours leave between 08:00 and 09:00, so arrive early.
Snorkelling and diving · dry season
Dive and snorkel trips
Dive boats moored at the pier run day trips to the reefs around Racha and the southern islands.
Boat trips · dry season
Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay
Full-day speedboat and catamaran trips to Phi Phi or Phang Nga Bay also start from Chalong Pier.
Food and drink
Kan Eang@Pier
Thai and southern seafood under shade trees by the pier since 1973, daily 10:00 to 23:00; dishes about 300 to 500 THB.
Food and drink
Kan Eang 2
The sister restaurant: very good seafood in a more casual setting, for less.
Food and drink
A rooftop café over the bay
Lhong Bay Cafe, a pink rooftop café a minute from the pier, looks out over the boats.
Nature
Walk the pier
A walkway beside the 720 m pier, apart from the boat traffic, leads out over the bay; bring water and a hat, as there is little shade.
Shopping
Wholesale shopping
GO Wholesale and Makro Food Service, side by side behind the bay, sell groceries in bulk to restaurants, shops and households.
A day at Chalong Bay
Tour buses and boats gather from early morning; most island trips leave between 08:00 and 09:00.
Coral Island in about 15 minutes by speedboat, or Racha in 30 to 40 for clearer water.
Bulk shopping at GO Wholesale or Makro Food Service on the road to Rawai. GO Wholesale Rawai
Kan Eang@Pier at about 17:30, when the heat drops and the evening light is soft over the bay.
Blue crab and hor mok by the bay, or the more casual Kan Eang 2.
Places in Chalong Bay
Our picks
GO Wholesale Rawai
Wholesale store · Chalong BayThe second GO Wholesale store on the island, in Rawai near Chalong Circle (the guide lists its branches as Chalong and Phuket Town).
Makro Food Service Chalong
Wholesale store · Chalong BayA Makro Food Service store near Chalong Circle; Google Maps names it "Makro Food".- No photograph yet
Bang Khonthi Pharmacy
Pharmacy · Chalong BayA pharmacy in Rawai that Google Maps shows as open 24 hours. 
Ruamrudee International School Phuket
Chalong BayThe Phuket campus of Ruamrudee International School, a Bangkok school founded in 1957, in Chalong between forest and sea.
Buds International School Phuket
Chalong BayA small international school in Chalong for children from 1 to 12, open all year round with flexible weekly, monthly and semester plans.
Restaurants
Bucha Gallery & Restaurant
Restaurant · Chalong BayA southern Thai restaurant on Chao Fah Tawan Ok Road in Chalong, laid out like a gallery of Buddha images and Luang Pu Thuat amulets; listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
Kan Eang 2
Seafood restaurant · Chalong BayThe second, cheaper Kan Eang seafood restaurant, on the Chalong Bay shore off Chao Fa East Road.
Kan Eang@Pier
Seafood restaurant · Chalong BayA large seafood restaurant under old shade trees on the shore of Chalong Bay, next to Chalong Pier; it began as a small eatery in 1973.
KEP
Restaurant · Chalong BayA seafood and Mediterranean restaurant on a white timber deck over Chalong Bay, on the same property as Kan Eang@Pier, two minutes' walk from Chalong Pier.
Mor Mu Dong
Restaurant · Chalong BayA seafood restaurant of rustic pavilions in the mangroves beside the Mu Dong canal in Chalong, named after its founder, Mor; a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand.
Palai Seafood
Seafood restaurant · Chalong BayA long-established seafood restaurant on the Palai shore of Chalong, with a big open-air dining room over the bay.
Cafés
- No photograph yet
ASTERISK ESPRESSO Chalong
Café · Chalong BayA coffee shop in Chalong with warm wood, plants and an open-air corner with a mini garden; its barista, Future, is a Thai champion. 
Coconuts Café
Café · Chalong BayA small café in a house on a quiet lane near Chalong Circle, with a garden of coconut palms; shoes come off at the door.
Lhong Bay Cafe
Café · Chalong BayA pink rooftop café on the SHIN Arch39 hotel in Chalong, looking straight over Chalong Bay and the boats off Chalong Pier.
Raga Coffee and Homemade Bakery
Café · Chalong BayA café and bakery on Wiset Road in Rawai, near a Shell station, full of plants, with a garden, a fish pond and a small waterfall; an air-conditioned room inside and tables over the garden outside.
The Local Landing Cafe
Café · Chalong BayA simple, affordable café at Chalong Pier on Sunrise Road.
Work
- No photograph yet
Grind Time Coworking Space (Chalong Bay)
Coworking space · Chalong BayGrind Time's Chalong centre on Chao Fah East Road: a coworking space with a quiet space, a fun space with games, a meeting room and phone booths.
Kids
Arapaima Fishing Park Phuket
Family attraction · Chalong BayA stocked fishing lake in Chalong, on Soi Palai 2, where children can catch fish bigger than themselves.
Muay Thai
Phuket Fight Club
Muay Thai camp · Chalong BayA Muay Thai and martial-arts training centre off Soi Palai in Chalong.
Gyms
CrossFit Siam
CrossFit box · Chalong BayA CrossFit gym on Soi Palai in Chalong, with programmes for beginners and experienced athletes.
Yoga
- No photograph yet
PRANA Yoga and Sound Healing Phuket
Yoga studio · Chalong BayA yoga studio in Chalong (Soi Palai) with yoga, breathwork and sound-healing classes.
Water sports
Andaman Discovery Diving & Yachting Center
Sailing club · Chalong BayA sailing school in Chalong, an accredited ISSA member training sailors and motor-yacht skippers since 2013.
Local Dive Thailand
Dive centre · Chalong BayA PADI dive centre on Sunrise Road in Chalong that runs its own day boat, the M/V Kepsub, a converted fishing vessel and former liveaboard.- No photograph yet
Manta Dive Phuket
Dive centre · Chalong BayA dive centre on Soi Gruwatthana in Chalong, an SSI centre that also teaches PADI, with day trips on its boat, the MV Mermaid. 
Phuket Yacht Club
Sailing club · Chalong BayA sailing training centre for children and adults on Chalong Bay, founded with Seahorse Sailing Phuket.
Sea Bees Diving
Dive centre · Chalong BayAn SSI dive centre on Viset Road in Chalong, founded in 1989 and one of the oldest dive operations still trading on the island; it builds and runs its own boats.
Marinas
Chalong Pier
Pier · Chalong BayPhuket's busiest pier, on Chalong Bay: the main base for dive boats, private yachts and many day-tour speedboats.
Sports
- No photograph yet
CONNECTION dance studio
Dance studio · Chalong BayA social-dance studio in Rawai, above all bachata.
- The zone
- A place, as the list numbers it
Homes and places on the map
Restaurant
Seafood restaurant
Seafood restaurant
Restaurant
Restaurant
Seafood restaurant
Restaurant
Café
Café
Wholesale store
Wholesale store
Pharmacy
Coworking space
Family attraction
Muay Thai camp
CrossFit box
Yoga studio
Sailing club
Dive centre
Dive centre
Sailing club
Dive centre
Pier
Dance studio
Homes in Chalong Bay
Seafront houses and a few villas along the shore, with condo blocks, townhouses and family homes on the roads inland. Condos listed for rent in Chalong asked about 12,000 to 28,000 THB a month for one bedroom in October 2026.
Chalong Bay through the year
The monsoon months
May to October: the bay itself is sheltered, but heavy showers are frequent and island tours are delayed or cancelled when the open sea is rough; check before you book.
Chalong Bay with children
Chalong Bay is a place to start a family day out rather than spend it: there is no swimming beach, but Coral Island's beaches are 15 minutes away by speedboat, and the seafood restaurants have garden tables under the trees. Two international schools lie within the zone.
- Coral Island is about 15 minutes away by speedboat.
- The pier is long and unshaded: bring water, hats and sunscreen.
- Kan Eang@Pier's tables stand under big shade trees by the water.
- Ruamrudee International School's Phuket campus and BUDS, for ages 1 to 12, are in the zone.
- A pharmacy nearby is listed as open around the clock.
Getting to Chalong Bay and parking
- From the airport, by car
- 45–65 min
- From Patong, with the traffic
- 30–45 min
- From Phuket Town
- 15–25 min
The bay is about 10 km south of Phuket Town and about 45 minutes by car from Patong or the airport. Most visitors come by car, taxi or a tour's minibus; the Red Line electric bus runs from Chalong Pier through Phuket Town.
- The local bus. The Red Line electric bus runs from Chalong Pier through Phuket Town to SuperCheap Samkong, 15 to 40 THB by distance (2026).
- Grab and taxis. Taxis and ride apps reach the pier; most island tours include a hotel pick-up.
- By car. The pier road is busy with tour buses in the morning and evening, and parking a car there is very difficult.
- By scooter. The easiest way in for residents; leave it in the car park beside the pier.
- By boat. Yachts anchor in the bay and clear in and out at the one-stop office on the pier.
Parking. A car park beside the pier fills quickly in the morning when the tours leave; the restaurants and the wholesale stores have their own.
Who will love Chalong Bay, and who will not
Will love it
- Island hoppers: Coral Island and Racha are a short boat ride away.
- Divers and snorkellers: many of the island's dive boats leave from here.
- Couples who like a long seafood dinner by the water.
- Long-stayers who want boats, schools and bulk shopping close at hand.
Will not
- Swimmers: the bay is a working harbour, not a beach.
- Night owls: evenings here end with dinner.
Tips for Chalong Bay
Arrive early for the boats
Most tours leave between 08:00 and 09:00 and the pier car park fills fast.
Cash is king
Small vendors on and around the pier take cash only.
Little shade on the pier
Bring sunscreen and water for the long walk out.
Check the sea in the monsoon
From May to October tours may be delayed or cancelled when the sea is rough.
Dinner early for the light
At Kan Eang@Pier, about 17:30 to 18:00 is when the heat drops and the light over the bay is softest.
Kan Eang 2 for less
The sister restaurant is more casual and cheaper, with very good seafood.
Yachts: clear in on weekdays
Cruisers report clearance surcharges of 600 THB on Saturdays and 800 THB on Sundays and public holidays.
Questions about Chalong Bay
Can you swim in Chalong Bay?
Not really. The bay is a working harbour of piers, moorings and fishing boats; for a swim, take a boat to Coral Island, about 15 minutes away, or drive to the beaches of Rawai's coast.
Where do the boats to Coral Island leave from?
Most leave from Chalong Pier, between 08:00 and 09:00. Coral Island is about 15 minutes away by speedboat and the Racha islands 30 to 40 minutes.
How long is Chalong Pier?
About 720 m, one of the longest in Thailand, with a walkway beside it for people on foot.
Where do yachts clear in at Phuket?
At the one-stop clearance office on Chalong Pier, which scans the papers once at registration and keeps them on file for later visits. Cruisers report surcharges on weekends and public holidays.
How do I get to Chalong Pier from Phuket Town?
It is about 10 km: by taxi or ride app, or on the Red Line electric bus, which runs from Chalong Pier through town to SuperCheap Samkong for 15 to 40 THB (2026).
Is Chalong Bay the same as Chalong?
No. Chalong is the subdistrict, with Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha inland; Chalong Bay is its shore on the south-east coast, with the pier, which falls partly in Rawai. Each has its own page.
How much is a condo near Chalong Bay?
Condos listed for rent in Chalong asked about 10,000 to 18,000 THB a month for a studio, 12,000 to 28,000 THB for one bedroom and 24,000 to 40,000 THB for two (October 2026).
Is Kan Eang@Pier worth it?
It is one of the island's oldest seafood restaurants, open since 1973 by the pier, daily 10:00 to 23:00. Dishes cost about 300 to 500 THB; a meal for two with seafood and drinks runs 2,500 to 3,500 THB.