Not a swimming beach
The water is shallow and crowded with longtail boats; swim at Nai Harn, 2 km away, instead.
Rawai Beach
Rawai · south coast
The working harbour at Phuket's southern tip: longtails to the islands and a seafood market where restaurants cook what you buy. Not a beach for swimming.
Also written Hat Rawai, Rawai Bay, Rawai Pier, Rawai Seafood Beach · หาดราไวย์ · Пляж Раваи
Rawai Beach in photographs
A longtail boat leaving for the islands. The seafood market by the beach. Dinner on the sand at dusk.
- Sand
- Narrow, rocky shore with gravel and shells
- Food
- Seafood market: buy it, they cook it
- Access
- Longtails to the southern islands
- Walking
- 1 km beachfront road
- Seabed
- Shallow, rocky, muddy at low tide
- Swimming
- Not a swimming beach
About Rawai Beach
Rawai is the working harbour at the southern tip of Phuket, facing east towards Coral Island and Koh Lone. Dozens of longtail boats wait on the shore for trips to Koh Bon, Coral Island and the Racha islands, and a beachfront road of about a kilometre runs along the bay under casuarina trees.
Next to Rawai Pier, the Rawai Seafood Market is one of Phuket's favourite dining experiences: you buy fish, prawns, lobster and crab from the stalls and have them cooked at the restaurants across the road. Further along the beachfront, Thai families eat at tables on the sidewalk by the water, with lanterns in the trees and the islands going dark in front of them.
The shore is rocky and shallow, and at low tide the water retreats far out over a muddy bottom, so Rawai is not a place to swim or sunbathe; a small sandy stretch at the east end is used by local children. The Chao Ley sea gypsy community lives near the pier. For a swim, Nai Harn is 2 km away.
Rawai Beach, west to east
The western beachfront
The quieter end of the beachfront road, with casuarinas, local restaurants and Nikita's hidden under large trees by the sea.
Good
- Relaxed dinners on the sidewalk by the water.
- Shade under the trees.
Less good
- No swimming.
An evening meal away from the market bustle.
Rawai Pier
The long concrete pier, with longtails and dive boats, Mook Manee restaurant and the start of the seafood market.
Good
- Longtail trips to the islands.
- The market and its restaurants.
Less good
- Busy with boats and traffic.
Island trips and seafood.
The market and the east end
The strip of seafood stalls and restaurants along Wiset Road, the Chao Ley community nearby, and a small sandy stretch where local kids swim.
Good
- Buy-and-cook seafood.
- A small sandy spot to cool off.
Less good
- Not a proper beach.
Seafood lovers.
Things to do at Rawai Beach
The seafood market by the beach. Dinner on the sand at dusk. The beach with boats moored offshore.
Food and drink
Rawai Seafood Market
Buy seafood from the stalls, then pay a cooking fee of about 50 to 150 THB a dish at a restaurant across the road.
Food and drink
Mook Manee
The biggest and busiest market restaurant, between the pier and the market, and the only one listed in the Michelin Guide.
Food and drink
Salaloy Seafood
Honest southern Thai seafood on the Rawai beachfront, about 250 to 350 THB a person.
Food and drink
Nikita's
Thai food and seafood under large trees by the sea at the end of the beach, for over 20 years.
Boat trips · dry season
Longtail to the islands
Hire a longtail at the pier for Koh Bon, Coral Island, Koh Lone or Racha; prices are negotiated with the drivers.
Culture
The Chao Ley community
One of Phuket's few remaining sea gypsy villages, near the pier; visit respectfully.
Sport
Muay Thai gyms
The road from Rawai towards Promthep Cape passes several well-known boxing gyms.
Nature
Promthep Cape
Phuket's famous sunset viewpoint, a short drive from the beachfront.
Nature
Windmill Viewpoint
On the road south towards Promthep Cape, with views over Ya Nui and Nai Harn.
A day at Rawai Beach
The kilometre-long road along the bay is quiet in the morning, with longtails setting out.
Negotiate a longtail at the pier for Koh Bon, Coral Island or Koh Lone. Rawai Pier
Choose seafood at the market stalls and pay the vendor, then have a restaurant across the road cook it for a fee. Rawai Seafood Market
Nai Harn Beach is a 2 km drive for a proper swim.
Rawai faces east; for the sunset, drive to Promthep Cape. Promthep Cape
Nikita's, hidden by the sea under large trees at the end of the beach, has served Thai food and seafood for over 20 years. Nikita's Beach Restaurant
Our Rawai Beach score
4.0out of 5
A seafood lunch or dinner by the sea and a longtail trip to the islands.
Rawai is a working harbour, not a swimming beach: the water is shallow, full of longtail boats and retreats far at low tide. It earns its place for Phuket's most famous seafood market, a casuarina-lined beachfront of local restaurants and the longtails to the southern islands, with Nai Harn's sand 2 km away.
The character of the beach
A profile, not a mark: where Rawai Beach sits on four scales, and what it is known for.
- Lively
- For children
- Surf
- Snorkelling
No lifeguards · Narrow rocky shore with gravel and shells
What is good about Rawai Beach
The seafood market
Buy fish, prawns, lobster and crab from the stalls by the pier and have a restaurant across the road cook them for a small fee.
Islands by longtail
Negotiate directly with the longtail drivers for Koh Bon, Coral Island, Koh Lone or the Racha islands, a local alternative to Chalong's organised tours.
A beachfront stroll
The road along the bay is about a kilometre long and easy to walk, lined with casuarinas, longtails and restaurants.
Dinner by the water
Local restaurants set tables on the sidewalk by the sea, lit by lanterns strung through the trees.
Islands on the horizon
The bay looks east over Coral Island and Koh Lone, a calm view for an evening meal.
Before you swim at Rawai Beach
Longtails everywhere
Boats come and go constantly from the shore and the pier; keep out of their way on the water's edge.
Mud at low tide
At low tide the sea retreats 50 to 100 m, exposing a muddy bottom with seaweed and rocks; watch your step.
No lifeguards
No lifeguards are reported on Rawai; children swimming at the east end should be supervised.
Beach clubs, bars and restaurants on Rawai Beach
2 places open on the sand in September 2026, walked south to north, then the road behind the beach and a few minutes inland. A price level is what one visit typically costs a person.
The western beachfront
Salaloy Seafood Restaurant
Restaurant · the road behind · 11:30–21:00 on Wednesday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A large, busy local seafood restaurant on the seafront at Rawai; the staff carry the trays across the road from the kitchen.
Nikita's Beach Restaurant
Restaurant · on the sand · daily 10:00–23:00, the kitchen open through the afternoon
A seafront restaurant at the southern end of Rawai Beach, under old shade trees.
Rawai Pier
Mook Manee
Restaurant · the road behind · daily 11:30–22:00
A large beachfront seafood restaurant on Wiset Road in Rawai, beside the seafood market, listed in the MICHELIN Guide.
Rawai Pier
Marina · on the sand
A long concrete pier at Phuket's southern tip, where longtail boats leave for the southern islands and dive boats tie up.
The market and the east end
Rawai Seafood Market
Market · the road behind · daily 11:00–21:00
A strip of about a hundred metres along Wiset Road beside Rawai Pier: seafood stalls on one side, restaurants that cook what you buy on the other.
A few minutes inland
Promthep Cape
Viewpoint · a short drive · open 24 hours
The southern tip of Phuket island, a headland that is the island's most popular place to watch the sunset.
Windmill Viewpoint
Viewpoint · a short drive
A hilltop lookout beside a large wind turbine between Nai Harn and Ya Nui, looking down on Ya Nui Beach and the islet Koh Man.
Baan Rimlay
Restaurant · daily 10:00–22:00
A local Thai seafood kitchen at Rawai whose dining room is built out over the water, with the islands off Rawai in front.
Bon Island Restaurant
Restaurant · 10:00–17:00, closed in bad weather
A beach restaurant on Ko Bon, a small island just south of Rawai reached by long-tail boat, on the island's second beach (the first was the landing of the closed Evason resort): thatched roofs and wooden salas by a small white-sand beach.
Caffeine x Gasoline Café
Café · daily 07:00–16:00
A coffee shop in Rawai that doubles as a tattoo studio: breakfast and laptop work downstairs, tattoo sessions upstairs.
CUP Cafe Rawai
Café · Monday, Tuesday and Thursday–Sunday 09:00–17:00, Wednesday 09:00–19:00
A two-storey café in Rawai with a terrace and home cooking from three cuisines — Russian, European and Thai.
Food For Foreigners (Rawai)
Shops · 08:00–20:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A supermarket of imported foods, pantry staples and hard-to-find Western products for expats, with a branch in Rawai.
Grind Time Coworking Space (Rawai Beach)
Work · daily 09:00–18:00 (members have 24-hour access)
Grind Time's Rawai centre near Rawai Beach: a coworking space with a quiet space, a fun space with games, a meeting room and phone booths.
KB Muaythai Phuket
Muay Thai · Mon–Fri 08:00–19:00; Sat 08:00–17:00
A small traditional Muay Thai gym in Rawai.
L'Épicerie du Siam
Shops · Tuesday–Saturday 09:30–18:00; closed Sunday and Monday
A French gourmet grocery in the south of the island.
Let's Work
Work · Mon–Fri 08:00–24:00; Sat–Sun 08:00–20:00 (Mondays members only)
A coworking space on the beachfront road in Rawai, with a sea view and its own coffee shop and food service.
Locanda Del Pescatore
Restaurant · daily 12:00–22:00 (last orders 21:45)
A beachfront Italian restaurant on Rawai Beach, near the seafood market, with tables on the sand line.
M&M's Pizzeria & Spaghetteria
Restaurant · 18:00–23:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
An Italian pizzeria on Wiset Road near Nai Harn Beach, open for nearly two decades; the name stands for Maggie and Mario, its Italian owners.
Mixxmall Rawayana
Shops · daily 08:00–22:00
A small shopping centre in Rawai, near the beach.
Phuket Muay Thai
Muay Thai
A Muay Thai training camp in an open-air gym in Rawai.
PhuketFit
Gym
A fitness and weight-loss retreat in Rawai with personal programmes: daily training, meals from its own restaurant, and workshops on nutrition and fitness.
Rawai Padel
Padel and tennis · Mon–Sun 08:00–22:00
A padel club in Rawai with three covered courts.
Rawai Park Kids Club
For children · daily 09:00–20:00
A family play park near Rawai Beach with indoor and outdoor play areas and a splash pool for small children.
A small learning centre in Rawai that calls itself a language school and runs a full-year programme in English along Cambridge lines, with Singapore maths and Russian lessons for Russian-speaking children.
Rawai View Cafe
Restaurant · 10:00–22:00 on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A small seaside restaurant and bar with a wooden terrace over the bay of Rawai Beach, tucked away down Soi Laem Promthep 1.
Southside MMA Thailand
Gym · Mon–Fri 08:00–19:30; Sat 08:00–12:00
A modern martial-arts training complex in Rawai.
Srichan Muay Thai
Muay Thai · Mon–Sun 07:00–20:00
A small Muay Thai academy in Rawai focused on personal programmes.
The Yoga Shala Rawai
Yoga · Mon–Fri 09:30–18:30; Sat 09:30–10:30
A yoga studio and café in Rawai, set back from Wiset Road in a garden.
Tops Rawayana
Shops · open 24 hours on Sunday (Google Maps shows one day; the other days to check)
A Tops supermarket in Mixxmall Rawayana in Rawai.
Vida Nova
Restaurant · 08:00–00:00
An all-day restaurant on the land side of Rawai's beach road, facing the boat beach, with a kids' menu and a playroom.
Wat Sawang Arom
Temple
A Mahanikaya temple in Rawai founded in 1942 by Phra Bunrod Thammakamo, on about 9,600 square metres.
Yoga by Niti
Yoga · daily 09:00–21:00
A yoga studio and healing centre near Nai Harn Beach, on Sai Yuan Road, with yoga classes and crystal-bowl sound meditation.
What it costs to live near Rawai Beach
6 months or more
Apartments
฿21,000/ month
median of 5 · from ฿15,000
Villas
฿145,500/ month
median of 1 · from ฿145,500
- The zone
- The waterline
- Chosen step: The zone
- A home and its rent
- A place, as the list numbers it
Homes for rent near Rawai Beach
6 months or more
- homes for rent nearby
- 11
- within a 13-minute walk of the sand
- 6
- the nearest home to the sand
- 240 m
Rawai is a well-developed residential area, popular with expats and long stays, with hotels, villas and condos spread along the roads behind the beachfront and towards Nai Harn.
Homes by type
Rent a month
6 homes in the beach zone
3‑bedroom apartment in Rawai, Laguna Villas
฿47,000/ month
240 m to the sand · 3 min on foot
- New building
4‑bedroom villa in Rawai, Palm Terrace
฿145,500/ month
300 m to the sand · 4 min on foot
- Sea view
3‑bedroom apartment in Rawai, Laguna Villas
฿35,000/ month
400 m to the sand · 5 min on foot
1‑bedroom apartment in Rawai, Cherngtalay Heights
฿19,500/ month
500 m to the sand · 6 min on foot
1‑bedroom apartment in Rawai, Laguna Villas
฿21,000/ month
540 m to the sand · 7 min on foot
- New building
Studio apartment in Rawai, Cherngtalay Heights
฿15,000/ month
650 m to the sand · 8 min on foot
Around Rawai Beach
Every place inside the beach zone, by category: choose one to see its places, nearest the water first, each numbered as its mark on the map.
- Locanda Del Pescatore10 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- Rawai View Cafe20 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- Vida Nova40 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- Baan Rimlay410 m from the sand · 5 min on foot
- Bon Island Restaurant790 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
- M&M's Pizzeria & Spaghetteria1310 m from the sand · 16 min on foot
- Caffeine x Gasoline Café370 m from the sand · 5 min on foot
- CUP Cafe Rawai1180 m from the sand · 15 min on foot
- Mixxmall Rawayana170 m from the sand · 2 min on foot
- Tops Rawayana180 m from the sand · 2 min on foot
- Food For Foreigners (Rawai)360 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- L'Épicerie du Siam740 m from the sand · 9 min on foot
- Let's Work50 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- Grind Time Coworking Space (Rawai Beach)790 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
- Rawai Park Language School290 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- Rawai Park Kids Club330 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- Phuket Muay Thai70 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- KB Muaythai Phuket630 m from the sand · 8 min on foot
- Srichan Muay Thai1060 m from the sand · 13 min on foot
- Southside MMA Thailand30 m from the sand · 1 min on foot
- PhuketFit280 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- The Yoga Shala Rawai330 m from the sand · 4 min on foot
- Yoga by Niti680 m from the sand · 8 min on foot
- Rawai Padel790 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
- Rawai Pier790 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
- Wat Sawang Arom820 m from the sand · 10 min on foot
Rawai Beach by month
The season · November to April
Calm sea, clear water
November to April: calm seas for longtail trips to the islands, and the best time for a day on Coral Island or Koh Bon.
The monsoon · May to October
Waves, walks and red flags
May to October: island trips depend on the weather; the market and restaurants run all year.
| Month | The sea |
|---|---|
| Jan | Calm |
| Feb | Calm |
| Mar | Calm |
| Apr | Calm |
| May | Changing |
| Jun | Changing |
| Jul | Changing |
| Aug | Changing |
| Sep | Changing |
| Oct | Changing |
| Nov | Calm |
| Dec | Calm |
Calm: swim any day Changing: check the flags Rough: monsoon swell, red flags on many days
Rawai Beach with children
Rawai is not a beach for children to swim, but families enjoy the seafood market, the boats and a longtail trip to an island. Nai Harn, 2 km away, is the place for a family swim.
- No swimming beach: shallow water and boats.
- The market and boats are fun to watch.
- Easy longtail trips to island beaches.
- Nai Harn Beach 2 km away for swimming.
Getting to Rawai Beach and parking
- From the airport, by car
- 50–70 min
- From Patong, with the traffic
- 35–50 min
- From Phuket Town
- 25–35 min
Rawai is at the southern tip of Phuket, about 10 minutes south of Chalong Circle. The seafood market is on Wiset Road, just to the left of Rawai Pier.
- By car. From Chalong Circle, drive about 10 minutes south to the Rawai beachfront on Wiset Road.
- By scooter. The easiest way to combine Rawai with Nai Harn, Promthep Cape and Ya Nui.
- Grab and taxis. Taxis and ride-hailing apps reach the beachfront road.
- On foot. The beachfront road is about 1 km long and easy to walk.
Parking. Our sources do not describe parking; the beachfront road runs the length of the bay.
Who will love Rawai Beach, and who will not
Will love it
- Expats and long-stay visitors: Rawai is a popular, quiet residential area with many cafes and restaurants.
- Couples after a seafood dinner by the water under the lanterns.
- Day-trippers heading to the islands by longtail, or combining seafood with Nai Harn and Promthep.
- Budget travellers: the market is one of the most affordable ways to eat good seafood in Phuket.
Will not
- Swimmers and sunbathers: the water is shallow and full of boats.
- Families wanting a beach day with small children; go to Nai Harn instead.
Tips for Rawai Beach
Go for fresh seafood before 14:00
The freshest choice at the market is from about 10:00 to 14:00.
Pay the vendor, then the cook
You pay the stall for the raw seafood and the restaurant separately for cooking it.
Walk further for local tables
Beyond the market, local restaurants set tables on the sidewalk by the water under lanterns.
Agree the longtail price first
Longtail prices are negotiated with the drivers; settle the price and return time before you leave.
Swim at Nai Harn
Rawai is not for swimming; Nai Harn, 2 km away, is one of the best swimming beaches in the south.
Respect the Chao Ley village
It is a living community, not a show; ask before taking photos of people.
Questions about Rawai Beach
Can you swim at Rawai Beach?
Not really. Rawai is a working harbour: the water is shallow, full of longtail boats and retreats far at low tide. Local children swim at a small sandy stretch at the east end, but for a proper swim go to Nai Harn, 2 km away.
How does Rawai Seafood Market work?
Walk the stalls, choose your seafood and pay the vendor. Then take it to one of the restaurants across the road, which cook it for a fee of about 50 to 150 THB per dish.
When is the seafood freshest at Rawai?
From about 10:00 to 14:00. The market and restaurants stay open into the evening.
Which restaurant at Rawai Seafood Market is best?
Mook Manee, between the pier and the market, is the biggest and the only one listed in the Michelin Guide. Nikita's and Salaloy on the beachfront are long-standing favourites.
Can I take a longtail from Rawai to the islands?
Yes. Longtails leave from the beach and pier for Koh Bon, Coral Island, Koh Lone and the Racha islands. You negotiate the price directly with the drivers.
Where is Rawai Beach?
At the southern tip of Phuket, about 10 minutes south of Chalong Circle, with Nai Harn Beach 2 km to the west and Promthep Cape a short drive south.
Can you watch the sunset at Rawai?
Rawai faces east, so the sun sets behind you. Drive a few minutes to Promthep Cape or Windmill Viewpoint for the sunset.