Rawai

Rawai combines boat trips from Rawai Beach with insights into nearby Koh Lon. Also nearby is the Phuket Seashell Museum on Wiset Road in Rawai Subdistrict. Between island destinations, life on Koh Lon and a shell collection featuring specimens from around the world, there are different interests to weigh when choosing where to stay.

Rawai Beach: Getting your bearings and island destinations

Rawai Beach is about 17 kilometres from Phuket Town and around 500 metres from Laem Ka Beach. These distances provide two different reference points for finding your bearings: Phuket Town is the more distant landmark, while Laem Ka Beach is a nearby beach. Longtail boats and speedboats can be hired at Rawai Beach for trips to Hey Island, Bon Island, Raya Island and Koh Kaew Pittsadan. If boat trips to the offshore islands are important to you, Rawai Beach is a specific starting point to consider when choosing a location. When looking for a holiday rental, you can weigh this interest alongside the distances to the named beach and town locations. If you want to plan a boat trip in advance, ask about the current availability of boat services.

Koh Lon: Landscape and everyday life

Koh Lon lies about 5 kilometres off the coast of Phuket. The island is hilly, with flat areas by the sea; higher ground and flatter areas by the water sit side by side. Most of Koh Lon’s residents are Muslim and work in fishing and agriculture. The landscape and livelihoods thus offer two perspectives on the island: the terrain on the one hand, and fishing and agriculture on the other. Tourist activities include traditional fishing with hooks, sinkers, fishing line and bait, as well as dyeing fabrics with natural materials from the surrounding area. These activities have different focuses: fishing involves traditional equipment, while dyeing uses materials from the local area. Participation requirements may vary.

Activities in Koh Lon community-based tourism

Koh Lon community-based tourism also includes preparing the local sweets Khanom Ko and Khanom Tom Bai Maphrao, as well as a hike to Pho Sai Waterfall. The two activities have different focuses: preparing local sweets and hiking to the waterfall. If you would like to plan one of them, check current availability with local organisers.

Shell collection on Wiset Road

The Phuket Seashell Museum on Wiset Road in Rawai Subdistrict displays colourful shell collections and specimens from around the world. The collection offers a different focus from Koh Lon’s landscape and community-based tourism: here, it’s all about shells and specimens from around the world. If you plan to visit, check the current visitor arrangements in advance.

Taking a boat to Koh Lon

Boats can be hired in Chalong Bay for the trip to Koh Lon; the crossing is said to take about 20 minutes. This departure point differs from Rawai Beach, where boats can be hired for trips to the offshore islands. If you are considering both types of trip, it is worth keeping the different departure points in mind when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mai Khao, Pa Klok, Bang Tao Beach, Karon, Wichit, Kammala, Phuket, Kata Beach.

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