Short-Term Holiday Rentals in Rawai

• West, Nai Harn (5 to 10 minutes): a sheltered bay with soft sand, a lake behind it and some of the best swimming in the south from November to April.
• South, Ya Nui and Promthep Cape (10 minutes): a small snorkelling bay below the island’s best-known sunset point.
• North, Chalong (5 to 15 minutes): the Muay Thai camps of Soi Ta-iad, Chalong Pier for island boats and Wat Chalong. Stay there if you want to walk to a camp.
• North-west, Kata (15 to 20 minutes): a lively beach with good swimming in the dry season, surf in the wet season and plenty of restaurants.
• North-west, Karon (20 to 25 minutes): a long, wide beach with a relaxed resort feel and space on the sand for families.
• North-west, Patong (35 to 45 minutes): Phuket’s busiest beach and the centre of its nightlife, with bars and shopping on the doorstep.
• North, Phuket Town (about 30 minutes): Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafes and the Sunday walking street, an easy evening trip from Rawai.

The main draw is the calm, local feel. Rawai Beach is a working seafront rather than a sunbed beach, lined with longtail boats, seafood restaurants and the Chao Ley sea gypsy village by the pier. Good gyms, cafes, supermarkets and clinics sit alongside the Thai street food.

It is also one of the best bases on the island for active holidays. Muay Thai and MMA camps sit in Rawai and nearby Chalong, runners loop Nai Harn Lake early in the morning, and boats to Koh Lon, Coral Island and Koh Bon leave from the pier.

Rawai Beach itself is not a swimming beach, as the water is shallow, busy with boats and turns to rock and mudflat at low tide. For a swim you will drive a few minutes to Nai Harn or Ya Nui, and a car or scooter makes life easier, since homes and sights are spread out.

If you want nightlife, beach clubs and everything within walking distance, Rawai will feel quiet, and Patong or Kata may suit you better. It is also far from the north of the island, so it is not the best base for trips to Phang Nga Bay or the airport beaches.

• Muay Thai and fitness: camps in Rawai and along Soi Ta-iad in Chalong welcome complete beginners as well as fighters. Many also run MMA and conditioning classes.
• Rawai Seafood Market: choose fresh fish, prawns or crab at the stalls by the pier and have it cooked at a restaurant across the road. Late morning is the quietest time and about 7pm the busiest.
• Nai Harn Beach: a sheltered bay of soft sand framed by green hills, with calm swimming in the dry season. Check for red flags when the surf picks up.
• Nai Harn Lake: the paved path around the lake is a popular loop for walking, running and cycling, best early in the morning or close to sunset.
• Promthep Cape: the southern tip of Phuket and its best-known sunset point, with a lighthouse and wide views over the islands. Arrive early in high season, as parking fills fast.
• Windmill Viewpoint: a lookout over the coast between Ya Nui and Nai Harn, usually much quieter than Promthep Cape and a calmer place to watch the sunset.
• Ya Nui Beach: a small bay where you can hire snorkelling gear or a kayak and paddle towards Koh Man. Stay close to shore when the current is strong.
• Island boats from Rawai Pier: charter a longtail to Koh Lon, Coral Island or Koh Bon for a day of swimming and snorkelling. For the Racha islands, a speedboat is the better choice.
• Big Buddha and Wat Chalong: drive up Nakkerd Hill to the Big Buddha for views over Chalong Bay, then stop at Wat Chalong. Cover shoulders and knees at both.

• Rawai Seafood Market: buy your catch at the stalls and a restaurant across the road will cook it. Before you hand it over, agree the full price, including the weight, the cooking method and the cooking charge.
• Salaloy: a long-running local favourite for seafood on the Rawai seafront. It closes on Thursdays, and popular dishes can sell out, so arrive early.
• Mook Manee: a large seafood restaurant, listed in the MICHELIN Guide, where you choose live seafood from the tanks. A good spot for a big family meal.
• Nikita’s: a relaxed seafront spot under shady trees near the pier, serving Thai food, seafood and pizza.
• Baan Rimlay: rustic waterfront dining under the trees near the pier on Wiset Road, with more old-Rawai feel than the busy market strip.
• Rock Salt at The Nai Harn: Mediterranean-style dishes on the rocks at the end of Nai Harn Beach, with sea views. Book a table at sunset.
• Mor Mu Dong: a Southern Thai restaurant in nearby Chalong with tables over the mangroves, and a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand. Try the curries and local fish dishes.
• Samut: modern Thai cooking of local seafood at Chivitr Hotel, on the Nai Harn edge of Rawai, for a more ambitious dinner.

The dry season from November to April brings the best beach weather in the south. The sea at Nai Harn and Ya Nui is usually calm and clear, snorkelling is at its best and the boats to Koh Lon and Coral Island run in easy conditions. December to February is the busiest stretch, so book early for Christmas and New Year.

From May to October the southwest monsoon brings rain in heavy bursts and strong waves to west-facing Nai Harn, where red flags mean no swimming and surfers take over. Rawai faces east and stays fairly sheltered, so boats still run on many days. Twice a year, around the full moons of the 6th and 11th lunar months, the Chao Ley community holds its Loy Rua boat-floating ceremony, and in November Nai Harn Lake fills with floating krathong for Loy Krathong.

Rawai sits at the far southern end of the island. From Phuket International Airport, allow about an hour to an hour and a quarter by car, a little longer at busy times. The route runs down the island past Phuket Town and Chalong to the Rawai seafront.

A car or scooter is the easiest way to get around, as the beaches, camps and viewpoints are spread out. Ride-hailing apps such as Grab and Bolt work for short trips, and blue local buses run between Phuket Town and Rawai during the day. We can arrange an airport transfer so a driver meets you when you land.