Racha Island Day Trip From Phuket: Boats, Prices, Times

For most visitors the Racha trip is a shared speedboat from Chalong Pier to Racha Yai. The half-day version leaves in the morning and costs THB 2,800 per adult; the full day with a Coral Island stop costs THB 1,900. Private boats start higher and are priced per boat.

If you only have one island day in Phuket’s south, book a shared speedboat from Chalong to Racha Yai: the half day leaves at 8.30 and is back at the pier by 1.45 pm, which leaves your afternoon free. This page is not for people who want a dive certificate (see Learn to Dive in Phuket) or a sheltered beach near your hotel (see Phuket Beaches Compared).

Racha Island day trip from Phuket: boats, prices and times

A shared half-day to Racha Yai costs THB 2,800 for an adult, and a full day that adds Coral Island costs THB 1,900; both are operator prices, not fixed rates.

Checked 2 November 2026. Operator pages carry no date, so confirm the price when you book.

The half day is the smaller trip: the boat takes a maximum of 15 passengers, lunch is served at 11.00, and the day can run to a 2.30 pm return when the boat also stops at Coral Island. The full day buys more than a longer day, because its price includes the return speedboat, a lunch at the Raya resort restaurant with a soft drink and fruit, and the Coral Island stop.

A private charter makes sense only for a group, because the price is per boat, not per person. Fuel for the agreed route is in that rate, so we recommend asking in writing what else is on top before you pay a deposit.

What to see on Racha Yai and Racha Noi

Racha Yai is the island most day trips visit, and Racha Noi is the one divers choose. Racha Yai is about 26 km from Chalong Pier and Racha Noi about 37 km.

Racha Yai: beach, viewpoint and shallow reefs

Racha Yai is the closer island, with hotels, bungalows and beaches. The west beach is long, curved and shallow, which makes it an easy place to swim, and at the end of the beach a viewpoint gives you a high view of the island on a short walk.

For snorkelling, take the path from the west beach to the back of the island, where Siam Bay and Khon Kae Bay are the shallow snorkelling spots. Bungalow Bay and Siam Bay both have many shallow-water coral reefs, and the Thai authority that looks after the reefs rates their overall condition as moderately healthy.

Racha Noi: the diver’s island

Racha Noi has beautiful coral reefs and is considered even better for diving than Racha Yai. It is the farther island, so it is a full-day target and not a half-day one; book it if you are already comfortable in open water and want reef over beach.

Reef rules: where the boat should tie up

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) installed mooring buoys at Racha Yai, five at Tue Bay and two at Khon Kae Bay, to cut anchoring damage to the reef. It also acted in February 2023 when a longtail boat anchored on the Racha Yai reef and the skipper admitted the coral was damaged. Ask your operator whether the boat ties up to a buoy.

Who it suits (and who should skip it)

• Easy snorkellers: the reefs at Bungalow Bay and Siam Bay are shallow, and the west beach has shallow water for swimming.
• Anyone who dislikes a packed boat: the half-day boat takes a maximum of 15 people.
• Families with a young child: both tours priced here have a child fare.
• Divers: go on to Racha Noi, where the reefs are rated even better for diving.
• Skip it if you only have a morning: Racha Noi needs a full day, so a half day means Racha Yai only.

How to get to the Racha Islands from Phuket

Tour boats leave from Chalong Pier, so a tour is the simplest way: the operator sets the meeting point when you book. To go on your own, a boat can also be chartered from Chalong Bay or Rawai Beach.

The crossing to Racha Yai is quick. Expect about 40 minutes on the half-day speedboat, while the full-day operator quotes about 30 minutes. If you are staying near the pier, the Chalong living guide covers the area, and for the Rawai side see the Rawai living guide.

When to go and how long

Go between November and April, the main season, when the water is calm and visibility is predictable. From May to October the south-west monsoon brings wind and swell, so check the Phuket rainy season guide before you book, and expect the operator to change the route or day if the sea is rough.

Take the early boat, because tour boats reach both islands between ten and eleven and most boats leave Racha Yai at 1 pm. That means a morning start puts you on the reef before the crowd and the quiet part of the day is before lunch. The half day is the tidy option if you want to be back for the afternoon, and the full day suits you if you want lunch on the island and a second snorkel stop.

Nearby and how to combine it

Racha pairs naturally with Coral Island, which the full-day tour adds as a stop. If you would rather swap Racha for a bigger-name day, Phi Phi Islands day trip and the Similan Islands day trip are the two other boat days we cover.

After a boat day, the south of the island is an easy place to end up: Chalong has the pier area and Rawai has the beach, both in the guides linked above.

Before you go

• Bring cash in baht in case of fees on the route.
• Check whether lunch is included: on full-day trips most boats include it.
• Ask what gear comes with the tour; on one tour a mask and life-vest are included and fins can be rented.
• Ask whether the boat ties up to the mooring buoys at Racha Yai instead of anchoring on the reef.
• Read the jellyfish and rip currents guide before you swim at an unfamiliar beach.
• Confirm the price and the departure time with the operator before you pay, because the THB 2,800 half-day fare is an operator price.

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Not confirmed: No official page we checked states a Racha park or marine fee, and one operator only says to carry baht in case of fees on the route. Ask your operator whether any fee is on top of the tour price.

General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.

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