Rawai such a peaceful place

Rawai, which covers the entire southern part of the island, is undoubtedly one of the most pleasant and varied places in Phuket for entertainment and sports activities.

There are so many possibilities in Rawai, so much so that this article devoted to this place of paradise will be important and long... there is so much to show that in the end, it's hard to make it shorter !

So I invite you without any further delay to go around Rawai, to discover this really bread and butter place of Phuket.

Staying in Rawai is really not a problem. Everyone can find a place of interest and finally, have a good time.

Easy to find, the various possible activities in the region are very affordable.

The visitor will have the opportunity to take an interest in everything related to the sea:

• swimming in Naiharn Beach, Yanui Beach, Laemka Beach or Ao Sane, beaches on which many well shaded local restaurants have a sea front (except in Laemka).
• take a boat to relax on one of the nearby islands like Koh Bon, Coral Island, or a little further away: Koh Raja
• walk at low tide on the deserted beach of Friendship, or that of Rawai Beach.... (very early in the morning or late afternoon, it is ideal)
• the port of Chalong being geographically adjacent to Rawai, we can add to this list: diving trips and deep-sea fishing trips.

In another register, the visitor will be able to do just as well:

• horseback riding in the jungle or on Friendship Beach at low tide.
• ride elephants
• or even buggy or squad rides
• karting or target shooting (on the main Kata road)
• do Thai boxing clinics in one of Rawai's many boxing camps.
• kiteboarding,
• tennis or beach volleyball (in Bangkontee)
• play pool in the evening
  
• walking, running or cycling around Lake Niaharn

and finally...

Bangkontee is probably the least known and touristic area of Rawai: it is the part that is located (north of Rawai) near the Chalong roundabout, where new businesses are regularly established.

First of all, you now have the new tunnel under the Chalong roundabout. The work to build this tunnel, which has become essential, took 4 years... as much to say that everyone, as much as we are, was eager to see the end... of this tunnel.

Arriving from the Chalong roundabout (or leaving this tunnel), you will first find the Rawai post office on the left, just in front of the communal school, whose services are impeccable. The mail works very well.
Then a few dozen meters on the same side, a shopping centre with a Tesco-Lotus and several restaurants, including a Wine-Connection, various shops, banks open even on weekends, a hair salon, a small bookstore: very convenient for shopping.

Not far from there, also on the same side, you will find a second centre called Fisherman Way which offers a series of shops including a few restaurants, a cigar seller, a hairdresser, etc....

 Located directly opposite the Fisherman Way you will find a beautiful car rental agency: 

Nina's Cars Rawai Car Hire

Friendship Beach.... that's the name that was given to this place by "farangs" and I'm thinking in particular of the owners of an establishment located in this place with this name... this establishment is located just after the traffic lights.

I asked the question to a local Thai recently who owns a boat there: he didn't know how to give me a name for this long beach... anyway, it's just a small detail that doesn't matter, but, beware, if you ask a taxi for example for this destination with this farang name, not sure he will know...

Starting at the Port of Chalong and extending in a straight line to Laemka Noi, this 4 km long seaside resort is rarely visited by tourists. Some locals go there early to fish or maintain their boats... it's not a beach for swimming you will have understood.

Between the port of Chalong and Laemka Noi, there are several small alleys (Soi) leading to this beach. It's easy enough to take one at random. From the road, count... 150m to be at the water's edge.

At the end of this east coast you will find these two small beaches called Laemka Noi and Laemka Yai.

The first one is hardly visited and remains a rather wild area with beautiful rocks, difficult to cross at high tide.

The second, Laemka Yai, is a little easier to access and offers beautiful scenery when the sun is shining. For the basic amateur photographer, the pictures will be quite easy to take because the painting offered is simply superb.

Unfortunately, for some time now, access to this small beach is no longer possible. The owner of the land allowing the access having decided to close the road.

No one knows if this situation is temporary or definitive...

It's a pity.

Laemka Noi is a very small cove with a small Hai restaurant nearby.

Unfortunately, for some time now, the owner of the land has decided to prohibit access to the beach, as the path leading to it passes through his property. I don't know if this decision is final... provisional... or even if it has been abandoned...

One could say that Rawai Beach consists of three parts.... If we look at the map here on the left, you have at the right end of the white circle, and just next to the pier, the village of Chaoleys (Gypsies of the sea)

In the centre, Rawai Beach where you will find boats always ready and willing to take you somewhere, and the typical seaside restaurants that serve you dishes mainly fish, some seafood.

At the very end, at the far left, still on this map, is the fishermen's area where you will find extended fishing nets or even boat repairers/builders.

The name Rawai Beach is a little confusing, because when the visitor does not know, he tends to head for this place thinking he will find a long beach of fine sand with umbrellas, deckchairs, ice cream and sweet drinks vendors, horrible jet skis, parachutes... 

Well, not at all.

In Rawai Beach, we don't swim. One walks there, one stops there to have a drink, one eats there, one takes some photographs, or one takes a boat there to join the islands accessible easily by longtail boat at any time of the day. 

At low tide, the sight of some boats lying in the sand is always pleasant and superb of charm and quietness. The walker, meanwhile, will be able to stroll in the bay, a very pleasant stroll by the way. 

At high tide, the landscape is superb as well, although completely different. When the morning sun is shining, the colours vary from dark blue to light green and turquoise, giving this place a fantastic postcard composition.

Rawai Beach is in the midst of change. The old Thai restaurants tend to disappear little by little in favour of more modern, more European establishments, and therefore more expensive it goes without saying.

Leaving Rawai Beach, and continuing along the coast, you will reach Prompthep Cape, a large cliff overlooking the sea, facing due south, in a few minutes. It is the most extreme place on the island where, often in season, hundreds of curious people come by bus or by their own means to watch the sunset. It should be noted that the equator is 860 kilometres straight ahead, roughly at the level of Singapore.

There is also a lighthouse, where you can enter (free of charge) by climbing a small inner staircase to find yourself even higher and see the islands of Koh Raja or Koh Phi Phi Phi.

Just next to this site, a few steps away, the Prompthep restaurant where you can take a seat in the middle of a quite impressive flower and plant garden. Very beautiful place offering a magnificent view of the bay of Naiharn and with a little luck a very beautiful sunset, ideal to spend a pleasant moment in good company. Thai cuisine is correct as well as prices.

Yanui Beach is located in a hollow, between two mountains... on one side the Cape of Prompthep, on the other side the point where the wind turbine is located. On both sides, it is well-pitched roads that lead you there.

When you arrive at Yanui Beach, you almost have the impression with a little imagination, of arriving on an island.

The beach is quite small (125m), with many rocks and some corals... beware of scratches on the feet!
In low season, as in August for example, tourists are rather rare... which does not bother me personally of course.

Located between Prompthep Cape and Nai Harn Beach, this rather vertiginous promontory offers a wide view of the bay. We're straight up to Yanui Beach.

From up there, you can take a good breath of air because the continuous draughts are quite strong and regular (hence the presence of this wind turbine).

Ah... this wind turbine so horrible. We can say what we want, it may be clean energy, but such devices in such a setting are frankly not terrible.

About 20 years ago, the national electricity company installed three of these specimens on an experimental basis. I have since heard several versions on their usefulness but in the end, it doesn't matter. Nowadays, there is only one left, active quite rarely... as if it had trouble turning.

I sincerely believe that his days are numbered and that sooner or later, this last wind turbine will also disappear.

A paragliding enthusiast who regularly goes back and forth along this great hill, (from the vertical of Yanui to almost the beginning of Naiharn Beach) attracts more attention from passers-by than the wind turbine which has only its size to impress, and nothing else!

The paraglider, at least he plays with the wind, lets himself be carried gently, without any apparent effort. When you look at it... it seems so easy, so obvious...

Naiharn Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket.
Of course, during the high season, it is crowded and the deckchairs are countless.
However, the slope is very gentle and the currents are less violent during the monsoon compared to other beaches.

The horrible "Jet-Skis" are banned there, which is an excellent thing.

You can attend magnificent sunsets... if you are used to coming to this site... you will have quickly understood: I love sunsets...

This small beach with beautiful rocks west of Naiharn Beach is not really known, but many holidaymakers or residents have gotten used to returning to Ao Sane from the moment they got to know this place away from everything, in a still very wild environment.

The small winding road leading to this small paradise offers a splendid view of Naiharn Bay, the wind turbine and Prompthep Cape.

As for the small path that goes down to the beach and the restaurant, it is passable but a little steep and stony. For the less agile, it is better to leave your bike at the top and do the rest on foot, barely 50 meters. Then, all that remains is to settle down and contemplate these wild landscapes, devoid of any modern constructions. It's pretty relaxing....

On the spot, a number of fairly simple bungalows also offer accommodation at very attractive prices.

Adjacent to Naiharn beach, the Naiharn lake is an exceptional place, where many holidaymakers or residents come to unwind during the day: there is something for everyone.

Between the walkers, joggers, cyclists and petanque players, morning and evening visitors come to have a good time while doing some exercise, each one at his own level according to his possibilities or desires.

With the small island easily accessible, this place is really pleasant and worth a visit. 

When you arrive at this place... you will have a beautiful view of Kata Noi, Kata Beach and Karon Beach.

Also at this point, you leave Rawai... by continuing the road which is superb you will reach Kata in a few minutes.

Patong Beach is hidden by the mountain and is 14 km from this place.

That's it.... I finally made it around Rawai....
I must say that I've been wanting to do this long... very long article for a long time...

Rawai is vast, extensive, and as said at the beginning, many possibilities are within the reach of holidaymakers and even... residents.

I hope that now RAWAI will seem a little more familiar to you.