Description

Schedule

Every day all year round.

Itinerary

08.30 AM
Meet the guide at Nikorn Marine’s office Chalong Pier

09.00 AM
Depart from Chalong Pier to Racha Island by speedboat.

Enjoy snorkeling with a variety of corals and fish, either at ‘Kon Kae’ or ‘Siam bay’. Travel to Patok Bay on Racha Island. Relax and enjoy scenic bay view on the white sandy beach.

12.30 AM
Heading to Kahung beach (Coral Island), the place for exciting sea activities.

13.00 PM
Enjoy Thai lunch served at Kahung Restaurant

14.30 PM
Relax on the beach or choose from a range of Nikorn Marine’s exciting sea activities including scuba diving, sea walking, parasailing and banana boat (extra charge).

16.00 PM
Depart from Kahung beach (Coral island) to Chalong pier

16.30 PM
Arrive at Chalong Pier

*This is a sample itinerary and can change subject to tides, weather and unforeseen events.

Prices

Price: 2,500 1,900 baht per adult / 1,900 1,200 baht per child (4-11 years)

Price includes: English speaking guide, life jacket, mask and snorkel, lunch, fresh fruits, drinking water, round trip hotel transfers*

*Hotel pick up and transfer: Free transfers by shared minivan service are provided from hotels in Kata, Karon, Patong, Kalim, Tritrang, Rawai, Naiharn, Chalong and Phuket Town.
Transfer fees apply from other areas.
Transfers cannot be provided from private addresses / Airbnb’s.

What to take: Sunglasses, sunhat, sun lotion, bathing suit.

Restrictions: Speedboat tours are not suitable for infants 3 years old and under, or for pregnant women and the elderly over 70 years of age.

Cancellations:
– 7 days or more prior to the package or tour date: full refund less bank fees.
– 3-6 days prior to the package or tour date: 30% of total price
– Within 72 hours of the package or tour date, or no show: 100% of total price.

Weather Policy: This is an all weather tour and still runs if it’s raining in the morning. Tours are cancelled if rough sea unsafe for small boats is forecast. The decision to cancel is made on the morning of the tour by the boat captain and the harbour master. If a trip is cancelled due to bad weather you choose to reschedule or take a full refund.

What to expect

Koh Racha Yai (Racha Yai Island, also sometimes called Koh Raya) is about 13 nautical miles south of Phuket Island, just 30 minutes by speedboat. It is a granite island with palm fringed bays dotted around it’s shoreline. All around the island are shallow hard coral reefs ideal for snorkeling and swimming.

The time of year that you do this tour determines which location around the island’s coast you will snorkel at.  The best reefs are accessed from May to October on the sheltered east coast. This is also the less busy time of year and the best time to do the tour.

From November to April snorkeling is on the west coast bays at Patok bay and Siam bay. These bays are a little less fishy but there is still plenty to see. November to April is also the busy season when there are more tourists visiting Racha.

Who is this Racha Yai tour for?

If you are an experienced snorkeler who has been to the Red Sea, Maldives or GBR then you may be somewhat underwhelmed by the reefs at Racha Yai. The photos below give a realistic expectation of what you can see. You will not see sharks. You will see lots of different tropical reef fish of the smaller varieties such as Sergeant Majors, pufferfish, porcupine fish, anemone fish, surgeonfish, rabbit fish, lionfish and parrotfish, to name a few. With a bit of luck you’ll also see moray eels, scorpionfish, nudibranchs and pipefish.

Racha Yai normally has clear water but on occasion it can be a bit green. Strong tides or an overnight storm can also cloud the water a bit. The sea in Thailand is not as clear as the Caribbean.