Lying beyond Leamka Cape, the route to Rawai Beach runs through thick coconut plantations permitting visitors to enjoy the nature and the sea. Rawai's rocky foreshore at low tide is a magnet for shell collectors. Next to it is a sea gypsy village. Thirty minutes offshore are Ko Bon and Ko Hae coral islands. The main hotel on Rawai is the Phuket Island Resort. The beach is not particularly good for swimming but long tail boats leave from here to offshore islands. Being the first resort for recreations in Phuket, its popularity has not waned with the passage of time. On Sundays it is particularly filled with local people in contrast to other beaches favoured by foreign tourists.
Rawai Beach
Phuket Beaches - South East
In modern times, Phuket's economy rests on two pillars: rubber tree plantations (making Thailand the biggest producer of rubber in the world) and tourism, with a thriving diving industry attracting thousands of divers each year.