Rawai property guide — condos, villas and life by Phuket's southern harbour

Rawai is a fishing harbour at the southern tip of Phuket, with seafood restaurants by the sea, boats to the islands and sunsets at Promthep Cape. See also Buying property in Phuket — complete guide for foreign buyers and Phuket districts overview — every area compared for foreign property buyers.

What is it like to live in Rawai?

Life here is laid-back and local. Rawai has a slower pace than the west-coast tourist spots, with sea, hills and sunsets close to home.

Rawai Beach is the working harbour. Longtail boats and speedboats leave from it for Koh Bon, Coral Island and the Racha islands; Coral Island is about 15 minutes by speedboat. Beside Rawai Pier is the village of the Chao Ley (Urak Lawoi), the sea gypsy community and among the oldest people of Phuket.

Food is the heart of Rawai. West of the pier, seafood restaurants face the sea, and the original Rawai way is to eat on floor mats at low tables. Salaloy Seafood has a Bib Gourmand in the 2023 Michelin Guide. At Rawai Seafood Market, on Wiset Road, you buy fresh seafood and a restaurant across the road cooks it, from THB 100 per kilo.

Saiyuan Road has cafés, gyms, international restaurants and Muay Thai camps, including AKA Thailand. Mixxmall Rawayana, on the beachfront road, has a large Tops supermarket and a Starbucks.

Ya Nui Beach, small, is on the main road to the cape, with kayaks and paddleboards for rent. Promthep Cape is the southernmost tip of Phuket and the island’s most popular sunset spot, free and open 24 hours. Its Kanchanaphisek Lighthouse has a small free museum.

What property is for sale in Rawai, and what does it cost?

In Rawai you can buy condos and villas. The example listings below start at about THB 2.2 million for condos and range from about THB 14.5 million to about THB 38.5 million for villas.

Condos

• The Proud Rawai Resort: 5 floors, 48 units, completed 2020. Units ask about THB 3.5-11.3 million.
• Mercury Wyndham La Vita: 7 floors, 51 units, completed 2022. Units ask about THB 4.7 million.
• Rawai Beach Condo: units ask about THB 2.2-2.9 million.
• The Title V: 228 units, completed 2021.
• Calypso Garden Residences: 86 units, completed 2020.
• Utopia Loft: 24 units, completed 2019.
• Utopia Dream: completed 2022.
• The Title Adora Rawai: 210 units, off-plan, due 2027.

Villas

• Rawai VIP Villas: 40 villas, completed 2016. A villa asks about THB 14.5 million.
• Villa Suksan Soi Naya 1: 6 villas, completed 2009. A villa asks about THB 20 million.
• Vimannaya Residence Phuket: 7 villas, completed 2026. A villa asks about THB 38.5 million.

What is the rental market in Rawai like?

Owners in Rawai can let by the month or by the night. At The Title V, units rent for THB 25,000-30,000 a month. Gross income is the nightly rate × occupancy × 365, or the monthly rent × 12 for a long let (Rental yields in Phuket — what investors actually earn). Short stays depend on the building’s legal status: see Short-term rental in Thailand — Hotel Act 2004 reality and Phuket enforcement and Is Airbnb legal in Thailand? Not for most condos and villas. For long leases, see Long-term rental contracts in Thailand — landlord and tenant essentials. For visas that suit long-stay tenants, see LTR (Long-Term Resident) visa — US$500,000 in Thai property, ten years, DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) — five years, 180 days per entry, ฿500,000 in the bank and Thailand retirement visa for property owners — O-A and O-X compared.

Why do people love Rawai?

Who is Rawai right for?

Long-stay residents who want a local pace, a gym or Muay Thai camp, and seafood by the sea. People who like boat trips and want Rawai Pier close to home. Families who want an international school nearby.

Rawai or Nai Harn: which suits a buyer?

Rawai is the harbour side. It has the pier, the seafood market, boats to the islands, Mixxmall Rawayana and the cafés and gyms of Saiyuan Road. Nai Harn, next door, is the beach side, with a swimming bay, the lake and Wat Nai Harn, and a quieter feel. The two are a few minutes’ drive apart, so your daily routine decides it. See Nai Harn Phuket property guide — condos, villas and life by Nai Harn Beach; North vs South Phuket property — a practical buyer comparison compares the south with the north of the island.

Where is Rawai in Phuket?

Rawai is at the southern tip of Phuket, in Mueang Phuket District. Promthep Cape, in Rawai, is 18 km from Phuket Town and 20 km from Patong. Phuket International Airport is about an hour’s drive.

High season is November to April, the best time of year.

What are healthcare and schools like near Rawai?

The main hospitals are in Phuket Town:

• Vachira Phuket Hospital, the Ministry of Public Health hospital in Phuket Town.
• Bangkok Hospital Phuket, a private hospital in Phuket Town.

Lighthouse International School Phuket, in Rawai and Chalong, teaches kindergarten, primary and secondary. It offers Canadian (Alberta), Cambridge and French curricula. For other international schools, see Phuket international schools and family districts guide.

What should I check before buying property in Rawai?

1. Title. Confirm the tenure on the title deed; for a freehold condo, the foreign quota and money transfer (Freehold vs leasehold property in Thailand — what's the difference and which to choose, Foreign property ownership in Thailand — what you can and cannot own, FET — the bank paper that proves your condo money came from abroad). Near Rawai Beach, check the plot’s title history at the Land Office. For years, developers with beachfront title deeds tried to evict the Chao Ley, whose houses show on aerial photos from 1950. By 2024, Thailand’s Supreme Court had ruled those deeds invalid.
2. Off-plan. For The Title Adora Rawai or another unit under construction, read the payment schedule and the developer’s delivery record (Off-plan payment schedules in Phuket: how to read them, Off-plan vs resale property in Thailand — risk profiles, payment schedules, when each makes sense).
3. Rental. Get the management contract, its fees and the building’s short-term-rental status.
4. Airport. Drive the airport road at the hour you would fly. It takes about an hour.
5. Visits. Go in the season you will live there; high season is November to April.

Nearby areas: Nai Harn Phuket property guide — condos, villas and life by Nai Harn Beach, Bang Tao and Cherngtalay area guide — location, daily life and schools, Kata or Karon — which Phuket beach should property buyers choose?, North vs South Phuket property — a practical buyer comparison.

Links

• Rawai Beach — Phuket 101
• Rawai Seafood Market — Phuket 101
• Promthep Cape — Phuket 101
• Nai Harn Beach — Phuket 101
• Lighthouse International School Phuket
• Vachira Phuket Hospital (Ministry of Public Health)
• Bangkok Hospital Phuket
• Department of Lands
• Marine tourism during the southwest monsoon — Tourism Authority of Thailand