Racha Island Resort

The white-sand beach is gorgeous, and management handled the major Wi-Fi and hot-water problems professionally. They even moved us to a suite. That helped save the trip. The rooms and breakfast don’t feel five-star. Breakfast was very basic and disappointing, and the front desk service could be clueless. They switched off our room keys as soon as we checked out, even though we’d said we were going to breakfast and still had our bags inside. The property needs stronger staff training and a better kitchen.

The island is stunning, and the water was among the clearest and most beautiful I’ve seen in Southeast Asia. There weren’t many fish to spot while snorkeling, and the sea was a little rough during our visit, but neither took away from a fantastic stay. We stayed at Racha Rayaburi Resort just after New Year’s, from January 2nd to January 6th, with three adults and two children. We had a family room with an extra bed for our two little girls, plus another room for my sister. We’d booked on Booking.com months ahead. With three main resorts on Racha Island, we hesitated between this one and the other more affordable option, since The Racha is very expensive. Choosing this place turned out to be the right decision. The resort is beside peaceful Siam Bay. The beach in front of The Racha was busier, while ours stayed quiet the whole time, perhaps because the sea was more agitated. We spent much of our time at the resort restaurant, which I’ll review separately. Staff were wonderful, very friendly, and cleaned the rooms daily. The small drawbacks were a bathtub that leaked a little and laundry that cost quite a bit compared with everything else. I’d arrive with clean clothes or do laundry in Phuket on the way back. Getting to the island also takes planning: you need a speedboat. The resort’s morning boats cost about 650 baht per adult, which is reasonable. We arrived later in the day and had to hire a private boat, which was very expensive, almost 250 euros. Plan for a morning arrival, or stay overnight in Phuket and take the morning boat the next day. I’d absolutely return. It was a wonderful place, and I hope the island stays this way and doesn’t get overcrowded with Phuket tourism.

The beach was nice and the place was still quite clean, though there was some poop on the grass. My grandma scolded the staff about it, and I said, “This is a Michelin five-star hotel, don’t scold people.” The people were respectful. One worker cleaning our room locked the door, so my grandpa couldn’t get out. The location is pretty nice, with views of boats and islands.

A quiet beach without crowds, a sea-view restaurant, and a pool in a colonial-style hotel made this feel like a hidden paradise in Thailand. The staff were so friendly and helpful, and breakfast was delicious. Loved it! 🤩🫶