The Racha Islands: Racha Yai and Racha Noi
To the South of Phuket lie the twin islands of Ko Racha Yai (big)
and Ko Racha Noi (small) which offer significantly better diving
than do Phuket's Western beaches. Almost all diving operators
offer one day trips to both of the islands (although not on the
same day) and some offer a two day liveaboard trip every week.
Racha Yai's best diving is off its East Coast which makes it
especially attractive during Phuket's off-season in the summer.
Although visibility varies, it can be as good as 25 meters or
more. A typical dive is a gentle drift along a sloping rocky face
that is sprinkled with hard coral forests of many varieties. Especially
prominent are stag horn corals of blue and tan. Many times there
are large schools of false barracudas hovering over the reef,
while on the reef itself you'll see octopus and cuttlefish in
addition to the more common tropical species. Divers of all levels
of experience and snorkellers can visit Racha Yai with no usual
hazards as the diving is easy and gentle. Water depths range from
3 to 30 meters.
Racha Noi is popular for the more experienced diver, as depths
are generally greater and the currents frequently stronger than
at its sister island to the North. The Northern tip feature a
large pinnacle where spotting larger marine life is distinctly
possible, while the Southern point is a nice drift dive with the
added bonus of having a beautiful little beach to visit during
your surface interval. We also have a wooden ship wreck at about
27 meters on the Southwest Coast of the island which although
it does not compare to some of the larger wreck dives in Pattaya,
is an enjoyable deep dive. Not much grows on the wreck yet, but
it attracts large amounts of reef fish. The diving here is definitely
more challenging than Racha Yai, but the rewards can be much greater.
Accommodation is available on Racha Yai in both of the pristine
little bays on the Northern side of the island. Muslim farmers
and a few fishermen have lived on Racha Yai for years now, harvesting
coconuts and fishing the waters surrounding the islands. (Until
a few years ago, Marijuana was a popular crop here, but that has
been stopped by local authorities.) Although there are no established
dive shops on the island, occasionally someone tries to make a
go of it. It is often possible to be picked up on the island by
one of Phuket's dive boats. For current information, check with
one of the dive centers in Phuket.
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