12 Best Things to Do in Rawai

Phromthep Cape offers excellent views of Phuket and the Andaman Sea, making it one of the island's most photographed locations. It gets especially packed in the evening, with large tour buses, scooters and private cars sweeping through Rawai Beach and up the island's southernmost hill in order to watch the sunset at its peak. For those who like dining with a view, head over to Promthep Cape Restaurant for an excellent vista of Ya Nui and Nai Harn beaches.

Rawai Park offers a waterpark, a semi-indoor playground and an air-conditioned kids' club. Most of the facilities are catered for children between 2 and 14 years old. The 250-square-metre kids' club area has colourful toys, a labyrinth, trampoline, mini-houses, and bicycles. Your kids can also cool down at the water zone, which has a shallow pool, slides, and fountains. There's also a restaurant serving Thai-European fusion dishes at reasonable prices.

Wat Sawang Arom is a small but ornate temple that serves the Buddhist community of Rawai and nearby villages. Inside, you can see traditional Buddha images and paintings depicting his life. A school is adjacent to the temple – visit in the morning to see local students playing before it's time for class. Dress conservatively as this is a holy place for Buddhist Thais.

If you're looking to join a Thai cooking class in Rawai, popular venues include the Adult Activities Centre at The Vijitt Resort Phuket and Cashew Nut Restaurant in Soi Sai Yuan. A typical cooking class usually starts with a visit to a local market to buy ingredients. Afterwards, you return to the school and learn how to prepare typical Thai dishes at its onsite kitchen. 

The Phuket Orchid Farm is one of the largest nurseries on the island. This family-run venue lets you admire over 15,000 different species of flowers. Fresh-cut orchids are available for sale – the farm can pack them for international air travel. Entrance fee costs around 300 baht per adult and 100 baht per child (3 to 12 years old), which includes a complimentary bouquet of orchids. You can join a garden tour for around 400 baht per person.

Phuket Seashell Museum displays some of the most valuable seashells in the world. It has 4 main exhibitions, all with information in both English and Thai. You can check out many rarities and odd shells, including the world's largest golden pearl (140 carats), sedimentary rocks containing fossils, and even a shell that weighs 250 kg.

Baan Batik Phuket is a long-running boutique where every piece of textile is designed by its in-house artists. You can visit the boutique in Rawai if you're looking for original batik prints. It also offers batik painting classes (by appointment only), where you can learn how to paint unique designs using wax and a spouted tool. 

Phuket Sports and Tennis Club offers a good range of outdoor and indoor sports, including tennis, beach volleyball, badminton, pétanque, croquet, fishing, pool, and darts. This Rawai sports centre also has an onsite restaurant and bar, where you can enjoy reasonably priced Thai and European food. The club has family areas, along with charcoal- and gas-fired BBQ grills. You can either bring your own food or purchase it from the onsite bar. 

Suwit Muay Thai is a Phuket establishment that has been around for over 20 years. It's located on Chalong’s Chao Fa East Road, near Phuket Zoo. The Muay Thai camp has many air-conditioned rooms and a fair-sized swimming pool for you to unwind after training. Twice-daily training classes for differing levels take place 6 days a week. On Fridays, Suwit organises a fight night that's open to the public.