Private Yacht Charter Phuket to Racha Yai & Racha Noi 2026/27 | 63 Boats from ฿33,900
A Racha Island private boat trip from Phuket with Horizon Cruises Phuket is a full day on one of the 63 boats in the catalogue whose price list names Racha, twenty-five of them from Chalong Pier: from ฿33,900 per boat on the AQVA 37 speedboat or the Kiri long-tail, seven hours to Racha Yai with Banana Beach, and from ฿34,900 on the sailing catamarans Coco and Tahaa, for groups of up to 65, in the 2026/27 season. Racha Yai is the beach island and Racha Noi the snorkelling one; both in one day is about 74 km of water. Send us your date and headcount on WhatsApp.
Key highlights
- Chalong is the meeting point for the boats in the table. On a speedboat from Phuket the run to Racha Yai takes about an hour; the sailing catamarans make a slower day of it with fewer stops.
- Racha Yai has the beaches and the easy swimming at Patok Bay. Racha Noi is deeper, rockier and quieter, with the better snorkelling and the dive sites.
- No park fee is collected at the Racha islands. Captain, crew, insurance, soft drinks and snorkelling gear are in the rate on every boat, fuel too except where a yacht's page lists a fuel fee; the hotel pick-up depends on the boat.
- Horizon Cruises Phuket holds 5.0 from 33 reviews on Google.
The round-trip, and what it asks of the boat
Racha Yai lies about 26 km south of Chalong, Racha Noi a further 11 km on, and the leg home is about 37 km, which is how the pair adds up to the round-trip in the first paragraph. That is a longer day than the bays near Phuket, Thailand, and it is why the boat matters more here than on the short routes. It does not rule out the slower hulls: the sailing catamarans Ella and Calypso work this route on a Racha plus Coral programme, with more time under way and fewer stops. What changes with speed is how much of the day you spend in the water, not whether you get there.
The boats we charter most often to Racha, and what a full day costs
Thirteen of the boats that publish Racha: the ten Horizon Cruises Phuket charters there most often, plus the cheapest speedboat, long-tail and sailing catamaran, with the rate for each programme from the boat's page; these route rates sit above the card's general starting price:
| Boat | Type and length | Guests | Departure | Racha Yai | Both islands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technema 89 Say Yes | 89 ft motor yacht | 12 included, up to 30 | Chalong | from ฿150,000, Racha Yai + Coral, high season | from ฿165,000, 9 hours, high season |
| Ferretti 80 Sofia | 80 ft motor yacht | 12 included, up to 25 | Chalong | from ฿150,000, Racha Yai + Coral, high season | from ฿165,000, 9 hours, high season |
| Azimut Atlantis 50 | 50 ft motor yacht | 8 included, up to 11 | Chalong | from ฿91,000 | from ฿97,000 |
| Bertram 50 | 50 ft motor yacht | 8 included, up to 13 | Chalong | from ฿90,000 | from ฿96,000 |
| Indigo 53 Super Mario | 53 ft power catamaran | 15 included, up to 55 | Chalong | from ฿84,900 | from ฿84,900 |
| Leopard 51 Aurora | 51 ft power catamaran | 12 included, up to 25 | Chalong | from ฿79,900 | from ฿85,900 |
| Sea Explorer | 47 ft power catamaran | 8 included, up to 30 | Chalong | from ฿63,900, with Coral or Maiton | from ฿65,900 |
| F1 | 42 ft power catamaran | 8 included, up to 20 | Chalong | from ฿48,900, with Coral or Maiton | from ฿51,900 |
| Calypso | 44 ft sailing catamaran | 10 included, up to 35 | Chalong | from ฿41,195, Racha + Coral | not offered |
| Ella | 53 ft sailing catamaran | 10 included, up to 40 | Chalong | from ฿39,055, Racha + Coral | not offered |
| Fountaine Pajot 40 Coco | 40 ft sailing catamaran | 15 included, up to 20 | Chalong | from ฿34,900, Racha Yai + Banana Beach | not offered |
| AQVA 37 | 37 ft speedboat | 6 included, up to 12 | Chalong | from ฿33,900, Racha Yai + Banana Beach, 7 hours | not offered |
| Kiri Long-tail 40 | 40 ft long-tail | 4 included, up to 8 | Chalong | from ฿33,900, Racha Yai + Banana Beach, 7 hours | not offered |
Say Yes and Sofia are two of our three yachts, the luxury yacht option on this route; the other eleven come from the catalogue of boats we offer. On those two the figures are high-season rates for the eight-hour Racha Yai day and the nine-hour Racha Yai plus Racha Noi day, and the low-season rate is quoted per enquiry. The F1, the Sea Explorer and the Indigo are priced the same for one island or both. Ella is licensed for forty but most comfortable with thirty aboard; Calypso is licensed for thirty-five and happiest with twenty. The Tahaa, a sister catamaran, matches Coco's price and guest counts, and the Pepper and Senna follow at ฿36,900. The hotel transfer is in the rate on Say Yes and Sofia, one vehicle for up to ten guests on full days, and not on the F1, the Sea Explorer, the Indigo, the Aurora, Ella, Calypso, Coco, the AQVA or the Kiri; each yacht's page says which. Beyond the table, the route is published by the motor yachts from Ao Po and the east coast, from the Ocean Pearl 42 at ฿47,900 with Maiton and Khai, and by the four-engine speed catamaran that takes sixty-five.
Rates by format and season, and availability
Formats Horizon Cruises Phuket sells to Racha, with the lowest figure per format from that boat's page:
| Format | Duration | From, low season | High season | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half day, Racha Yai | 4–5 hours | ฿39,900 on the F1 | ฿43,900 | ฿47,900 |
| Full day, Racha Yai + Banana Beach, speedboat or long-tail | 7 hours | ฿33,900 on the AQVA 37 or Kiri | ฿33,900 (one standard rate) | ฿38,900 |
| Full day, Racha Yai + Banana Beach, sailing catamaran | 8 hours | ฿34,900 on Coco or Tahaa | ฿34,900 (one standard rate) | ฿40,900 |
| Full day, Racha Yai + Coral Island | 8 hours | ฿39,055 on Ella | ฿41,195 | ฿44,405 |
| Full day, both islands | 8–9 hours | ฿51,900 on the F1 | ฿55,900 | ฿60,900 |
Availability is per boat and per date, and some boats do not sell half days or sunset cruises in the peak period at all, so send the date first; we answer with the boats that are free on it and one final price in Thai baht. Starting rates for every boat rental in the catalogue are on the yacht charter prices in Phuket page.
Racha Yai or Racha Noi: two destinations that are not interchangeable
Racha Yai has a white sandy beach at Patok Bay, easy swimming and somewhere to sit and relax ashore; it is the destination to pick if the day is about the beach and the children. Racha Noi is rockier, deeper and quieter, and that is why the water is clearer: this is where the dive sites are and where snorkelling straight off the boat is worth the extra distance. If the group wants the reef, stay longer there; if it wants beach time and easy water, spend the afternoon at Racha Yai, and the captain tailors the stops to the group. On most boats taking both costs ฿5,000 to ฿6,000 more than Racha Yai alone; the pair is described together on the Racha Islands page.
Snorkelling, coral reefs and the dive sites
The coral reefs off the smaller island and the bays of the larger one are the snorkelling, and the marine life is the reason this trip exists. Masks, snorkels and fins are on every boat we offer, and at the reef the captain picks up a mooring buoy and never drops an anchor on coral. Diving is arranged on request and is not part of the standard day; the Bertram also sells a fishing day to either island with lunch and fishing gear included.
What's included in the rate and what is not
The rate on every boat we offer is inclusive of:
- Captain and crew; every charter is skippered, and guests need no licence
- Fuel for the agreed route, except where a yacht's page lists a fuel fee
- Passenger insurance
- Water and soft drinks, fruit, ice, tea and coffee; other beverages depend on the boat
- Snorkelling gear, with mask, snorkel and fins, and life jackets
Paid separately:
- Lunch on the boats where catering is not included: the Aurora, for example, includes a Thai buffet on full days, while elsewhere catering is booked through us, paid in advance, at a price that depends on the boat
- The hotel transfer on the boats that do not include it; the yacht's page says whether it is in the rate
- Diving
- Alcohol and water toys, which depend on the boat
- People above the number the rate covers
No park fee is collected at Racha, which is worth knowing when comparing quotes: on Phang Nga Bay the Ao Phang Nga fee is paid per person on top unless the yacht's page lists it in the rate, and Phi Phi has a separate fee.
Meeting and pickup: the meeting point is Chalong Pier
Chalong on the south coast is where every boat on this page boards. Arrive fifteen minutes before departure; the captain handles the passenger registration at the pier, so guests hand their passports to the crew and board. Where the yacht's page includes the hotel pick-up, the minivan brings you to the pier; otherwise the taxi to Chalong is yours to arrange. Boats leave between nine and ten in the morning and are back in the late afternoon; the exact return depends on the hull, since this route runs from seven knots on the sailing catamarans to twenty-five on the AQVA speedboat.
The operator's cancellation policy, weather and refunds
Horizon Cruises Phuket is the operator you book with, licensed by TAT under licence 34/02188 and in business since 2013. Most boats take a deposit of half the charter price with the balance before departure; some boats are paid in full at booking. Late cancellation is non-refundable, and the exact terms for your boat are on its page and on the terms page, so if you need to cancel, write to us as early as you can. Weather is the other case: in poor conditions the captain decides the route on the day, and if the Racha crossing is not sensible we offer alternative cruising grounds, not a refund.
Additional information: accessibility and children
Families with small children usually choose a catamaran, Ella, Calypso, the F1 or the Aurora, for the deck space. Life jackets are on every boat; tell us the children's ages so the crew prepares the right sizes, and tell us in advance if anyone needs help boarding, so the crew can prepare the boarding and the tender.
Racha against the other attractions and island tours in Phuket, Thailand
Racha is the open-water day from Chalong that still fits a half day, which puts it between Coral Island and Phi Phi. Coral Island and Maiton are the short half days, with the Banana Beach landing fee on Coral; Phi Phi is a longer full day with a park fee and route guest caps; Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island are a separate charter from Ao Po Grand Marina on the north-east coast, in flat water. The attraction at Racha is the water itself: a private tour from Phuket for a group that wants to swim and snorkel rather than sightsee, and a shared excursion runs to its timetable, not yours.
Seasons, with dates
The starting rates are low-season figures, May to October. From November to April the high-season rates apply, and each boat sets its peak dates separately, between mid-December and February, printed on its page; there is no separate New Year surcharge on top of peak. A few boats publish a single all-year rate with a peak surcharge and no low-to-high split at all.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Racha Island from Phuket?
By private boat from Chalong on the south coast: about an hour to Racha Yai on a private speedboat, longer on a catamaran or a private yacht. Horizon Cruises Phuket sends the departure time with the booking, and where the boat includes the hotel transfer, it brings you to the pier in time for the morning departure.
Is Racha Island worth it?
Yes, if the day is about the water. The smaller island has the better snorkelling and the dive sites, the larger one the sand and the easy swimming. It is not the day for limestone scenery, which is Phang Nga Bay. For a group that wants to swim, snorkel and relax on a beach without a park fee, Racha is the straightforward choice.
How much does a private boat trip to Racha cost?
The lowest published rate is for the whole boat on the AQVA speedboat or the Kiri long-tail, seven hours to Racha Yai with Banana Beach; the sailing catamarans Coco and Tahaa come next, then Ella on the Racha plus Coral programme, and the cheapest boats that sell both islands are the Gin 37 for six and the F1 with eight guests in the rate. The motor yachts and the larger power catamarans run from the figures in the table, and the nine-hour version on Say Yes and Sofia is at the top of it. Every figure is per boat, not per guest.
Can I visit Racha Yai and Racha Noi on the same trip?
Yes, on the motor yachts and the power catamarans, as an eight- to nine-hour day. Most sailing catamarans do not run the pair: Ella and Calypso sell Racha plus Coral, Coco and Tahaa Racha Yai plus Banana Beach; the St Anna is the exception, with a ten-hour Racha Noi and Racha Yai day that ends with the sunset. The F1, the Sea Explorer and the Indigo charge the same for one island or both, so on those boats the decision can wait until the group is aboard.
Which island is better for snorkelling?
Racha Noi. It is deeper and rockier with far fewer people, and the water off the boat is better than at Racha Yai, which is the beach island of the two. The captain moors on a buoy at the reef, so the group snorkels straight from the boat rather than from a crowded beach.
Is there a national park fee at Racha?
No. Nothing is collected at the islands. What is paid on the day is only lunch where it is not included and the extras the group orders, which makes a Racha quote the easiest to compare like for like with the other island days from Phuket.
How long does the trip take?
A day to both islands is eight to nine hours; Racha Yai with Coral is eight hours on the sailing catamarans; a half day to Racha Yai is four to five hours on the F1. Boats leave Chalong between nine and ten in the morning, and the sailing catamarans plan fewer stops because of their speed.
Can we go by speedboat or longtail boat?
Yes. The AQVA 37 speedboat and the Kiri long-tail are in the table, and the Al Dhaen 38 sells the same seven-hour day from Chalong from ฿38,900; the Axopar 37 from Boat Lagoon and the Nimbus T11 from Royal Phuket Marina publish Racha as well. The other speedboats on the speedboat charter in Phuket page are quoted per date: write to us with the headcount and we will say which of them is free and what the Racha day costs on it.
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