Racha Yai Island is located 13 nautical miles south of Phuket Island and is dived by Phuket daytrip dive boats. There is also a dive centre in the main resort on the island. Racha is sometimes spelt Raya, or Raja but don't be confused, there are all the same dive location.  Racha Yai is a granite island with beautiful beaches and bays all around and dense tropical jungle covering the interior. There are several dive sites at Racha Yai. Most of those sites are suitable for all levels of diver and Racha Yai is often the location for student divers first open water dives. Visibility is always good and currents mild. Dives at Racha Yai are easy and, although you probably won't see anything as big as a manta ray or whale shark, the reefs are very pleasant with lots of schools of fish. Racha Yai is a good place to do a refresher dive if you've been out of the water for a while.
The best dive sites are along the east coast of Racha Yai where bays known by their number only are joined by long reefs of staghorn coral. The reefs drop down to around 25m before the sand levels off. The three main dive sites here are Lucy's reef, Staghorn Reef and Home Run. In the sand you can find blue spotted sting rays and garden eels. Over the reef are large schools of yellowtail barracuda plus snapper and fusiliers. Butterfly fish, cornet fish and dog faced puffer are numerous as are moray eels.
Titan triggerfish are very territorial on staghorn reef and have been known to charge and bite divers. Turtles are common on Lucy's reef and divers occasionally see a Leopard shark there too. There is a small wreck on Home Run. The shallow bays can be great places to find interesting marine life. The sandy bottom is scattered with coral bommies covered by seafans, christmas tree worms and anemones... Continued >> |
