# Racha and Coral Islands from Phuket: Speedboat or Catamaran? For Racha and Coral together, take a speedboat: our catamaran stops at Racha Yai in the morning and then sails on to Phi Phi, so it never reaches Coral island. The speedboat day crosses from Chalong to Racha Yai in about forty minutes and spends the afternoon on Coral island, while the sunrise speedboat puts you on Racha Yai at 06:40 with deep-water fishing later in the morning. Book the catamaran only if the island you want after Racha Yai is Phi Phi. ## Tours and prices in Thai baht - [Racha and Coral islands by speedboat](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-islands-speedboat) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-islands-speedboat.md) — Eight to nine hours · Adult 1,400 THB · Child 4–9 1,300 THB - [Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-sunrise) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-sunrise.md) — One day, 04:30–15:30 · Adult 1,600 THB · Child 4–9 1,300 THB - [Phi Phi and Racha Yai by catamaran, with a sunset stop at Maiton](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-racha-maiton-sunset) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-racha-maiton-sunset.md) — One day, 06:30–19:00 · Adult 2,700 THB · Child 4–9 2,500 THB Prices come straight from our booking system. Children under four join free on most trips — each tour page says so. ## Which of our boats go to Racha and Coral Three of our trips reach Racha Yai, and two of them are speedboats. The [Racha and Coral islands speedboat day](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-islands-speedboat) and [Racha Yai and Coral island at sunrise](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-sunrise) both visit both islands. The [Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/phi-phi-racha-maiton-sunset) spends 09:00–11:00 at Racha Yai, then heads for Phi Phi Don, Pileh Lagoon and Maya Bay, with a sunset stop on the water at Maiton. - Racha Yai and Coral island on a normal timetable — the speedboat day - Racha Yai and Coral island from 06:00 — the sunrise speedboat - Racha Yai in the morning, then Phi Phi until 19:00 — the catamaran ## The speedboat day, stop by stop Pickup is between 08:00 and 08:30, and after a briefing at Chalong pier the boat leaves at 09:00. Racha Yai comes first: Patok Bay from 09:40 to 12:00, with soft white sand, swimming and snorkelling. A short hop takes you to Coral island for a Thai lunch at a beachfront restaurant at 12:30, then snorkelling and beach time until 16:00. You are back at Chalong by 16:40 and at the hotel by about 17:30. Of the three, this one fits most easily into a holiday (no alarm before dawn, short crossings, dinner at a normal hour). The card is frank that a speedboat can be bumpy, so take something beforehand if you get seasick. Parasailing, the banana boat and jet skis on Coral island belong to beach operators and are paid on the spot. ## The sunrise speedboat The [sunrise trip](https://phukeo.com/en/tours/racha-coral-sunrise) is a speedboat too, run in our Comfort+ format. Pickup is 04:30–05:00 with breakfast boxes, the boat leaves at 06:00 and the sun comes up over open water around 06:30. You land on Racha Yai at 06:40 while the beach is still empty; kayaks, paddleboards and the viewpoints are there, and deep-water fishing starts at around half past nine. A reef snorkel follows at 10:40, then lunch on the beach and free time on Coral island until 14:50, and the pier at 15:30. Comfort+ here means coffee and tea on board, beer at the pier, Wi-Fi and music, towels and mouthpieces, and wine with ice cream on the way back ([what is Comfort+](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/what-is-comfort-plus)). There is no beach club and no waterslide on this trip. Whether the early start pays for itself is weighed on [is the Racha and Coral sunrise tour worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-sunrise-worth-it). ## The catamaran, and why it skips Coral The catamaran is a different kind of day. It is a two-deck boat with a water slide, an inflatable pool, SUP boards, clear canoes, a bar and music, and it runs only in Comfort+. Hot breakfast is served in a lounge at the pier, Racha Yai is the morning stop, lunch is on Phi Phi Don, and the slide and pool come out at Maiton, where the sunset stop happens on the water rather than on land. The boat is back at 19:00. So the catamaran answers another question: Racha Yai plus Phi Phi on a bigger boat. If Coral island is on your list, it is the wrong boat. The full catamaran day is reviewed on [is the Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran worth it](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/phi-phi-racha-catamaran-worth-it). ## What is included on the two speedboats Speedboat day: hotel transfer both ways, the crossings, lunch on Coral island, mask and snorkel, life jackets, drinking water and soft drinks, fruit on board, medical insurance, a guide and the island entrance fees. Sunrise speedboat: hotel transfer, breakfast boxes, coffee, tea and soft drinks, fruit, lunch on Coral island, national park entrance fees, snorkelling gear, life jackets, insurance and rain ponchos if the weather turns, plus the Comfort+ extras above. Kayaks and paddleboards on Racha Yai are paid on the spot. ## Which one I would book For a first island day with Coral on the list, the standard speedboat, because its timetable is the gentlest. For the clearest water and an empty beach, the sunrise speedboat, as long as a 04:30 pickup will not spoil the rest of your week. The catamaran when Phi Phi matters more than Coral, or when a slide and a pool on board will keep the children happy. If snorkelling is the deciding factor, [Khai island or Racha Yai for snorkelling](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/khai-or-racha-yai-for-snorkelling) compares the water, and [Racha and Coral island tours](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-island-tours) describes the islands themselves. Not sure Racha is the right island at all? [Racha Yai or Phi Phi](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-yai-or-phi-phi) compares it with a Phi Phi day. And if a Krabi day is the other thing on your list, [Coral Island or Krabi](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/coral-island-or-krabi-day-trip) sets the half day against the full one. ## Guide and booking Every tour in our catalogue runs with an English-speaking guide. Send the tour, the date and your hotel in the chat, and the pickup time is confirmed for your hotel. What you do once you're on Racha Yai is on [Racha Yai, Phuket: what to expect](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/racha-yai). The island where you spend that afternoon is described on [Coral Island, Phuket: what to expect](https://phukeo.com/en/guide/coral-island). Booking the catamaran is covered on [how to book the Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/how-to-book-phi-phi-racha-catamaran). Thinking of the far Similans instead of Coral? [Similan Islands or Coral Island](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/similan-or-coral-island) compares the two. For divers in the group, [beginner dive day or snorkelling tour](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/diving-or-snorkelling-day-trip) compares the dive boat with these island days. ## Worth knowing Coral island is only on our speedboats. The catamaran gives Racha Yai the morning and spends the afternoon around Phi Phi. ## FAQ ### Is a speedboat or catamaran better for Racha and Coral Islands? A speedboat. Both of our trips that visit Racha Yai and Coral island are speedboats. The catamaran stops at Racha Yai and then goes to Phi Phi, not Coral, so take it only if Phi Phi is the second island you want. ### What is included in a Racha and Coral Islands speedboat tour? Hotel transfer, the speedboat crossings, lunch on Coral island, mask and snorkel, life jackets, drinking water and soft drinks, fruit, medical insurance, a guide and the island entrance fees. Water sports on Coral island are extra, paid to the beach operators. ### Does the Racha Coral sunrise tour use a speedboat or a catamaran? A speedboat with comfortable seating, run in our Comfort+ format. It leaves at 06:00, passes the sunrise at sea and lands on Racha Yai at 06:40. ### Does the Racha Coral sunrise tour include a beach club and waterslide? No. The afternoon on Coral island is lunch on the beach and free time. The waterslide and the pool are on our Phi Phi and Racha Yai catamaran, which does not go to Coral island. ### What is included in the Racha Yai and Coral Island sunrise tour price? Hotel transfer, breakfast boxes, coffee, tea and soft drinks, fruit, lunch on Coral island, national park fees, snorkelling gear, life jackets and insurance, plus Comfort+: Wi-Fi, music, beer at the pier, towels, wine and ice cream on return. Kayaks and paddleboards are paid on the spot. ### Are Racha and Coral Island speedboat tours suitable for young children? Yes, and the standard speedboat day is the easier of the two: pickup at 08:00–08:30, a crossing of about forty minutes and back by evening. The sunrise trip picks up at 04:30, which is hard on small children. ### How do I book the Racha and Coral speedboat tour? Send the tour, the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in WhatsApp. Pickup is between 08:00 and 08:30 and we confirm the time; payment by card online is agreed in the chat once the booking is confirmed. Children under four travel free. ### How much does the Racha and Coral Islands tour cost for children? Children aged 4 to 9 pay the child price shown in the table on this page, and from ten the adult price applies. Under-fours travel free, without a seat or meals. ### How do I book the Racha Yai and Coral island sunrise tour from Phuket? Send the date, your hotel and everyone's ages in WhatsApp, and say it's the sunrise boat. Pickup is between 04:30 and 05:00 with breakfast boxes, the speedboat leaves at 06:00 and you're back at the pier at 15:30. We confirm the exact pickup time for your hotel. Children under four travel free. ## Compare with - [Racha and Coral Island Tours from Phuket](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-island-tours) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-island-tours.md) - [Speedboat, Big Boat, Catamaran or Longtail: Phuket Boat Tours](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/speedboat-or-big-boat) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/speedboat-or-big-boat.md) - [Racha Yai or Coral Island: Where to Snorkel on a Day from Phuket](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/racha-or-coral-for-snorkeling) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/racha-or-coral-for-snorkeling.md) - [Is the Coral Island Half-Day Trip from Phuket Worth It?](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/coral-island-half-day-trip-worth-it) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/coral-island-half-day-trip-worth-it.md) - [How Much Is a Coral Island Tour from Phuket for a Family?](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/coral-island-tour-price-for-a-family) · [md](https://phukeo.com/en/faq/coral-island-tour-price-for-a-family.md) - [All tours](https://phukeo.com/en/tours) ## How to book [Ask about dates on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/66619490349?text=Hello!%20I%20found%20you%20on%20phukeo.com%20and%20I'd%20like%20to%20book%20%22Racha%3A%20speedboat%20or%20catamaran%22.%20My%20dates%3A%20) --- Canonical: https://phukeo.com/en/excursions/racha-coral-speedboat-or-catamaran