Phuket: Aeolos Catamaran to Coral & Racha Islands + Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (137 reviews) 91% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/26

Duration8h

GroupUp to 22

LanguagesEN · TH +1

PickupAt your hotel

Turquoise water, two islands, one boat that doesn't feel crowded

You board a catamaran limited to 22 guests, snorkel two islands with equipment and guidance included, paddleboard or slide between stops, eat a Thai buffet lunch on deck, and fish at sunset near Promthep Cape before returning to your hotel. Hotel pickup and drop-off are part of it, so you don't arrange transport or timing yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Phuket island tour and sunset cruise

Hotel pickup by driver
Depart from pier to Coral Island
Arrive at Coral Island
Optional water activities or explore
Snorkel near Coral Island
Buffet lunch on board
Arrive at Racha Island White Sand Beach
Free beach activities or ATV ride
Snorkel near Racha Island
Board ship and start return journey
Pass Promthep Cape and fish
Enjoy sunset on board
Arrive at pier and transfer to hotel

The Experience

The catamaran Aeolos sits low in the water, dual net decks stretched wide, and you're standing on one of them as Phuket's coastline shrinks behind. Twenty-two people total—not forty, not sixty—which means you can actually move, actually breathe, actually see the reef without someone's shoulder in your shot. The boat leaves the pier at 9:30am after hotel pickup, and by 10:30 you're anchored off Coral Island, the water so clear you can see the bottom from the deck. Snorkeling here happens in two sessions, first around 11:40 and again later near Racha Yai, and the guide hands out masks and snorkels that don't feel like they came from a bin—they're part of what you pay for, along with the life jackets and towels.

Lunch arrives on board around 12:40, a Thai buffet spread that includes curry, stir-fried tofu, morning glory, and fruit that tastes like it was cut this morning. You eat on the deck or inside, depending on the sun, and there's no rush because the boat isn't moving. After that, you head to Racha Yai Island, where the water shifts from clear to turquoise and the beach is white sand that doesn't have vendors working it. Free time on the beach, or you can paddleboard out, or use the glass-bottom boat to see fish without getting wet. There's a three-meter waterslide off the back of the boat if you want it. The whole day is structured so nothing costs extra once you're aboard—no upsell, no "special activity fee"—which changes how you move through it.

Around 16:20, the boat turns back toward Phuket and passes Promthep Cape as the light starts to go gold. Handline fishing happens here, the kind where you hold a line and feel for the tug, and someone on the crew knows the stories of the coast. By 18:10 you're back at the pier, and the driver takes you to your hotel by 18:30. The whole day runs about ten hours door to door, and you're tired in the way that means you were actually in the water, actually moving, not sitting in a tour bus watching other people have the experience.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off across Phuket.
snorkeling equipment (masks, snorkels, life jackets, towels).
paddleboards.
glass-bottom boat or kayak.
3-meter waterslide.
handline fishing.
Thai buffet lunch with curry, stir-fried tofu, morning glory, and tropical fruits.
soft drinks, water, and watermelon at sunset.
English or Mandarin-speaking guide.
insurance.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Seven Plus Travel

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want a full island day without the crowds or hidden costs—the 22-person limit and all-inclusive pricing mean you're not negotiating extras or dodging vendors. Plan for a long day out (roughly 10 hours door to door), which is what lets you visit two islands, snorkel twice, and catch the sunset without rushing.