Why Rawai Is South Phuket's Most Underrated Neighbourhood — And Where to Eat When You Get There

Everyone knows about Patong. Most people have heard of Kata and Karon. But ask the people who actually live in Phuket where they spend their time, and a disproportionate number will say the same thing: south. Rawai. Down where it's quieter, more local, and genuinely more interesting.

If you haven't explored this end of the island yet, here's your invitation — and your dining recommendation while you're at it.

What Makes Rawai Different

Rawai sits at the southern tip of Phuket, flanked by Nai Harn to the west and Chalong to the north. It's not a tourist zone in the traditional sense. There's no strip of souvenir shops or thumping clubs. What there is: a working seafood pier, a strong expat community, incredible local food, a relaxed pace, and some of the most genuine experiences the island has to offer.

The beach at Rawai is rocky and shallow — not ideal for swimming, which is partly why it never got overdeveloped. Instead it became a village. One with personality.

Nai Harn and Beyond

Just a short drive from Rawai, Nai Harn beach is one of the best on the island — calm, beautiful, and far less crowded than its northern counterparts. Combine a morning at Nai Harn with an evening in Rawai and you have a day that most tourists flying into Phuket will miss entirely.

The area also offers access to Promthep Cape (sunset views that are worth the crowd), local markets, muay thai gyms, yoga studios, and a network of restaurants and cafes that serve the year-round community rather than the package holiday circuit.

Where to Eat in Rawai

The dining scene in Rawai leans local and unpretentious, with some serious quality hidden in unassuming spots. Street food, seafood restaurants at the pier, and neighbourhood Thai joints make up the backbone of the local food scene.

For an evening that goes beyond dinner into something more complete, Groov Gastrobar is where south Phuket's dining scene gets genuinely exciting. Located at Soi Raengkla 1, it's the kind of place where locally sourced ingredients meet international technique, premium steaks share a menu with creative cocktails, and from 8 PM the DJ sets the tempo for the rest of the night.

It's not trying to be a tourist restaurant. It's a venue built for people who live well and eat intentionally — which is exactly the spirit of Rawai itself.

The Case for Staying South

If you're planning a Phuket trip and weighing your base options, the south deserves serious consideration. The lifestyle is slower, the community is warmer, and the quality of life — measured in sunsets, good food, and evenings that don't feel rushed — is higher than almost anywhere else on the island.

Rawai is that rare thing: a place that's been discovered by the right people and not yet ruined by the wrong ones. Come for the beach, stay for the neighbourhood, and end the evening at Groov.

📍 Groov Gastrobar — 39/123 Soi Raengkla 1, Rawai, Phuket | Open daily 6 PM–1 AM 📞 +66 98-686-3787