Long before Phuket's tourism industry existed, the island's coastline was home to the Chao Ley — "sea gypsies" — indigenous seafaring communities living a largely maritime, semi-nomadic existence.
Who they are
Two main groups are found in the Phuket area: the Urak Lawoi, settled in fixed coastal villages (notably at Rawai and on Koh Siray), and the more nomadic Moken, traditionally living aboard boats across the wider Andaman region.
Where to see this today
The Urak Lawoi village at Rawai remains an active fishing community rather than a museum piece — visitors can see boats, nets and daily fishing life firsthand, though it's worth remembering this is someone's home, not a staged attraction. The seafood market at Rawai, covered in our area guide, sits right alongside this community.
2004 tsunami note
Sea gypsy communities' traditional knowledge of the ocean was widely credited with helping some villages recognise the warning signs of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and move to higher ground before it struck — see our tsunami awareness guide for the safety infrastructure that's followed since.
Visiting respectfully
The same etiquette covered in our broader local etiquette guide applies here specifically — this is a living community, not a cultural performance, and treating it that way matters.