Koh Yao Noi

Ideal stay

3-4 nights

The vibe

Flat lanes, karst views, quiet

From our guides

1. 01

   Cycling the island

   Flat lanes through rubber and rice make this one of the few Thai islands better on a bicycle than a scooter. A loop takes a morning.

2. 02

   Phang Nga Bay by kayak

   Sea kayaks reach the karst islands offshore, including hongs, the collapsed cave lagoons you can only paddle into at the right tide.

3. 03

   Pasai and Klong Jark beaches

   The main east-coast beaches, shallow and tidal, with karst views offshore and long stretches of firm sand at low water.

4. 04

   Koh Yao Yai

   The bigger, quieter sister island a short boat ride south, with better beaches and even less going on.

5. 05

   Village life

   Fishing villages, mosques and rubber tapping at dawn make up the island's daily fabric, and homestays are a common way to see it.

6. 06

   Sunrise over the karsts

   The east-facing coast puts the bay's limestone towers straight into the sunrise, which is worth setting one alarm for on an otherwise lazy few days.

1. Fly to

   Phuket (HKT)

   Nearest airport to Koh Yao Noi, about 34km away as the crow flies.

2. Then

   To Koh Yao Noi

   From Phuket (HKT) it is about forty minutes by road to Bang Rong pier, then roughly half an hour by speedboat or an hour by longtail across Phang Nga Bay. Boats also run from Krabi's Ao Thalane.

3. On the ground

   Getting around

   A single quiet coast road circles the island. The flat terrain suits bicycles, and scooters, motorbike taxis and hotel pick-ups cover longer trips; longtails are hired for the bay's karst islands.

Public transport: Very little. Motorbike taxis meet the boats, but a bicycle or scooter is how most people get about.

Family homestays, small locally owned resorts and a couple of high-end hideaways. This is a conservative Muslim island, so there are no beach bars, clubs or chains.

• Best base overall

  Tha Khao and the east coast

  The main strip of small resorts and homestays facing the karst towers of Phang Nga Bay, close to the pier and the village. The tide goes a long way out, so swimming is timed.

  Find stays in Tha Khao and the east coast →
• Best with children

  Pasai Beach

  A wide, shallow, sheltered beach in the south with a few relaxed resorts and safe cycling on the flat coastal lane. Low tide leaves mudflats rather than a swimming beach.

  Find stays in Pasai Beach →
• Quietest

  Klong Jark Bay

  A green corner of the north-east with a scatter of bungalows and a mangrove-fringed shoreline. There is very little to eat outside your own resort after dark.

  Find stays in Klong Jark Bay →
• Best value

  Koh Yao Yai

  The larger, less developed sister island a short longtail ride away, where rooms cost less and the beaches are emptier. Facilities are thinner and transport takes planning.

  Find stays in Koh Yao Yai →

Worth knowing before you book: Alcohol is limited and dress is modest away from the beach. High season runs November to April, and the smaller resorts often ask for bank transfer rather than card.

Getting there

Longtails and speedboats run from Bang Rong pier on Phuket and from Krabi, taking roughly 30 to 45 minutes depending on the boat.

Etiquette

This is a conservative Muslim island. Cover up away from the beach, keep swimwear to the sand and be discreet with alcohol.

Tides

East coast beaches go out a long way at low tide, which turns swimming into a timing exercise. Check the tide table each morning.

Cash

There is a cash machine or two in the main village, but many places take cash only. Bring baht from the mainland.

Timing

November to April is dry and calm. May to October brings rain and choppier crossings.

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