Visit Koh Yao Yai: The 5 Best Things To Do & See

Koh Yao Yai, a sister of Koh Yao Noi, literally means ‘long and large island which is located 31 miles east of Phuket, 22 miles west of Krabi/Ao Nang Town, 20 miles north of Phi Phi Island and 370 miles south of Bangkok.

Nestled in the bay between Phuket and Krabi, this island makes a perfect day trip opportunity if you’re visiting either. Also great for its beaches, Koh Yao Yai has amazing diving and you can enjoy all this for a lower price than on Phuket too! So, what are you waiting for? Are you curious about this beautiful island?

Here, We support for you all the thing you need when you visit Koh Yao Yai So, speaking of things to do, let’s dive into the top things to do in Koh Yao Yai

Things to do in Koh Yao Yai

Explore the island by motorbike

Koh Yao Yai has roads that are good enough to rent a motorbike and explore. Explore the island’s rural landscapes, traditional villages, and stunning viewpoints by motorbike or bicycle. There are not many cars. A good and common option for tourist couples is to rent a motorcycle with a sidecar. This is one of the best things to do in Koh Yao Yai.

Costs: 200 and 300 THB/day.

Koh Yao Yai beaches

If you’re visiting Koh Yao Yai, you probably came for the beaches. There are many activities for you to enjoy. Here are some notable beaches that you must-visit:

Go Snorkeling

Snorkeling is an opportunity to have a view of sea life. Also, it is a perfect opportunity for family and couples to do a fun activity together. Or, if you’re looking for better options, book an excursion to Phi Phi or one of the neighboring islands. There are plenty of boat trips to book, and none are hard to find. Usually, you can book a speedboat or a long-tail boat. The long tail offers a slower but much more enjoyable experience.

Take boat tours to other islands

If you have several days and want to discover other islands around Koh Yao Yai. This is one of the best things to do in Koh Yao Yai. Hanoi Voyages will offer some tours for you to nearby islands such as:

• Koh Phi Phi: The Phi Phi Islands are the most famous in Thailand, and they are definitely worth a visit if you have enough time.
• Koh Yao Noi: Koh Yao Yai’s little sister does not have super paradisiacal beaches, but it is a pleasant island to rent a motorcycle and do some beach hopping.
• Hong Island: Probably another of the most beautiful islands in the country. Its outer beach is as spectacular as the small saltwater inland lake.
• Phang Nga Bay: A spectacular bay filled with limestone formations emerging from the sea. Phang Nga Bay also has some mangrove areas which are ideal for kayaking, as well as the famous Muslim floating village Koh Panyee.

Where to eat in Koh Yao Yai

Koh Yao Yai restaurants

When you visit Koh Yao Yai, you will have a hard time finding too many shops or restaurants. Because Koh Yao has not really developed in terms of tourism. Therefore, we will suggest to foodies a list of restaurants to visit:

• Ban Rim Nam Restaurant is located at Klong Hia Pier with extremely attractive seafood dishes. In addition, you can also find delicious Thai cuisine here. Specifically: Pad Thai, Papaya Salad, Mango Sticky Rice, etc. Another ideal point of Ban Rim Nam restaurant is that it is very attractive to tourists. You can just sit at the restaurant enjoying delicious food, admire the beautiful scenery on the beach with the boats offshore.
• Chan restaurant: This restaurant sells tasty Thai food and can be found in northern Klong Jark, just past Six Senses resort.
• La Luna Pizzeria delivers pizza direct to your Koh Yao Noi resort, or you can visit them at their restaurant just beyond Tha Khao Village.
• La Sala: Located at Koyao Bay Pavilions, is a well-regarded upmarket restaurant in this secluded resort which is perfect for a special occasion if you want to splash some cash.
• Lobster Seafood is worth the fairly long drive to get there along from Lamsai Pier just for the magnificent setting, perched on the cliff edge overlooking the sea

Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai

The main resorts on Koh Yao Yai that you should come:

• Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa: Luxurious tropical hideaway with stunning scenery – great for honeymoons
• Glow Elixir Koh Yao Yai Resort: Tranquil beach resort set along a private bay
• Koh Yao Yai Village Resort: Boutique hideaway surrounded by a sub tropical forest and paddy fields.
• Baan Taranya Resort: Only 10 rooms, wood-paneled and intimate
• Thiwson Beach Resort: Charming natural style cottages right on the beach
• Betterview Bed Breakfast and Bungalow: Only 5 well appointed bungalows with access to private beach

Koh Yao Yai Transportation

Choose a suitable transportation for your trip to Koh Yao Yai. Here,we have some suggestions for you, based on the experience of our experts.

Phuket to Koh Yao Yai

By Boat/Ferry

Koh Yao Sun Smile is a great alternative as they have three speedboats from Phuket to Koh Yao Yai per day. These include a morning departure at 09:30, lunchtime departure at 13:30, and an early evening departure at 17:00. You just take about 20 minutes to Koh Yao Yai by speedboat and high-speed ferries.

Krabi to Koh Yao Yai

You also can travel by ferry or speedboat. Krabi is about 30 km east of Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi, so it takes about one hour.

How to move around Koh Yao Yai

To move around the island, tuktuk, motorbike and bike are used to rent for hours:

Tuktuk

Tuk tuk is a vehicle that you can easily find everywhere in Thailand. And so is this island of Koh Yao. Coming to Koh Yao, you can use a tuk tuk to explore attractive tourist destinations at a low cost. If you go in a large group, you can also use a tuk tuk to move around.

Motorbike

With a motorbike, you will easily reach your desired destination at any time. Moreover, you will also save quite a bit of money if you ride a motorbike. There will be many gas stations along the way, so you don’t have to worry about finding a gas station or walking along the road.

Bike

There is nothing like cycling on this romantic island of Koh Yao. You just need to rent bicycles at hotels, homestays where you stay and cycle around the city. With a bike, you’ll have a really comfortable and relaxing ride to the serenity of Thailand!

Boat/Cano

You can use these types of vehicles if you have experience to explore the neighboring islands. With ships, boats, canoes, you will move easily to the island of your choice. Or stop in the middle of the ocean for a swim in the cool water. At the same time, with this type of vehicle, you will also easily find a place to dive to see cute sea creatures or catch fish with fishermen.

Koh Yao Yai Weather: The best time to visit Koh Yao Yai

If you want to see the best views of Koh Yao. You need to know when is the best time to travel here. Koh Yao Yai basically has two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season

• Rainy season (May-October): The weather in Koh Yao at this time is extremely wet, raining a lot and the air is not very fresh. If you plan to do the tour around this time. You need to pay attention to bring the necessary luggage for the rainy season. Like a quick-drying raincoat with umbrellas and raincoats.
• Dry season (November-April): In the dry and rainy season, from November to April next year. The weather in Koh Yao is cool, there is no rain. And the atmosphere is extremely comfortable for the day off. If you plan to go in the dry season, you should book travel services such as hotels, boats as well as day trips. Also at this time, Koh Yao is in the peak season and very crowded with tourists. Remember to bring your belongings and prepare your schedule. As well as accurate calculation when traveling in peak season.

So I recommend that January and February are the best months to visit Koh Yao Yai since these months see the least rainfall during the year. December and March are good alternative months, despite the prospect of some additional rainfall.

Some necessary tips before going

Prepare everything carefully before having a wonderful trip. Hanoi Voyages, with experience of our experts, will give you some necessary tips. Hope these tips are useful for you!

• Check the weather in Koh Yao Noi, choose the right time to go to Koh Yao and limit going in the rainy season. Because when it rains, tourism and entertainment services in Koh Yao are also closed.
• If you still want to go in the rainy season to cut costs. You must prepare suitable luggage for the rainy season
• After choosing a suitable travel date, you should plan in detail and book your flight tickets in advance. In addition to airfare, transportation to Koh Yao also needs to be carefully planned.
• According to the hotel, the resort will provide a shuttle service from the port to the hotel. Therefore, you should ask the receptionist carefully about the service .
• Remember to bring a hat and umbrella
• Don’t forget to exchange money and buy 4g sim before coming to the island.