Koh Yao Noi (the long small island) is one of two, Koh Yao Yai (the long big island) being the other. Sat in the Andaman Sea, in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, the islands are easily reachable from Krabi or Phuket.
Koh Yao Noi is a gem of an island that we discovered via another blog. Its culture is very different to other parts of Thailand as 99% of the inhabitants are Muslim and as soon as you arrive, you sense the calmness. It doesn’t currently attract the throngs of tourists you see on other islands. It has a calm and assured quiet about it. The quiet, simple road structure means that it is easy to get around the island by bike, moped or local taxi. If you are looking for beach parties and loud bars, Koh Yao Noi isn’t for you. If you are looking for desert island beaches, quiet sunsets and thatched beach bars – this is a lovely antidote to other parts of your travels. It reminds us of Koh Samui 30 plus years ago. Amble along white sands, stop for some homemade food, a cold beer, followed by a massage at a beach bar and go for a revitalising swim in the sea.
What to do on Koh Yao Noi
Most people come to Koh Yao Noi to relax at the start/end of the holiday or for the duration. Its serenity means that it is the ideal place to do this. Relax by the pool, swim in the sea, do some yoga, walk and explore. You can hire a private longtail boat to explore other islands or simply hire a bike (cycle or scooter).
We stayed for three nights at the end of our trip and loved the contrast to other busier spots. This gave us enough time to relax, read, swim and cycle. However, just outside, along a beautiful beach were some quirky and thoroughly civilised restaurants and cafes. Our definite recommendations would be:
- Rice Paddyrestaurant – overlooking the beach, this restaurant gets booked up quickly, so book. We couldn’t get in on our first night there and had to come back the following day. I can honestly say this was the best food we had in all of our travels in Thailand during this whole trip – incredible food and brilliant service. They also have wonderful wines by the glass – a rare event in most Thai restaurants.
- Sai Restaurant and BarThis is a relatively new restaurant and bar and is a wonderful place to spend a relaxing evening. The owner is exceptionally knowledgeable and attentive – his cocktails are incredible – and treat yourself to the homemade coconut ice cream on a hot afternoon. The restaurant and bar is on the beach front – with seating on the beach and a well designed area in the restaurant to eat, drink and relax.
Accommodation on Koh Yao Noi
This is a small, untouristy island, so it’s important that you book early so that you can find somewhere that suits your requirements and accommodation budget. We treated ourselves to quite an expensive hotel as a ‘treat’ in our accommodation budget. This was a mistake – while our room was incredible, the infinity pool looking out over the ocean magical – the pool area and restaurant felt like we were in an old people’s home. There was no atmosphere, the cocktails were the poorest we had had – in plastic beakers – and the general feel of the place dull. In reality, there are some lovely places to stay on the island that don’t break the bank – so book early. Unless you are wedded to sitting poolside – a pool isn’t necessary on Koh Yao Noi. Instead, find somewhere near one of the beaches – they are beautiful and the sea wonderful for a swim. The handful of beach bars sell great food, with wonderful views.
Travelling to and from Koh Yao Noi
It is straightforward to get to the island from the mainland, other islands and Phuket. Speedboats transport locals and tourists alike. It’s easy to book either online or via one of the numerous tourist travel cabins. Different companies operate these speedboats – so check prices and timetables.
The dock we arrived and departed from on Koh Yao Noi, was pretty basic – think one small ticket office and a sheltered area. Before we arrived, we had no idea how we would get to the hotel. However, on arrival, as we disembarked and collected our bags (these are stored on the front of the speedboat), we noticed a range of ‘taxi trucks’ lined up. All passengers were asked which hotel they were staying at and directed to a different taxi. Then each taxi departed and dropped us at our hotel for a small fee – cash of course. These taxis are basically small trucks with wooden benches in the back – so great fun and a great way to see some of the island. The island is small – so journeys are relatively short. We asked our hotel to book our onward travel to Phuket. This had worked seamlessly in other places. We had treated ourselves to an expensive hotel so thought they would be very keen to offer us this basic service. They offered to do so, but four times more expensive than booking online – even though the hotel had its own shuttle bus. We were actually quite annoyed by the unashamedly extortionate price tag and declined. Instead, we asked them to call us a local taxi and we booked our ferry crossing online instead. It was the principle not the price!
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. 