Koh Yao is a beautiful group of islands located just a 30 minute boat ride from the popular Phuket. In the article, I’ll show you my itinerary for 3-4 days in Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi and my opinion on how many days in Koh Yao is enough.
Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi are located just 10 minute long tail boat rides from each other. There is no road connecting these two islands. These islands are known for their serene atmosphere, and beautiful beaches.
It is a great place to visit, relaxing away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby islands such as Phuket. From Koh Yao, you can do island hopping to Koh Hong, Jame Bond island, or Nok island.
How Many Days in Koh Yao Yai and Noi is enough?
I spent 3 nights in Koh Yao Yai and believed that it was enough time to see the main attractions and enjoy the beaches. I spent a full day exploring Koh Yao Yai, 1 full day exploring Koh Yao Noi, and a half day trip to Koh Hong and Nok island.
I rented a motorbike, so it was easy to travel around each island. If you don’t rent a scooter, you’ll need to pick a beach that you spend most of the time to stay in. To get around, you’ll need to rent a private songthaew by asking your hotel, and it can be very expensive.
Here are some things to do In Koh Yao and how long the spend in each place:
#1. Koh Yao Yai. This island is less developed but bigger than Koh Yao Noi. I spent 1.5 days on Koh Yao Yai exploring each beach, swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the sunset. Popular beaches on Yao Yai are Son Beach, Loh Pared, Loh Jark, Ao Muong, Ao Sai, Hin Kong, and Laem Had Beach.
#2. Koh Yao Noi. This island is smaller than Yao Yai but has more tourist facilities such as restaurants and bars. I took a day trip to Yao Noi from Yao Yai and was able to drive around the island, and do beach hopping. Famous beaches on Yao Noi are Pasai Beach, Klong Jark, Tha Khao, and Long Beach.
#3. Day trip to Koh Hong, Koh Nok, or Jame Bond island. From Koh Yai, you can easily book boat tours to nearby islands such as Koh Hong, Koh Nok, or Jame Bond island. These are known for its beautiful beaches with white sand and crystal clear water.
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Getting to Koh Yao Yai and Noi:
There are no airports on Koh Yao Noi and Yai. The only way to reach the island is by boat. The closest airport to these islands is Phuket international airport. From the airport, you can take a 20 minute taxi ride to Bang Rong Pier and a 30 minute speed boat ride to Koh Yao.
Main pier on Yao Yai is Chong Lard Pier and on Yao Noi is Manoh Pier. There are motorbike rentals and songthaews services around these piers, which is convenient if you want to rent a scooter immediately after getting off the boat.
Getting Around Koh Yao Yai and Noi:
The best way to explore Koh Yao Yai and Noi is perhaps renting a scooter. There is no public transportation or riding share servers such as Grab or Bolt on these islands.
If you don’t drive, you can hire a private songthaew or take a tour. I didn’t see many songthaew drivers around, mostly around the piers. You can ask your accommodation to arrange transport for you.
For those who don’t plan to rent a motorbike, I recommend staying in a beach area that you want to spend time the most and easily get to restaurants on foot. In this case, Koh Yao Noi is a better choice than Koh Yao Yai. You’ll have more restaurant choices within some popular beaches on Yao Noi.
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Best places to stay in Koh Yao:
I based myself for 3 nights on Koh Yao and took a day trip to Koh Yao Noi. I stayed in Chong Lard Pier area which is one of the main areas of Yao Yai. This area is home to one of the two 7-11 convenience stores on Yao Yai. There are just a few restaurants in Chong Lard area.
Other popular places and beaches to stay on Koh Yao Yai include Son Bay Beach, Loh Pared Beach, Loh Jark Beach, and Hinkong Beach.
In Koh Yao Noi, I recommend staying in the areas near Pasai Beach, Klong Jark, and Tha Khao Beach. These areas are located close to each other on the east side of the islands. You can find several restaurants, bars, massage shops along the beach road.
If you don’t plan to rent a scooter, I recommend staying in Koh Yao Noi in the popular beach areas such as Pasai Beach or Klong Jark beach. This is because you’ll have easier access to restaurants on foot than in Yao Noi or other remote areas on Yao Noi.
See more:
- Best places to stay in Koh Yao Yai
- Best Places to stay in Koh Yao Noi
- Should You Stay in Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai?
Best time visit Koh Yao:
Like many other parts of Thailand, the best time to visit Koh Yao (Yai and Noi) is the dry season, which is from November to April.
I visited this island in mid January, the weather was quite nice with sunny days. There was little rain one afternoon and a big rain for a couple of hours in the evening, but it didn’t affect my travel plan.
The downside of the dry season is that accommodation is quite expensive and is often sold out. I recommend that you book in advance to have the best options.
The rainy season is from May to October. The sea is not in its best condition for swimming all the time, but you can have some good accommodations and tours.
Here my 3-4 days in Koh Yao Yai and Noi itinerary:
How to spend 3-4 days in Koh Yao Yai & Noi Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and sunset at Loh Pared Beach
I came to Koh Yao Yai from Koh Phi Phi Don. The speed boat departed at 11am at Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don and arrived at Chong Lard Pier on Koh Yao Yai at 1.20pm. The boat stopped at Manoh Pier on Koh Yao Noi at 1.15pm before terminating at Koh Yao Yai.
Chong Lard Pier
Chong Lard Pier, located on the north of Koh Yao Yai, is one of the four main piers on Koh Yao Yai. Other piers are Klong Hia, Laem Yai and Loh Jark.
Chong Lard Pier is a long pier. If you don’t take Songthaew, you will need to walk for 600m to get to the main road. This pier is also a place where you can take a long tail boat to get to Koh Yao Noi.
You can find a restaurant, called Dang Paradise Food, near the pier, which is convenient to grab some food before and after the boat ride. There are also a couple of good motorbike rental shops on the road to the pier.
I stayed in Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai, around 10-15 minutes walk from the pier. I walked around for 5 minutes, then a lady gave me free transfer to my hotel on her songthaew. That was very helpful because It was very hot and I was a bit tired after the boat.
Lunch at Dang Paradise Food
This place is the closest restaurant to my hostel. This is a family-run hotel and popular place to eat near the pier. I had lunch here. I ordered steamed rice and a noodle chicken salad. It is not really my taste but you don’t have many other restaurants within walking distance.
The owner is very nice and friendly. I rented a motorbike from him. He also dropped off other guests to the piers for free after meals.
Sunset at Loh Pared Beach
Loh Pared Beach is a nice beach located on the west coast of the island and is a great place to watch the sunset. This beach is located 30 minutes drive south of Chong Lard Pier.
Loh Pared is lined with several beachfront resorts, restaurants, beach clubs, and bars. You can find bed chairs, umbrellas, and bean bags on the beach. There are other restaurants, mini marts, and souvenir shops on the road to the beach.
Many people gather at Loh Pared at sunset time. I spent 30 minutes at the beach, and tried to get back to my hostel before it got too dark. I don’t recommend driving in the dark. It’s a safe island but it’s best to avoid it in unfamiliar areas.
Dinner at Chong Lard
I had dinner in Baan Chong Lard at a local restaurant opposite 7-11. I tried steamed rice with Thai-style egg. There weren’t many restaurants in the area.
Another choice is the Muslimah Restaurant 2, a few minutes walk from 7-11. It was raining very heavily for around an hour while I was at the restaurant.
Day 2: One full day Driving around Koh Yao Yai
On my 2nd day on Koh Yao Yai, I drove around the island and went beach shopping. I visited Hua Lam Haad Beach, Son Beachm Loh Pared Beach, Loh Jark Beach, Ao Muong, Ao Sai, and Hinkong Beach.
Hua Lam Haad Beach
Hua Lam Haad Beach is a quiet beach located in the northern part of Koh Yao Yai, in Ban Chong Lard. The beach is very long with crystal clear water, white fine sand, and views of Koh Yao Noi.
You can walk on the sandbank very far toward the sea at low tide. It is a good place for swimming at high tide and you can spot many fishes. This is also a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
Koh Yao Yai Viewpoint
This viewpoint is located right on the main road between Chong Lard Pier and Klong Hia Pier. You’ll need to climb up for a few minutes to reach the viewpoint. The starting point of the trail is next to Laanmaye restaurant.
The viewpoint has a nice view of Chong Lard Pier and Koh Yao Noi. The wooden house viewpoint flatform is quite old and not very well maintained, so be careful if you step on it.
Klong Hia Pier
Klong Hia Pier is a popular pier located in North Koh Yao Yai and is 10 minutes drive from Chong Lard Pier. There are just a couple motorbike rental shops, a restaurant and a batik shop on the road to the pier.
After Klong Hia Pier, I drove around, on the dirt roads, got lost inside the rubber plantations and then the kayak station for kayaking in the mangrove forest.
The road in between the rubber trees is sometimes quite difficult to drive with lots of big rocks. I got stuck at a slope but managed to get out of it. I wouldn’t recommend venturing too far off the beaten path, as there will be no one there to help you if something happens.
Klong Son Beach
Klong Son Beach is a tranquil beach in the west coast of Koh Yao Yai, 15 minute drive from Klong Hia Pier. The beach is long with white fine sand, crystal clear water, and lots of shade. There are sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach at the Klong Son Thai food bar and restaurant.
After the beach, you can drive on the dirt red road to head to South Koh Yao Yai to Loh Pared Beach and Loh Jark Beach. You can spot some hidden beaches along the way on Son Bay.
These hidden beaches are very quiet with just a few people, ideal for relaxing, swimming, and sunbathing. It has yellow fine sand with some rocks on the beach. You can park a motorbike on the side of the road and walk to the beach.
Loh Pared Beach
Loh Pared Beach is a popular beach located on the south west coast of Koh Yao Yai. There are several beach resorts located here. This area has more restaurants than other parts of Koh Yao Yai. It is a great place for watching the sunset and I visited this beach on my first day on the island.
Loh Jark Beach
Loh Jark Beach is a peaceful beach located south of Loh Pared Beach, just a few minutes drive away. There are some beach restaurants and bars around Loh Jark Pier. If you walk further from the pier, you can have the whole beach yourself.
Ao Muong Beach
Ao Muong Beach is a small beach, located south of Loh Jark Beach. It is accessible through a dirt sandy road. There is a sign on the main road showing the way to Ao Muong Beach.
This beach has fine sand with black rock and crystal clear water. There is one restaurant/bar on the beach where you can order food and drink and use the bedchairs and beach swings. You can also bring your own beach mat with you. There are lots of shades on the beach.
At many places along Loh Pai Lai River, you can rent a kayak or boat ride along the mangrove forest.
Ao Sai Beach
This beach is located on the south east coast of Koh Ao Yai and easily accessible through both paved roads and small parts of the dirt road. There were monkeys in the parking lot, so be careful, don’t keep food or bananas inside the scooter.
The beach is clean and quiet, good for chill and sunbathing. There are some big rocks around it and some dead corals on the sand.
You can rent bed chairs, order drinks, snacks at the bar but always ask the price first, otherwise, you will be charged a special price. The smoothies are not from fresh fruits, it is just syrup.
On the way back to the main road, you can drive south to the local fishing village. It has nice views of surroundings and you can eat at Sea View Laem Laan restaurant.
Hinkong Beach
Hinkong Beach is a beautiful quiet beach on the east coast of the island, located just south of Laem Had Beach. There are just several resorts on the beach, creating a peaceful atmosphere. You can see more locals at the pier area around late afternoon chilling on the beach. You can find a couple of restaurants, massage shops on the road to the piers.
Day 3: Day trip to Koh Yao Noi from Koh Yao Yai
I spent my 3rd on Koh Yao taking the day trip from Koh Yao Yai to Koh Yao Noi. I drove around the island and visited Laem Yang, Pasai Beach, Klong Jark, Tha Khao, and Long Beach.
When I rented a motorbike, I asked the owner’s permission to bring a scooter to Koh Yao Yai, and he agreed. Lots of other rental shops will not allow you to do this, so read the contract and ask the owner if you want to bring the scooter to other islands.
Long tail boat ride Koh Yao Yai to Koh Yao Noi
To get to Koh Yao Noi from Koh Yao Yai, I drove to Chong Lard Pier and asked the boatmans taking me to Koh Yao Noi. As I remembered, the price was 250 baht for me and my scooter on the private boat.
It can be cheaper if you just get the boat to Koh Yao Noi then rent a motorbike there. But it is not guaranteed that the shops will have an available scooter for you, especially in the high season.
Manoh Pier
Manoh Pier is the main pier of Koh Yao Noi where speed boats from other islands like Phuket or Koh Phi Phi arrive. You can find motorbike rental shops within walking distance from the boat arrival area.
Laem Yang Cape and The Hideout Beach
From Manoh Pier, I drove to Laem Yang, the west end point of Koh Yao Noi. This area has a mangrove forest and views of Koh Yao Yai. It was a nice ride on quiet roads, passing the main village and the rubber plantations.
You can have a look at Hideout Beach Near Laem Yang. It is a secluded beach with shades, but I visited during low tide, just sand and rocks.
Rim Thalae Village and Laem Sai Pier
Laem Sai Pier is located in the south part of Koh Yao Noi and where the ferry departs to Krabi. You can take a longtail boat from here to Koh Yao Yai.
Rim Thalae Village is located between the main village (Thakhai Village) and Laem Sai Pier. There are several guest houses, hotels, restaurants, and bars on the road to the pier.
Pasai Beach
Pasai Beach is a popular beach town located on the east coast of Koh Yao Noi, only a 10-15 minute drive from Manoh Pier. The beach is a great place for swimming and sunbathing. There are a range of restaurants, bars, hotels, and massage shops located on the beach road.
You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach as well as use the shades at pine and palm trees. You can check out the lady who sells honey grilled chicken and sticky rice on the beach for a reasonable price.
Klong Jark Beach
Klong Jark Beach is another nice beach located north of Pasai Beach, just a few minutes drive along the beach road. It is a long nice beach with lots of hotels, resorts, villas along the main road. The beach has stunning views of the sea and striking limestone mountains.
Six Senses Beach
I found this secluded beach on the Map, and tried to access it through a small dirt road, but it was all blocked by a fence. I didn’t find the path to it, so I skipped.
Tha Khao Beach and Waterfall
Tha Khao Beach is the long beach, north of Klong Jark beach. There are several resorts, bars, and restaurants in the Tha Khao area. I checked out the Stella restaurant, which has stunning views of Koh Nui and the sea. There was a sandbank connecting Yao Noi with this island at low tide.
You can check Tha Khao Waterfall, located 5 minutes drive from the beach. When I visited in mid January, there was no stream or water at this small waterfall.
Tha Khao Pier, Hornbill view point, and hidden beaches
Tha Khao Pier is a nice area with several riverfront restaurants and cafes. The Batik workshop is right at the pier, and is a great place to learn batik printing.
You can park a scooter at the pier, walk on the white bridge, and climb stairs to reach an abandoned pavilion called Hornbill view point. It has stunning views of the bay. From the viewpoint, you can follow the stair walk down to a secluded hidden beach.
Little Long Beach
Little Long Beach is a nice quiet beach with yellow coarse sand, clean water, and lots of shades. The beach is located on the north east coast of the island, easily accessible through a small dirt road. It has stunning views of Phang Nga Bay.
There were no beach facilities at Little Long Beach, you can head to the nearby Long Beach for drinks and food.
Long Beach
Long Beach is located just a few minutes drive from Little Long Beach. This one is busier than Little Long Beach, home to a beach bar and restaurant that also offer sunbeds, chairs, and tables.
Big tree and Mankei Bay
I tried to access the Big tree on the scooter through “Mountain Road Scenic Viewpoint” on Google Maps. The drive between the rubber plantations was nice, with some curse roads along the way. I stopped at this point when the road was uphill and divided into two smaller parts.
Tha Tondo Pier and Fisherman Village
THis place is located on the middle east coast and is a nice place to eat seafood with views of the water and the mangrove forests. I took a quick walk on the pier and headed back to the main village to get the last boats to Koh Yao Yai.
The ride from Tha Tondo to the main village was nice, passing the mangrove and the rice fields with lots of buffalos on the fields.
Long tail boats from Koh Yao Noi to Koh Yao Yai
I arrived at the piers and saw locals waiting to have enough people for the boat to depart. The boatman saw me and charged me 250 baht (including a scooter) and shared the boat with other people.
I knew that I was overcharged but for some reason I said yes. Maybe I was too retired after a day driving around and just wanted to come back to the hostel quickly. In the morning, on the way from Yao Yai to Yao Noi, I paid 250 baht for a private boat.
Laem Had Beach for sunset
Laem Had Beach is one of the best places to watch the sunset. It has a very peaceful atmosphere with white sand and calm water. You can take a leisure stroll along the sandbank.
Day 4: Day Trip to Koh Hong and Nok Island
On my 4th day on Koh Yao Yai, I took joint boat trips to Koh Hong islands and Koh Nok. After the boat trip, I took a speed boat to Phuket.
I booked a Koh Hong tour with my hotel. The driver picked me up around 9am, then we headed to Chong Lard Pier. We were transferred to a long tail boat at the pier. There were a total of 7 people on the boat including the boatman.
It was a nice boat ride with stunning views of the sea and limestone mountains. The boatman stopped at Koh Han Tu after a 45 minute ride for some photos at a cave.
Koh Pakbia & Rai Island
We reached Koh Pakbia at 10am. The boatman asked if we wanted to stop at the small beach or the long beach. We went to the smaller beach, which is less crowded than the long beach.
The boat docked at Rai Island, which is right next to Koh Pakbia. The beach has crystal clear shallow water with yellow coarse sand and lots of shades. We spent 45 minutes here swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying the views.
Snorkeling at Koh Pak Ka
Next stop is at Koh Pak Ka. The boat man provides snorkeling equipment for those who want to snorkel. A few of us stay on the boat waiting for other people. We spent 20-30 at this spot.
Koh Hong (Beach, Viewpoint, and Lagoon)
We arrived at Koh Hong Pier around 11.30pm. The boatman gave us a lunch box to bring to the island. The lunch and entrance ticket was included on the tour.
We walked on the long blue floating pier to get to the beach. The two bay areas on Hong island. One is for the boat dock and another one is for swimming and snorkeling.
Koh Hong beach is very beautiful with white sand, crystal clear water, and is surrounded by limestone mountains. You can see colorful fish above the water. It was quite crowded when we arrived at mid-day.
There is a restaurant, ice-cream shop, and toilet near the beach. You can take a short walk at the natural trail, around 10-15 minutes through the peaceful jungle.
Hong island 360° View point
This viewpoint is located on the hilltop of Hong island, around 45 minutes up the stairs (according to the tourist information site). It actually took me 20 minutes to reach the top.
There are several viewing platforms on the way to the top. The top viewpoint has 360° views of the sea, the striking limestones, and Hong island Beach. We spent 2 hours at the beach and viewpoint, but still felt we needed more time.
Hong Lagoon
We got back to the pier, got on the boat, and headed to Hong Lagoon. The boatman said that it is accessible by longtail boat only during mid/high tide. Hong Lagoon is beautiful with emerald water and encircled by limestone mountain with only one way to go in and out.
The boatman asked if we wanted to snorkel here, but we all decided to skip it and just take photos.
Nok Island
The last stop on the boat trip is Nok island, located 20 minutes by boat from Hong Lagoon. We stopped at Nok island for 30 minutes. Some people swim, sunbathe, rest, while I climb to the top of the mountain.
The hike was quite steep with ropes along the way. The top has nice views of the sea and the beaches of Nok island below. It took me 20 minutes to climb up and down and take some photos at the top.
We got back to Chong Lard Pier around 2.30pm, and were transferred to a songthaew to get to the hostel.
Boat from Chong Lard Pier to Phuket
My hotel’s owner gave me a lift to Chong Lard Pier to catch the boat at 3pm. We arrived on time before the boat departed. I bought a ticket by boat and arrived Bang Rong Pier on Phuket within 30 minutes.
These are my suggestions for 3-4 days on Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi. I explored the island on a scooter, spending 1 full day on Yao Yai, 1 full day on Yao Noi, and a day trip to Hong Island. If you’re not planning to drive, you can hire a private driver or take a guided tour. I hope you have ideas of things to do to add to your itinerary after reading my guide.