Koh Yao Yai is a long, serene island located just 30 minutes boat ride from Phuket. Despite the short distance between them, the two islands offer completely different atmospheres.
While Phuket is packed with tourists, Koh Yao Yai offers a much more tranquil vibe, with unspoiled beaches and untouched nature. If you want to escape from tourist crowds, and looking for somewhere off the beaten path, you should consider visiting Koh Yao Yai.
Koh Yao Yai is one of the two main islands of the Koh Yao archipelago, along with Koh Yao Noi. Koh Yao Yai is bigger, offering more seclusion, and minimal development. Koh Yao Noi is smaller with a bit more infrastructure like restaurants and bars than its sister island.
I had a wonderful time staying in the Koh Yao islands. In this article, I will share with you the best places to stay in Koh Yao Yai, including best areas, best beaches, and accommodations. If you are looking for Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai, keep reading.
See more:
- My 3-4 Days In Koh Yao Yai & Noi Itinerary
- How to Get to Koh Yao Yai & Get Around
- 15 Best Things to Do in Koh Yao Yai
Best areas to stay in Koh Yao Yai
Koh Yao Yai is a big and undeveloped island. It is around 30 km long and 7km wide. The island is home to only two 7-Eleven stores, one in the north near Chong Lard Pier, and one in the south on the road from Loh Pared to Loh Jark Beach.
The island doesn’t have many tourist amenities like restaurants, souvenir shops, or resorts. You can find several resorts and restaurants in the areas around the island’s two main piers, Chong Lard Pier on the north east coast, and Laem Yai Pier on the south west coast.
Loh Paret Beach probably has the most resorts and restaurants on Koh Yao Yai. If you want to stay somewhere that offers a short distance to a handful of restaurants, this is a good choice.
The population of Koh Yao Yai is primarily Muslim fishing and farming communities, so this is not a party island or place to go for nightlife. Most restaurants serve Halal food, with no pork. Alcohol is available but usually limited to resorts and some restaurants rather than widespread in local villages or shops.
The best way to explore Koh Yao Yai is to rent a scooter. The restaurants and beaches are very very spread out. Local taxis are not widely available like other islands, and you need to organize it with your hotel. It tends to be expensive as well.
I had a wonderful 3 nights stay at the Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai. As a solo female traveler looking for a safe, budget-friendly place close to Chong Lard Pier, Backpack Hostel suited me very well.
They have dorm rooms and tent options. Since I had a great experience staying in a tent in Koh Kood, I booked a tent stay in Koh Yao Yai. You can read details of my stay in Koh Yao Yai at the end of this article.
My top hotel picks in Koh Yao Yai:
- Luxury: Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort
- Mid-range: Yao Yai Beach Resort
- Budget: Better View Koh Yao Yai
Best Places to stay in Koh Yao Yai
1. Loh Pared Beach
Loh Pared Beach is the most popular area to stay in Koh Yao Yai. This simply because it has more tourist amenities like resorts, restaurants, minimars, message parlors, motorbike rentals, and souvenir shops than other areas of the island.
While in other areas, you can only find one or two restaurants walking distance from your hotel. In Loh Pared Beach, you can find several restaurants within walking distance from each other.
Loh Pared Beach is a convenient area to stay if you arrive by boat from Phuket Old Town. It is home to Laem Yai Pier, which has ferry connection between Yao Yao and several piers in Phuket Old Town like Thiensin, Jian Wanich, and Chiarawanit Pier. You can bring a car from Phuket to this pier.
There is also another pier, called Loh Jak Pier, offering ferry service from Phuket Old Town, located 8km south of Loh Pared. If you arrive at Loh Jak Pier, you will need to take a local songthaew taxi to get to Loh Pared Beach for a 15 minutes drive.
If you come from Bang Rong Pier near Phuket Airport, or other islands like Koh Phi Phi, Ao Nang, and Krabi, you will likely arrive at Chong Lard Pier, on the north coast of Yao Yai. It is a 30 minutes drive from Chong Lard to Loh Pared Beach.
As an undeveloped island, it is best to arrange the pier pickup in advance, especially if your arrival pier is not within walking distance to your hotel. You can ask and book both boat and taxi tickets with your boat operator or double check with your resort if they offer pick up at the pier.
Loh Pared Beach has white sand, calm water, and shades along the shore. It is a great place for swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, and watching the sunset.
There are tables, chairs, bean bags, sunbeds, and umbrellas set out on the sand around sunset time. These beach facilities belong to the resorts, bars, and restaurants along the beachfront. Lots of people gather on the beach in the late afternoon to watch the beautiful and peaceful sunset.
You can find a range of restaurants and shops along the road to the beach, the road between the Laem Yai Pier and the beach. If you have a scooter, you can reach the 7-eleven within a few minutes drive.
Loh Pared Beach is a great location to explore the southern area of Koh Yao Yai. It is close to Klong Son Beach, Klong Jark Beach, Ao Muong Beach, Ao Sai Beach, and Nok Ok Cape.
Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai in Loh Pared Beach:
Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa
Santhiya is one of the best places to stay in Koh Yao Yai. This is a 5-star hotel located in Loh Pared Beach. It occupied a large section of the northern area of Loh Pared. If you are family or couples who want a luxury retreat away from it all for a couple of nights, Santhiya is a great choice.
If you arrive at Phuket Airport, you can book the transfer with the resort. It will include a car ride from the airport to Ao Po Grand Marina Pier and a speed boat from this pier directly to the resort. The total journey is around 50 minutes.
The resort offers beautiful villas with stunning sea views, amazing swimming pool, breakfast buffet, spa treatments, fire show, and beachfront bars/ restaurants. You can choose rooms with ocean views and private pool access for the best experience.
You can dine and play at the resort’s facilities, or check out other restaurants and massage parlors and shops along the beachfront and inside the village outside the resort.
The resort has a free shuttle to help get around the resort. Keep in mind that it is a big and hilly resort, so it can be a bit challenging getting around for some people.
Royal Yao Yai Island Beach Resort
This is a big resort located in the central area of Loh Pared beach. The location is within walking distance to a range of beach front seafood restaurants and bars. It is also a few steps away from numerous tourist amenities like massage parlors, minimart, motorbike rentals, and restaurants inside the village.
The resort is located right on the beach front, so you will have direct access to the beach for swimming and enjoy breathtaking sunset views. The resort also has an outdoor swimming pool with sunbeds and umbrellas for the guests.
Blue Bay Resort
Blue Bay Resort is a large resort located in the middle area of Loh Pared Beach. The resort has an outdoor swimming pool, beautiful villas, and direct access to the beach. They provide sunbeds, umbrellas, and kayak equipment on the beach.
You will be located within walking distance to various local restaurants and shops. It is overall a good base to explore Koh yao Yai for couples, families, and solo travelers.
2. Near Chong Lard Pier
Chong Lard Pier is one of the four major piers on Koh Yao Yai. Boats from this pier connect Koh Yao Yai with Koh Yao Noi, Krabi, Ao Nang, Koh Phi Phi, and Phuket (Bang Rong Pier). If you arrive at Koh Yao Yai from Phuket airport and take public boats to Yao Yai, you will likely arrive at Chong Lard Pier.
Staying near Chong Lar Pier is a good option for budget travelers, backpackers, and those who want to be a short distance between their arrival pier and the hotel. It’s best to rent a scooter while staying here to explore the island, as the beaches and restaurants are spread out.
There is a restaurant and a couple of scooter rentals within walking distance from Chong Lard Pier. Many people rent a scooter from these shops and head to their hotel from other parts of the island.
Chong Lard village is home to a 7-Eleven, which is one of the only two 7-eleven stores on Koh Yao Yai. It is good to have some snacks, and already cooked meals if you are not familiar with local foods. There are just 2-3 restaurants in the village anyway.
There is an ATV rental shop in Chong Lard village, which is fun activities to explore the island. It is located right on the way between the main road to Laem Had Beach.
Laem Had Beach is located within 5 minutes drive from the village center, around 30 minutes walk from 7-Eleven. It is a beautiful white sandy beach with a long sandbank. The beach has a different atmosphere at low tide and high tide, so make sure to check it at both times. It is more beautiful at sunset.
Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai Near Chong Lard Pier:
Backpack Hostel
I stayed in this hotel and highly recommend it for backpackers, solo travelers, and those who want to be within walking distance to Chong Lard Pier. It is even better if you rent a scooter to explore the island. You can scroll to the bottom of this article if you are interested in more details of my stay.
Resting Place Koh Yao Yai
This hotel is located midway between Chong Lard and Klong Hia Pier, making it convenient to access both piers within a short drive. These piers link Yao Yai with Phuket, Krabi, Ao Nang, and Koh Phi Phi.
The hotel offers free pick-up and drop-off at these piers, which is a great bonus for traveling between the pier and the hotel.
They have nice rooms overlooking the sea and are well equipped with air conditioning. You can rent a scooter at the hotel for 250 baht a day. They can help arrange long tail boat tours and transportation between Yao Yai and Phuket airport as well as to other destinations.
The downside is that it is quite a secluded area, within walking distance to only one restaurant. You’ll need to rent a vehicle to explore and get more dining options.
Koh Yao Modern Inn
This guest house is located 4 mins drive from Chong Lard Pier, 7 minutes drive from Klong Hia Pier. It is a 5 minute walk to 7-eleven and a couple of restaurants. They have clean private rooms with beautiful gardens , surrounded by greenery.
You can rent a scooter from the hotel.They also help with transportation and tours. The beautiful Laem Had Beach is also within a short ride from the hotel.
3. Near Laem Haad Beach
Laem Haad Beach, aka Hua Laem Beach, is a beautiful long beach located on the north east coast of Koh Yao Yai, 10-20 minute drive from Chong Lard and Klong Hia Pier. If you want a good beach location close to the pier in the north, this area is a good choice.
There are numerous resorts, hotels, restaurants, and massage shops located on the 3km long road connecting Ban Chong Lard village and Hin Kong Beach. This road runs parallel with the coast line.
Most visitors access the beach at its northern end section near Ban Chong Lard Village. There are no accommodations in this part though.
The beach has white fine sand, lined with palm trees, and great for swimming at high tide. The beach feels completely different at low tide and high tide, so if you can, try to visit it at both times.
The long white sand bank is a highlight of the beach where you can take a long walk toward the sea. It is also a great spot to watch the sunset, enjoy the views of the mangrove forest, and islands in front of it.
At high tide, you can spot many fish and marine life from the shores. At low tide, the water pulls back a long way, leaving the shore pretty muddy.
Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai near Laem Haad Beach:
Koh Yao Beach Front
This beachfront hotel is located near Chong Lard Pier and Laem Haad Beach. You can drive from 5 minutes to the village center for 7-eleven with a gas station and ATMs. There are a couple of restaurants/bars and massage parlors within walking distance from the hotel.
They offer bamboo bungalows with basic facilities like comfortable beds and private bathrooms. The downside is that this part of the beach is not best for swimming, especially at low tide. But you can chill, kayak, and watch the sunset from your bungalow.
Thiwson Beach Resort
This is a nice hotel located in the beachfront area, within 5 minutes drive from Ban Chong Lard village. If you rent a scooter, you will have no problem exploring the island no matter where you choose to stay. The resort has a good size swimming pool with lots of sunbeds and umbrellas.
You can enjoy a massage on the beach. You can rent a scooter from the resort to explore. There is a minimart and a few local restaurants/ bars (like Blue tamarind restaurant) within walking distance from the hotel.
Coconut Grove Resort
This is a beautiful 4-star resort located not far from Chong Lard and Klong Hia Pier in Koh Yao Yai. They offer a free shuttle from/ to the pier. They have a nice restaurant with stunning views of the sea.
4. Hin Kong Beach
Hin Kong Beach is a secluded beach on the north east coast of Koh Yao Yai. There are several big resorts (Anantara and Koh Yao Yai Village) located on the beachfront, which is a good base for relaxing and unwind.
It is around 10-15 minutes drive from Chong Lard Pier and Klong Hia Pier, which is convenient for those arriving at the piers at the northern coast of Yao Yai.
This beach has a serene atmosphere. When visiting the beach at sunset time, I saw just a few local people chilling and Thai kids playing on the beach. I didn’t see any tourists like in the Loh Pared Beach area.
Like many other areas in Yao Yai, there are just a few souvenir shops, restaurants, massage parlors, travel agents on the main road that runs parallel with the beach. A couple of local restaurants, and massage shops can be found near the big resorts.
Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai in Hin Kong Beach:
Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas
Anantara is a 5-star large resort located in Hin Kong Beach. It has a private beach area and swimming pool overlooking the sea with lots of sunbeds and umbrellas. If you want something luxurious and tranquility, this is a great choice. Best suited for families and couples who have a good budget.
Anantara has kid-friendly facilities such as a swimming pool and a kid’s club. The two bedroom villas are a great option for families of 4-6.
Koh Yao Yai Village
This is a 4-star mid-range hotel located in Hin Kong Beach of Koh Yao Yai. It is a popular place to stay on the island for families, couples, and groups of friends.
The resort has a nice infinity pool overlooking the ocean and good food selection. The resort offers free kayaks and stand up paddle boards to enjoy the beaches.
Like many other beaches on the island, the beach is not best for swimming, due to the tide. However, you can swim at the pool and enjoy the sunset over the beach.
Baan Taranya Koh Yao Yai Resort
This is a 4-star resort located right next to the local Hin Kong Pier. The resort has a small swimming pool and sunlounger on the beach. They can help with renting a scooter and arrange tour, transportation. There are several restaurants and massage shops within 10 minutes walking distance from the resort.
5. Loh Jark Beach
Loh Jark Beach is a serene beach located at the south west coast of Yao Yai, 15 minutes drive south of the popular Loh Pared beach. This beach is home to Loh Jark Pier which has ferry connection with Phuket.
If you arrive at Loh Jark Pier and want to stay somewhere near this pier, there are several resorts and hotels in this area for you to book.
There are a couple of restaurants and shops near the pier and beachfront area. You will find several more restaurants inland on the island’s main road, which is located within a few minutes drive from the beach.
The popular Elixir Divers shop is located in this area. You can book snorkeling and diving tours with them to the island near Koh Yao.
Loh Jark Beach is a good base to explore the southern part of Koh yao Yai. It is close to Ao Muong Beach, Loh Pared Beach, and Ao Sai Beach. And it is best to rent a scooter or vehicle when you stay here if you want to explore the island.
Where to stay in Koh Yao Yai in Loh Jark Beach:
Where did I stay in Koh Yao Yai – My personal experiences
I took a boat ride from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Yao Yai. My boat arrived at Chong Lard Pier. I wanted to stay somewhere within walking distance to the pier, so I don’t need to pay additional transport to get to the hotel.
Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai was available during my visit and suited me well as a solo female traveler on a budget. They have both tents and bunk beds, so it is a good base for couples and solo travelers.
Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai
Location
Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai is conveniently located in Chong Lard Village close to Chong Lard Pier. It is around 10-15 minutes from the pier. I was lucky to get a free lift from the pier to the hotel when arriving, and when I left, the hotel’s owner gave me a free lift to the pier.
Being close to Chong Lard Pier is also convenient for me to take a long tail boat ride to Koh Yai Noi for a day trip. The boats to Koh Hong and Phuket also depart from this pier.
The hotel is within 5-10 minutes walking distance from a couple of restaurants and a 7-Eleven. Yeah, this is an undeveloped island, so there are limited food options in many areas, including the Chong Lard Village. You will need a scooter to get to more eateries, and also explore the beaches.
There are several motorbike rental shops nearby where you can rent a scooter to explore the island. The hotel also offers scooter rentals, but all the scooters were already rented out during my stay.
From the hotel, you can walk for 20 minutes or drive for 5 minutes to reach Laem Had Beach. This is a beautiful beach that has long sand dunes at low tide. It is also a peaceful spot to watch the sunset.
Amenities
Backpack Hostel Kohyaoyai offers both bunk beds in the shared dorm rooms and private tents. I booked the tents with a shared bathroom and was happy with my stay.
They have around 3-4 garden tents. There are basic amenities inside the tent like a single bed, fan, a lamp, a small shelf, and power outlets. The shared bathroom was clean during my stay. They also have big lockers that can fit a medium suitcase.
There is a common area with tables and chairs to sit, eat, and meet other people. The kitchen has all necessary equipment where you can cook and make simple meals. There are just a couple restaurants near the hotel and you might not like the food.
The owner helped me organize a day trip to Koh Hong island and book a speed boat ticket to Phuket. He drove me to the pier to catch boats to Phuket.
I highly recommend this place for budget travelers and those who want to be close to Chong Lard Pier. It is best to rent a scooter to explore other parts of the island.
Koh Yao Yai is a peaceful, undeveloped island in South Thailand, very near Phuket and Krabi. It is an ideal place for travelers seeking tranquility and a break from mass tourism.
I hope you enjoyed finding some helpful information about where to stay in Koh Yao Yai. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. I’ll try my best to help.
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