TH · Phang Nga · 8.00°N 98.57°E

ko yao yai

Fishing villages, quiet beaches and a long sand tongue at Laem Had.

Best time
December to March is the dry season, with calm water. June to September brings monsoon rain and choppier crossings. Some beaches turn into wide mudflats at low tide whatever the month.
How long
3 days
Getting there
About 1.5 hours direct from KL to Phuket. Bang Rong Pier is about 30 minutes from the airport, and the speedboat across takes about 30 minutes. Thailand is 1 hour behind KL.
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TH · Phang Ngako yao yai8.00°N 98.57°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Fishing villages, quiet beaches and a long sand tongue at Laem Had.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKo Yao YaiTH, Phang Nga
KLko yao yai
≈ 641 km from KL, as the crow flies
Der absolute Traumstrand auf Ko Yao Yai. Eine Sandzunge führt von der Insel ewig weit ins Meer. Die meiste Zeit über waren wir die einzigen am Strand

Photo: Ole.Pophal · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A big, quiet island in Phang Nga Bay, halfway between Phuket and Krabi, with rubber plantations, fishing villages and limestone islands on the horizon. Most islanders are Muslim, so the food is halal and the nights are quiet.

Makan

  1. Khao mok gaiThai-Muslim chicken biryani, yellow with turmeric.Map ↗
  2. Grilled fishThe day's catch with rice and a sharp seafood dipping sauce.Map ↗
  3. Roti with curryThe island breakfast, at small Muslim-run cafés in the villages.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Laem HadA curl of white sand at the island's northern tip that shows at low tide.Map ↗
  2. Loh Paret BeachA west-coast beach looking back across the water to Phuket.Map ↗
  3. Fishing villagesWooden piers, drying fish and longtail boats along the east coast.Map ↗
  4. Phang Nga Bay by longtailDay trips to the limestone islets and sandbars scattered across the bay.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Food in the villages is halal as standard; some resorts also serve pork and alcohol.
  • Rent a scooter. The island is long and there's little public transport.
  • Tell your hotel which pier you're arriving at; the piers at the north and south ends are a fair drive apart.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.