Hi everyone! Welcome to my quick travel guide on Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi. My name is Gilles Luka and I’m originally from Var in the south of France. My parents used to be international musicians, and they passed onto me their passion for music and travel. I traveled with them a lot from an early age. Today, I make a living from my music and enjoy exploring the world whenever I can. Recently, I visited Thailand for the third time.
I went with my wife. We love Thailand’s culture, food, nature and legendary smiles of the people – so for us it’s an ideal destination. On this trip we were searching for a somewhat unspoiled place to avoid the overcrowded spots near Phuket, and not add too much distance on our arrival there from Paris as well. The Koh Yao Archipelago was just what we were looking for. It’s an easy access via a 45-minute boat ride, wildly beautiful and untouched. We had a wonderful time in both Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi.
Where to Stay in Koh Yao Yai & Koh Yao Noi
We are fans of hotels that respect the local culture and keep a traditional decor. This is what we loved at the TreeHouse Villas in Koh Yao Noi. The luxury beach property is nothing short of paradise with 30 cabin rooms in the middle of nature (adults only). Having access to a private and wild beach, kayaking to remote beaches without any construction and tasting delicious local cuisine with fresh products was the cherry on top.
We also stayed at the Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa. This is a much larger hotel (a kind of resort) but with a completely traditional decor in exotic wood of incredible beauty. It was busier than the TreeHouse Villas, however the beach was big and there was plenty of space for everyone. We were able to find intimate spots on the beach, which was lovely.
What You Need to Know Before You Go
The town on Koh Yao Yai is small but typically Thai – you can eat there like a local. Thailand is generally very attractive in terms of price, much cheaper than Mexico for example. The archipelago has two parts which you can discover by boat or motorbike with a compulsory passage by boat to reach Koh Yao Noi from Koh Yao Yai. “Yai” means large and “Noi” means small.
We celebrated our wedding anniversary at Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi, and we fell in love with the archipelago. It was definitely one of the best trips we have ever taken. Our kayaking adventures here were probably the number one highlight for us. It was amazing to discover completely empty places, giving us the impression that we were the very first people to visit.
Other activities that you can do include long walks/hikes and boat tours to smaller islets. I highly recommend the Koh Yao Archipelago to anyone who is looking for peaceful nature. It’s certainly worth adding on an hour to your Phuket or Krabi trip to see this paradise. If you don’t know when to go, February is a great month with warm but comfortable weather. Enjoy!
