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Koh Yao
About Koh Yao: Both islands Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai are just starting to invite tourism. Some nice resorts have been opened during the last three or four years. Koh Yao Noi is flat with a few hills at the northern tip and has nice beaches to relax and enjoy snorkeling on the east coast. The western coast is mangrove swamp with no beaches. At any place of the island the exciting landscape of the phangnga bay can be seen. Their is a village with shops and banks and a restaurant and concrete roads to cross and explore the island by bicyle or motorbike. If you like to eat outside the resorts, some simple roadside restaurants are available. We recommend the nicely located The good view restaurant an the southern coast with a nice view on Koh Yao Yai. The southern part of Koh Yao Noi is used for farming and especially buffalows can be seen on the grazings The 3500 very friendly inhabitants are muslim fishermen and farmers, who ask tourists to take care of their religious behaviours and rules.
Koh Yao Yai has a more exciting landscape with rocky coasts, but not the same quality of beaches and less possibilities for activities. A long but dirty beach is Koh Yao Yai beach in the middle of the western coast. Snorkeling and kayaking is possible around this island, which is inhabited by appr. 8000 Thai muslimes, working on fishing boats and rubber tree plantations. They are just starting to open up for tourism. Not much infrastructure is available, only four small resorts have recently opened. A concrete road leads through the island from north to south. Electricity is availbale, but not around the clock. From the northeast of Koh Yao Yai you have a fantastic view on the Phangnga bay with its hundreds of small islands and mighty rocks. Especially at sunrise on a clear morning its a must see. Koh Yao Yai is still a hideaway and silent island not far from Phuket.
How to get there: The northern island Koh Yao noi can be reached best from Phuket or Aonang, the southern island yai is connected to Phuket by daily boats at noon, which need about 2 hours for the trip. Private speedboats are much more faster and bring guests directly to the resorts. But they are a lot more expensive.
Accomodation: On Koh Yao Yai there are four simple resorts with own restaurants plus one newly built comfortable resort (Elixir resort) with a nice beach in the southwestern part of the island. On Koh Yao noi are five resorts along the southeastern coastline, which have been renovated and upgraded in the last years. Now they offer very nice, comfortable and tidy bungalows. For example Koh Yao Island resort and Koh Yao Bay Pavillons Resort. Beside the Koh Yao Island Resort, the new Evason Hideaway Resort was built, one of the most luxury and expensive beach resorts in Thailand. At the northern tip of Koh Yao noi, the Paradise Beach Resort and Spa is located, which is truly one of the best resorts on Koh Yao: www.theparadise.biz (book here).
More resorts: www.lomlae.com , www.kohyaonoi.com , www.lamsaihotel.com , www.koyao.com , www.koyaobay.com
List of resorts for booking map of Koh Yao
Good for: A wonderful quiet alternative for Phuket or in addition.
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