Thai Island: Unwinding on Ko Yao Noi
Author: LC | May 31, 2022
Getting to Ko Yao Noi
After 5 weeks of being constantly on the go in Vietnam, Greece and Spain, we decided to find a place where we could practice the art of doing nothing.
Koh Yao Noi is an island that sits between Phuket and Krabi in the middle of Phang Nga Bay that is just about a 30-minute speed boat ride away from either direction. From Phuket, you can take the boat from Bang Rong Pier to Manoh Pier. There are 2 boats scheduled in the morning at 8:40 AM and 11AM, that cost 300 baht each. Once you dock at Ko Yao Noi, you will find "taxi" (songthaew pick-up truck with bench seats) that offers hotel drop-off for 100 baht per person that loops around the island.
Given its proximity to nearby major tourist destinations, we were very relieved to discover how peaceful this island still is. It's largely thanks to the local largely Muslim community with their low-impact development approach. Even through there are a few high-end luxury resorts including Six Sense Yao Noi to attract "high-quality (ie high-paying)" tourists, we were able to find a gorgeous wood house on Airbnb that sits on top of the hill with an enormous deck and brilliant views.
Food in Ko Yao Noi
Another great thing on the island is that there is a good range of lovely family run restaurants, cafes, and higher-end restaurants on the resorts to choose from. They were all within a short scooter ride away from our wood house (and in fact a short ride from anywhere on the island) since you can loop around the island in under an hour if you stay on the main road.
One of our top choices would have to be Kindee Thai Cuisine. In fact, we liked it so much that we went there 2 nights in a row. We had the best Crispy Morning Glory, Massaman Curry, Red Curry with Crab and Roast Beef salad there.
โรงนา คาเฟ่ (Rong na Cafe' & Restaurant) didn't disappoint either. We loved the idyllic backdrop of rice fields and buffalos while devouring squid in black sauce and fish lemongrass soup.
Koh yao Bistro By. Chef Aon, Kaya Restaurant and Sea Gypsy were all solid restaurants with many dishes that you can't go wrong with. I especially liked the fried shrimp with tamarind sauce from Sea Gypsy.
If you are craving a bowl of noodle soup (which I was), The Duckman is your man. It's a low key place with simply delicious broth and generous serving of duck.
If you want decent coffee, dessert and western food, Cafe Kantary is for you.
Photo: Sand path to small island at low tide in Ko Yao Noi by littleGiantAdventures.com
Things to do in Ko Yao Noi
Since we took it slow on purpose, we didn't try very hard to find activities on the island. We did spot one dive shop (which was closed for a couple weeks) and a few tourist centres that offered diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking, fishing and day trip to Phang Nga Bay or nearby Koh Hong and Ko Phi Phi.
If you just want to relax on the island, it's not hard to spot a sandy beach and have it all to yourself. At low tide, the muddy shoreline is exposed, however sandy paths out to small offshore islands also reveal themselves!
You won't find a party scene on this island, since drinking is frowned upon by the local community. What you will find at night is the sky full of stars and buzz of cicadas in the trees.
The best thing to do on this island is really just watching the colourful sky during sunrise on the Klong Jark Beach and sunset by the Tong Do pier. If you want to recharge and relax, come to Koh Yao Noi.