Koh Yao Noi Travel Guide – Visit Koh Yao Noi – Budget Travel In Thailand

Visit Koh Yao Noi, Thailand to experience sandy beaches, mangroves and rubber plantations. It is slowly becoming more developed but is still a quiet island compared to others in the Andaman Sea.

Our return to Thailand had seen us fly into Phuket where we spent a few days in the beautiful Phuket Old Town. We then headed a short distance to the Karon and Kata beaches. The beaches were very pretty but it was very touristy and it didn’t really appeal to us. We were hoping that the other islands would have more charm.

We were planning our island-hopping exploration as we went and had no real prior knowledge of which islands were considered the best. From Phuket, we knew we wanted to spend some time in Krabi town before continuing travelling the islands. At one point, we considered getting the bus. We then decided to use Koh Yao Noi island as a stepping stone across to Krabi.

How To Get To Koh Yao Noi From Phuket Part One: From Karon Beach To Phuket Old Town

The first leg of our journey was getting from Karon to Phuket old town. We knew there were buses that would take us for 40 baht but, as there are no bus stops, we had to hope for the best. We carried our back packs to Patak road and waited opposite the Makro, which is where we were originally dropped off (map). After about 20 minutes wait, we saw a bus approaching, held out our hand and thankfully he stopped.

How To Get To Koh Yao Noi From Phuket Part Two: From Phuket Old Town To Bang Rong Pier

Half an hour or so later, the bus pulled in to the bus station in Phuket old town. We needed to get to Bang Rong Pier. A taxi from Phuket would have cost around 300 baht but I had read that we could get another songthauw. This proved to be the case and it was setting off immediately. The journey took around 45 minutes and cost only 50 baht each.

How To Get To Koh Yao Noi From Phuket Part Three: From Bang Nong Pier To Koy Yao Noi Island

We arrived at Bang Rong Pier about 15 minutes before the departure of the longtail boat which took us straight to Koh Yao Noi pier. Result! From here, there were songthauws waiting to take us anywhere on the island for 100 baht.

Boats leave Bang Rong Pier to Koh Yao Noi four times a day and cost around 250 Baht per person. The journey time is 30 minutes. For more information, visit https://www.phuketferry.com/bang-rong-pier-phuket.html.

Where To Stay In Koh Yao Noi

These are some of the best budget hostels in Koh Yao Noi, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I found Agoda to be much better than booking.com in Southeast Asia. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Connextions
• Namtok Bungalows
• Baan Anattaya Koh Yao Noi
• Antonio’s Ko Yao Noi BED & BBQ
• Ko Yao Noi Sabai Bungalows
• Baan Suan Coconut Ko Yao Noi
• Anattaya Holiday Home
• Mookanda Bungalow
• Sabai Corner Bungalows
• Tukonnee Villas Koh Yao Noi

Tabeak View Point

We chose to stay at ‘Tabeak View Point’ (map). The wooden treehouses looked quirky and unlike anything we’d ever stayed in. As we moved across the islands, we realised that these types of accommodation are very common. However, some are better than others for various reasons and these were one of the better ones. The accommodation had a wonderful balcony area overlooking the garden and the sea. Looking out across the sea at the karsks is a great way to start the day.

The staff was really helpful and chatty. We hired bikes, booked taxis and ate at their on-site restaurant.

It’s a quiet part of the island with the nearest shop being a good 15 minutes walk, but you come to Koh Yao Noi to relax and this is certainly a place you can do plenty of relaxing. Koh Yao Noi beach is a short walk away.

Our room also had its own WiFi router which was a great and welcome surprise.

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Most of the accommodation is on the island’s east coast, whereas the main village (with the local shops and the recently opened 7-eleven) is on the west. However there are a couple of shops where you can buy drinks, snacks and some essential items.

‘Ngern Thong Mini Mart’ (map) was about 25 minutes walk from our accommodation. It sells snacks, drinks and some essentials. No alcohol sold here.

Closer to our accommodation and selling alcohol was the small shop at ‘P’Chan Restaurant’ (map).

Food And Drink In Koh Yao Noi

There were a few restaurants near our accommodation. As the island is majority Muslim, you won’t find many bars (there are some) but most restaurants will serve alcohol. Pork is found in just one restaurant.

Cafe Kantary

We came here twice as the coffee was half price and decent. The french toast was also good and they also make grilled sandwiches for reasonable prices. Map.

Chaba Cafe And Gallery

This was the first place we visited for food. We got off to a good start. The cafe is so chilled out, in keeping with the whole island. You can laze in a hammock with a book and a fruit shake and just enjoy the sheer beauty of your surroundings. Map.

Koh Yao Bistro

They pride themselves on their chef here. The food was good and nicely presented but the portions a little on the small side, even for Thailand. Map.

Parabar

Cool, chilled-out bar that has food and live music. We enjoyed our last night here. The bar is built out of an old longboat. Expect to hear lots of reggae here. Map.

Tabeak Restaurant

The on-site restaurant of our accommodation; the hosts cooked up some tasty food for us on our first night. The papaya salad wasn’t spicy enough for Joanna but still enjoyable. I went for squid and octopus in black soy noodles. Map.

Things To Do In Koh Yao Noi

There really isn’t a great deal to do on the island! This is a place to relax, enjoy the sun and beaches, and forget all about the hectic life you left behind. It’s a stunningly beautiful island so come and relax and enjoy it while it is still relatively unspoiled by mass tourism.

Cycling In Koh Yao Noi

We hired a bicycle from our accommodation (150 baht for 24 hours) and cycled around the island, discovering the mangroves, rubber plantations and wild buffalo. It was one of the best bike rides of our time in South East Asia. The island is mainly flat, apart from one big hill in the middle, so is easily doable by bicycle.

Is Koh Yao Noi Worth Visiting?

It may not be as well-known as other islands in the Andaman sea and it is certainly not a party island, but do not let that put you off visiting. The island is incredibly beautiful and was a real improvement on the over-touristy, commercialised Karon in Phuket. This is a place to put the brakes on and relax and regain some energy. We were so glad we added it to our itinerary as it became one of our favourite islands on this part of our trip.