Koh Yao Yai

A day trip to visit an island in the middle of Phang Nga Bay is always a beautiful day in perspective and certainly a pleasant and enjoyable moment.

When you are on a boat you have plenty of time to contemplate these fairy tale landscapes that pass by and of which I personally never get tired.

Thus, after several visits of Koh Yao Noi this small island in the middle of the bay, I had decided to go and discover its big sister: Koh Yao Yai of which I hadn't heard much until then...

What to say about this island after a day spent crossing it from north to south... not much to riori, but some dream landscapes all the same!

The very sparse population you see is welcoming, smiling, and you easily manage to exchange a few signs, or even a few words.

As for the very desert road, it seems a bit long at a given moment from north to south, even monotonous... Fortunately, from time to time you can admire beautiful panoramas with the islands offshore and Krabi in the background.

The beaches are there of course, but there is no activity, rather completely wild...

For those who wish to spend a super-calm stay, almost isolated from the world, this island is really made for them...

 The Route from Phuket

 From Bang Rong Pier

From Phuket, whether you go to Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai... the starting point is the same... the little house to take the ticket is the same... only the boat changes. Not long ago, the same boat served both islands, a stop of a few minutes at Klong Hia Pier then the short crossing to Manoh Pier.
With the increase in tourist visits, they are now two separate boats ...
At the Bang Rong pier, while waiting for the time to embark, fresh products from the local market can be loaded to replenish the island's supplies.
A brand new motorbike (red plaice) will be delivered to the owner...

Our first discovery in Koh Yao Yai: Laem Had Beach

Our first stop, we make it in the east of the island, just in front of Koh Yao Noi... there, a kind of sand tongue is coming into the sea, the place is called Laem Had Beach. Superb landscape completely isolated and desert. This place is located on marker 2 of the map at the end of the article.

As you can see... there are no crowds and yet our trip to Koh Yao Yai took place in february, in the middle of the high season...

Visitors come to spend a few minutes or even a few hours on their way back from a boat tour such as the tour of the islands of Koh Yao Noi for example.

This panoramic view is located on marker 2 of the map at the end of the article.
L'île que l'on aperçoit en face est Koh Yao Noi...
Here we go... a few visitors on their way home stopping at Laem Had Beach... 
Sky view of Laem Had Beach...
The amazing sandbank is just a few minutes from the Klong Hia Pier .
At some point, you have to leave the road and take small paths... the discovery of this place is impressive of calm and solitude. 

 Koh Yao Yai Beach

The road that leads us to the south of the island offers us at times exceptional panoramic views of small islands like Koh Hong among others... This panoramic view can be found on marker 3 of the map.
From the unique road heading south, you can admire some magnificent views
A beach on the east coast... not many people... (Mark 4 on the map)

In the south of the island, the Loh Jak Pier... 

At Loh Jak Pier, the ferries go directly to Phuket.
The small beach right next to the Loh Jak Pier
You can find small bungalows carefully organized in the middle of an airy forest...
The ferry connection between Koh Yao Yai and Phuket...
Splendid view: a sailboat with, as background, the bay of Phang Nga....
for the pleasure of the eyes, there is no better
As always, the smile is permanent in this country...

The Map of Koh Yao Yai

The only points of interest are:
Mark 1: Arrival and departure point of longtail or speedboat.
Mark 2: Laem Had Beach, sandbank and splendid landscape
Mark 3 (panoramic view from the road) photo series start article
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Between markers 3 & 5, about twenty kilometres of monotonous and uninteresting
Marks 5 and 7 - no interest
Mark 6 - restaurant for lunch, beautiful beach
Between markers 7 & 8: dirt road, pebbles and rocks quite dangerous
to avoid if you are not too much in control of your machine, and to avoid altogether if you are two on the bike.
It's best to stay on the main road

Discover Koh Yao Noi