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Image: ThailandMagazine.com
KOH YAO YAI
Koh Yao Yai is a still authentic piece of Thailand. There is no tourist-oriented Walking Street or boulevard with restaurants and bars. If you are looking for big parties and extensive shopping then you are on the wrong island! Besides a few Family Shops there is only one 7-Eleven on the whole island. Scattered all over the island there are only a few bars and only a few ATMs. If this appeals to you, Koh Yao Yai is the island for you!
Koh Yao Yai is located near the smaller island of Koh Yao Noi. Yai means big in Thai and noi means small. So Koh Yao Yai is the largest island of the two. Both islands are situated in the middle of the spectacular Phang Nga Bay, known from the James Bond Island.
The island of Koh Yao Yai is 30 minutes by speedboat from the touristic Phuket and 40 minutes from Ao Nang and Krabi. You will mainly go to Koh Yao Yai because you want to discover and experience the still untouched Thailand. The friendly people often still live in traditional wooden houses and are very hospitable and helpful. The local population consists of 90 percent Muslims and 10 percent Buddhists and live mainly from fishing and coconut plantations. There is one real main road on the green island, this road goes roughly from north to south and has several branches to several beautiful beaches.
The roads on the island are wonderfully quiet and if you stay on the main road nowhere this road is really steep or bad. Exploring the island on a scooter is one of the nicest things to do on Koh Yao Yai. Who knows you might end up at the famous Doctor Saad Blind Massage Healer on the massage table just like us….
The most beautiful beaches of Koh Yao Yai are in our opinion: Laem Had Beach, Loh Paret Beach and Ao Muong Chan Beach. At these beaches you will also find most of the accommodations. The island doesn’t have a lot of really cheap places to sleep, but there are quite a few middle class hotels and luxury resorts.
Do you want to know more about this unspoiled island? Click on the pictures below!