By ferry or shared speedboat the journey from Ao Nang to Koh Yao Yai is scheduled to take from 40 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes depending upon which service you take.
Ferry Timetable from Ao Nang to Koh Yao Yai
Click on the Ao Nang – Koh Yao Yai link in the timetable below for more information and to buy tickets.
| Ao Nang - Koh Yao Yai ฿ 650 30m – 1h 30m | |
| |
| Railay - Koh Yao Yai ฿ 650–1,100 1h | |
| |
| Krabi - Koh Yao Yai ฿ 800 1h | |
| |
Ao Nang Ferry Pier
Services from Ao Nang to Koh Yao Yai either commence with a hotel pick up or they depart from Nopparat Thara Pier.
- Map of Nopparat Thara Pier
Arrival in Koh Yao Yai
Services from Ao Nang to Koh Yao Yai arrive in Koh Yao Yai at either Chong Lard Pier or Klong Hia Pier.
- Map of Klong Hia Pier
About Travel to Koh Yao Yai
Koh Yao Yai is the largest of the 44 islands in Phang Nga Bay. The island is located about half way between Phuket and Krabi, and 21 km by sea to the north of Koh Phi Phi. Koh Yao Yai is one of Thailand’s lesser developed islands and an excellent base for exploring the rest of Phang Nga Bay.
Geography of Koh Yao Yai
Koh Yao Yai is a large island, 27 km long by 5 km at its widest point. The long thin shape of the island means that it has a long coastline.
Beaches on Koh Yao Yai
The three main beaches on the island, where most of the tourist accommodation is located, are Laem Had on the north coast, Koh Jark on the east coast, and Loh Paret on the west coast. Laem Had is a particularly stunning beach with a long sand bar appearing at low tide which extends about 400 metres from the coast towards the neighbouring island of Koh Yao Noi.
Dense Jungle and Mangrove
Large parts of Koh Yao Yai, particularly in the centre of the island, are inaccessible by road, hilly and covered in dense jungle. In the north east of the island there is also a small river, about 4 km long, which supports an area of fairly pristine mangrove forest that is full of fish, monkeys, birds and other wildlife.
Speedboat services to Koh Yao Yai depart from Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao NangThings to Do on Koh Yao Yai
Compared to other large islands in Thailand such as Phuket and Koh Samui, there are relatively few activities available on Koh Yao Yai. The island doesn’t have a golf course, or go-karting circuit, or a water park. The activities which you can do on the island relate to the area’s natural resources. Swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving are all popular activities, and there are several companies, including Elixir Divers, which organise scuba diving and snorkelling trips.
Other activities you can do on the island include kayaking through the mangrove forests, and around the coastline. In terms of exercise and sporting activities, the island has a Muay Thai gym and yoga courses are frequently available most often through the various resorts on the island.
Touring other Islands
The easiest island to reach from Koh Yao Yai is Koh Yao Noi. From Chong Lard Pier in the north of Koh Yao Yai it’s a 10 minute journey by local wooden boat to Laem Sai Pier in the south of Koh Yao Noi.
Visitor Attractions in Phang Nga Bay
To visit the smaller islands in Phang Nga Bay you need to take an organised tour, there are no public ferry or scheduled speedboat services to the other parts of Phang Nga Bay which are largely uninhabited.
Koh Panyee and Koh Ta-Pu
Travelling north from Koh Yao Yai there are two major points of interest at the top end of Phang Nga Bay: Koh Panyee and Koh Ta-Pu. Koh Panyee is an island with a village built on stilts over the sea. The inhabitants are a close knit community all descended from a group of Javanese fishermen who settled in Phan Nga Bay in the 18th Century. Koh Ta-Pu is better known as ‘James Bond Island’ because it appears as a major filming location in the film The Man with the Golden Gun.
Sea Caves
To the east of Koh Yao Yai is another interesting cluster of islands featuring partially submerged caves. Kayaking around these small islands and into the sea caves is a popular activity which local tour operators commonly offer.