Ko Yao Noi Island

Address: Ko Yao Noi, Phang Nga Province, Thailand

Admission: Free (no formal admission for the island)

Ko Yao Noi is an inhabited island in Phang Nga Bay, Phang Nga province, Thailand, lying between Phuket and Krabi. The island has small villages, rubber and coconut plantations, and a low-rise tourism profile focused on community-based stays and nature views.

Tourism is comparatively low-density with homestays, small resorts, and local services rather than mass-market development; visitors come for cycling, viewpoints over the bay’s limestone karsts, and quiet coastal visits. Boat connections link the island with Phuket, Krabi and mainland piers.

The island’s character has been shaped by long-term fishing and plantation agriculture; tourism has expanded gradually while many parts of the island remain agriculturally used. Local communities provide many of the island’s visitor services.

Ko Yao Noi sits in the central sector of Phang Nga Bay and is accessed by short boat journeys from surrounding piers on Phuket and the Phang Nga mainland.

• Rural island access: Located between Phuket and Krabi in Phang Nga Bay, it is commonly reached by public boat services from Phuket and Phang Nga and retains a low-density, agricultural character.
• Common activities: Visitors often combine short stays with boat tours of Phang Nga Bay to see limestone karsts and mangrove landscapes.

Ko Yao Noi (Phang Nga Bay) is reached by boat from Phuket or Krabi. From Phuket International Airport or Phuket Town, drive about 25-35 km east to the Ao Po / Bang Rong piers on Phuket’s east coast; regular speedboats take roughly 30-40 minutes to the island while slower ferries/long-tail boats take about 60-90 minutes. From Krabi/Ao Nang there are also boat services across Phang Nga Bay (driving distance to the nearest piers depends on which Krabi pier is used).

Most boats land at the island’s main pier close to the central village; onward travel on Ko Yao Noi is by short tuk‑tuk, motorbike taxi or on foot.

• Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid the day‑trip crowds from Phuket and Krabi - many day tours pass through Phang Nga Bay mid‑day, while staying overnight on Ko Yao Noi gives you quiet fishing‑village mornings and sunset views.
• Use public boats rather than packaged boat tours: regular ferries/longtails run from Phuket's Bang Rong/Ao Po areas and from Krabi piers - arriving by scheduled ferry or local longtail will leave you at the main pier and is often cheaper and less crowded than organized speedboat tours.
• Explore beyond the main village by renting a scooter or hiring a local driver for half a day to reach quiet bays, local rubber‑plantation roads and small seafood eateries that most day visitors miss.