How to get to Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai from Phuket and what to do on the islands

What Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai are

Ko Yao (Thai เกาะยาว) is a pair of islands in Phang Nga Bay: Ko Yao Noi (“small”) to the north and Ko Yao Yai (“big”) to the south. They belong to Ko Yao district of Phang Nga province, not Phuket. The DOPA register for December 2025 lists 14,837 people and 6,431 houses in the district. The DNP notes that the Ko Yao Noi and Ko Yao Yai sub-districts fall within Ao Phang Nga National Park.

TAT describes both islands as quiet. On Ko Yao Noi life “is lived at a slow pace”, with organic rice fields ploughed by buffalo, homestays and two hotels. Ko Yao Yai, per TAT, has barely become a tourist destination. This page is about the islands themselves; the bay with James Bond Island is on the James Bond Island page.

What to do on the islands

On Ko Yao Noi, TAT lists the following:

• Rice fields and villages. Organic fields and communities that earn from fish and crafts
• Hornbills. TAT calls them an indicator of a healthy ecosystem; a hotel runs a watching project and a conservation club tells visitors about the birds
• Forest and water. A forest trail to a giant ironwood (ta khian) tree, mountain biking and snorkelling
• Crafts. Batik lessons and handmade souvenirs
• Fishing villages. Fish raised in baskets submerged in the sea

On bay tours Ko Yao Noi is sometimes the lunch stop: on Simba Sea Trips you eat at a restaurant after canoeing at Panak and Hong, with a look at rice paddies, coconut and rubber plantations and village life.

Getting there and how long it takes

Speedboats leave from Bang Rong pier in northern Phuket. On the pier’s own schedule (undated page, opened 18.10.2026):

Return times are not given in the sources, so confirm them with the operator. Bang Rong is 23.1 km and about 27 minutes by car from Phuket Old Town and 31.4 km and about 35 minutes from Patong; from Ao Po pier it is 27.9 km and about 34 minutes from Old Town (OSRM routes on OpenStreetMap).

How much time to plan and when to go

As a day trip: the drive to the pier, 30-40 minutes on the water each way, and the last sailing decides everything. Without confirmed return times an overnight stay is safer. On Simba’s bay tour you are on the water 7-8 hours, including lunch on Ko Yao Noi.

The DNP says waves are moderate to strong from May to October and calm in the northeast monsoon except in November. Phuket’s driest months are December to March, per TMD norms.

On 18 October 2026 the DNP lists no closures for Ao Phang Nga National Park. More in Phuket climate by month.

Park fee

For boat tours of the bay the Ao Phang Nga fee is THB 300 per foreign adult and THB 150 per child, Thai citizens THB 60 and THB 30 (DNP table, revision of 02.06.2023). Whether a separate fee applies to someone who simply lives on the island and walks the beaches and villages is not stated in the sources.

Options: how to get to Ko Yao

What to do in rain and rough water

Speedboats cross an open stretch, and in the southwest monsoon the swell is more noticeable. The pier’s page has no weather cancellation terms. If rain sets in, spend the day in the village or at your guesthouse and postpone the bay. Allow extra time for the return to Phuket and confirm the last sailing in the morning.

Safety

• In the villages dress modestly: Wikipedia estimates about 90 percent of the district’s residents are Muslim (2018 figure, flagged as needing a source)

Who it suits and who should skip it

• Suits anyone who wants quiet islands, rice fields and villages close to Phuket
• Suits couples or families who want a few days away from the big beaches
• Skip it if you expect nightlife, big beaches and frequent boats
• Skip it if you plan a day trip without checking return sailings
• Skip it if you get seasick on a speedboat

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