KOH YAO NOI

Koh Yao Noi or “Small Long Island” is world-away from the bustling Phuket, though can be easily reached within a 30-minute cruise by the speed boat. Featuring with the pristine coastline, splendid views of the Andaman Sea and a quiet pace of living, Koh Yao Noi is one of the best places to get away from the hustle-and-bustle of Phuket.

The island has a fair number of various accommodations including one absolutely fascinating villa property and an upscale hotel resort. Depending on your living preferences and budget you can opt either an all-sufficient villa or a nice beachfront bungalow rented from a local family.

Even though the island boasts deserted splendid beaches, the water can be a bit murky, that is why most of the travellers opt swimming in their private villa pools or indulge in water sports, which are plentiful on the island. Art lovers can visit a renowned Ani Art Academy that gathers talented artists from all over the world helping them to hone their skills and get the respectful diploma.

Koh Yao Noi is a home to one Ministry Approved villa. An absolutely beachfront Ani Villas is a sprawling exclusive estate, which provides its guests with the utmost amenities, lavish inclusions and high-end services. This outstanding villa property can be rented in six, eight or ten-bedroom option accommodating up to twenty guests.

Ani Villas has dedicated staff including butlers, chefs, nannies, 24-hour security personnel, drivers and many other services you won’t find in a hotel. This is why we say “Spend just one night in a villa and you’ll never stay in a hotel again.”

Most of the affordable and utterly authentic local eateries can be found in the centre of the village near the market or dotted along the east coast of the island steps away from the beach. Specialised in quality seafood and Thai dishes, these venues offer genuine cuisine along with the splendid sea views.

There are not so many midrange restaurants on the island, however, you can expect to find a few attractive cafes near or in hotels stretching along the shoreline. The major highlight of these eateries is the wider range of cuisines along with the more western-adapted local cuisine.

Fine-dining is represented with several upscale restaurants situated at the five-star hotel resorts. Serving an elaborated Western and Thai cuisines these venues is a must-try. Overall, Koh Yao Noi dining scene is as diverse and appealing as the island itself providing a fair number of dining venues to appease all palates.

Koh Yao Noi features with a slow pace of living, laidback atmosphere and absence of crazy nightlife on the island.

Catering to the more mature travellers, the island though boasts natural scenery, pristine beaches, lack of development and the most scenic sunsets one can imagine. Thus, most of the visitors head to the evening stroll along the beach or opt one of the beach bars to sip the fresh juice and relish in the scenic view of the sun setting over the limestone islets towering at a distance.

Due to the fact that Koh Yao Noi has a strong Muslim community not every bar on the island offer alcohol, so if you are feeling for something stronger than a fresh juice, head to any hotel bar where the drink list embraces a wide selection of alcoholic beverages along with the custom cocktails.

The shopping scene on Koh Yao Noi is concentrated in the centre of the village and it’s represented with several street stalls and a couple of small standalone shops that line both sides of the main road.

Selling typical sarongs, beachwear, bags, accessories, various handmade items and pashmina and silk scarf these tiny local stores are excellent places to indulge in the retail therapy and support the local community by buying a unique gift to bring back home.

A few minimarts scattered through the island, selling basic necessities, toiletries and various non-alcoholic beverages, complete the shopping scene of the island.

Notwithstanding its miniature sizes, Koh Yao Noi boasts various relaxation, leisure and water activities available for travellers. One of the major attractions of the island is its Muay Thai boxing camp set on the southwestern coast. Offering both individual and group lessons with champion trainers, the camp has fast gained the reputation of the best Muay Thai boxing gym in Thailand.

If yoga better suits you than martial arts, there are a couple of yoga salas on the island, where you can indulge in the private lessons or attend a group training under the supervision of professional yoga teacher. The tranquillity and relaxing vibes of the island will benefit your unwinding through practising yoga.

Water sports enthusiasts are blessed with abundant water activities such as kayaking, stand-up paddle, snorkelling and even diving. While the eastern coast is best suitable for all beach retreats including swimming, soaking the sun and laying around on the golden sands, the western part of the island caters to adventurous types providing spectacular views of the picturesque rice flats and exotic mangrove forests, which are await to be explored.