Secret Islands and Snorkelling Lagoons

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Phuket/Krabi - Ko Yao Yai
Duration:
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £286 per person (excluding flights)

This is paradise in a nutshell. Of all of the islands in Thailand, Ko Yao Yai is one of the least developed - a perfect spot for travellers seeking a more desert island experience. Ko Yao Yai lies in an inland sea south of Thailand, surrounded by uninhabited rocky islands that thrust up from the water, full of secluded coves and tiny, hidden bays. Ko Yao Yai itself has a few residents, but hardly any tourists at all. You'll spend two nights on Ko Yao Yai island, staying in a beach bungalow on a white powdery palm-lined beach. The day after you arrive, you'll take a day trip to hidden lagoons, abandoned beaches and superb snorkelling spots. Afterwards, you can enjoy a local southern Thai seafood in the open air restaurant.

Day 1 – Arrival on Ko Yao Yai

Today, you’ll be collected in Phuket or Krabi and taken to the pier for the ferry crossing to Ko Yao Yai Island. An hour and a half later, you’ll arrive at Ko Yao Yai, an idyllic island standing in Pha Nga Bay. On the way, you’ll pass the sheer limestone rockfaces for which the bay is famous, and watch seabirds soar in the cloudless sky. You’ll be met at the pier by your friendly hosts. The bungalows are equipped with air-conditioning and an ensuite bathroom. There are shops and restaurants on the island but take enough cash and a credit card with you, as there are no ATMs here. The majority of the locals are Muslim, so please dress modestly if you are leaving the beach (your shoulders and knees need to be covered).

Day 2 – Ko Yao Yai – Longtail boat tour

Today there’s some great snorkelling on the menu. You can eat breakfast to the sound of waves gently lapping the shore before you set off in a longtail boat for Ko Hong, an island with two white beaches and a beautiful lagoon. The lagoon is a lake formed by the collapse of a huge cave in the middle of the island and is surrounded by sheer limestone walls dotted with caves, and inhabited by bats and swallows. In the afternoon, you’ll visit another beach where the water is unbelievably clear. You can snorkel amongst the coral accompanied by shoals of rainbow-bright fish.

Day 3 – Departure from Ko Yao Yai

Today it’s time to leave Ko Yao Yai Island, and the exact time of your departure will depend on whether you’re travelling to Krabi or Phuket. If you’re heading for Krabi you’ll have an early 6am start, and set off to the pier to take the local boat. It leaves at around 7:30am. The early morning trip across the misty bay is unforgettable. You’ll be met at the pier when you arrive and transferred either to your hotel in Krabi, or for a little extra cost, to the airport. If you’re heading for Phuket you’ll catch the boat around 15:00. You’ll be met at the pier and transferred to your hotel, or for a little extra, to Phuket airport.