Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yay: Thailand's Best-Kept Secret Just 30 Minutes From Krabi

If you've dreamed of spending time on an unspoiled island surrounded by nature's luxuries but skipped Thailand because of its popularity, you'll be glad to know that such islands still exist — and they're waiting for you. They are the twin islands, Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai, located in Phang Nga Bay, roughly midway between Phuket and Krabi in southern Thailand.

Apart from getting the best and the most uninterrupted postcard perfect pictures, you also get to see a side of Thailand on your island hopping adventure that in this day and age understands what it means to combine local culture, luxury, and spirit of adventure.

It is no surprise that many are discovering the twin islands in 2026 after all, Thailand has roughly over 1,400 islands and most itineraries touch the same dozen- Krabi, Phuket, and Phi Phi. The country is easy to hop around, but the most memorable stretch of it is also the one most travellers rush past. Here's how you can revamp island hopping by skipping the ultra-busy spots and really go for a luxurious adventure that makes a good end to your trip to Thailand.

Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai are the counterweight to bigger beaches and loud nightouts of Phuket, Bangkok and Krabi. Instead, they give a trip a pause, a place to eat where the fish was caught that morning, sleep with the windows open, and watch the bay change colour without a crowd in the frame.

Put them in the middle of the route, after the busy islands and before the flight home, and they will likely be the part of the trip you describe afterwards. On these unspoiled islands, you also get the your sweet, uninterrupted time to kayak, going swimming without the worry of congestion and ultimately experience a remote experience that lets you sit with your thoughts and view without distraction but not without luxury of comfort and hospitality.

Moreover, the two are well lived-in islands. Most residents are Muslim fishing and farming families. You'll commonly find rubber plantations, rice paddies, fishing boats and village mosques fill the interior, and the coastline is edged with mangroves rather than sunbed rows.

While tourism does exist, it still sits lightly on top. You'll find small guesthouses, family-run restaurants, and a handful of discreet boutique resorts, not high-rises or beach clubs.

The view is the point of considering the two island on your island hopping route. Looking across the bay, you see karst limestone towers rising straight out of the water, the same landscape that draws crowds to James Bond Island, only without the queue. Sunrise and sunset here are quiet and spectacular. But that's not what keeps these the best-kept secret of Thailand. There are real things-to-do without noise, the crowd or overally commercialised spots.

• Kayaking between the limestone islets and through mangrove channels

• Cycling or scootering the island loops past villages and paddies

• Cooking classes and village visits

• Boat trips to nearby islands, early or late in the day to dodge the crowds

• Swimming off empty beaches at high tide

Ferries and speedboats link most islands. Ferries are cheaper and slower, and speedboats are quicker and bumpier. If you are travelling from Krabi, the twin islands are no more than 30 mins away however, if you want to take it slow in the beginning of your island hopping experience, a speedboat journey from Phuket would ideally be 40-45 mins long from the Marina.

For best options that are also easy on the pocket, book mainland-to-island legs ahead in peak season. Island-to-island hops can usually be sorted a day or two out. Check current timetables and fares locally. They change often and vary by operator.

Schedules shrink in the low season and weather can cancel boats, so leave a buffer day before any flight home.

Always travel light. You'll be on and off boats, piers and scooters constantly, and a soft bag beats a hard case.

Moreover, you should carry cash handy as post shops on the island don't consider cards and stick to cash only transactions. While, you'll find handful of well-functioning ATMS, a withdrawal can cost additional 250 BAHTS.

Go between November and April for the calmest seas and clearest skies.