Koh Yao Noi is a small island, just 12 kilometres long, located in Phang Nga Bay between the popular tourist destinations of Phuket and Krabi. It is approximately 24 km from Phuket, 44 km from Krabi Town, 30 km from Railay, and 24 km from Ao Nang. You can reach Koh Yao Noi by speedboats, slower ferries, and, on the shortest routes, by small wooden boats. The available routes and means of transport vary depending on the season.
Content of this article:
To find out the schedule of boats and ferries and quickly buy tickets
The easiest way to buy tickets is to visit the 12go.com website:
- Enter your desired route in the search bar (for example, Krabi - Koh Yao Noi), select your travel date and the number of passengers.
- Review the search results, choose the time and route that suits you.
- Buy a ticket.
Advice: Buy a ticket for a boat or ferry that includes transfers from your hotel or airport to avoid the hassle of finding a taxi or other transport to the pier.
At a time when the 12go.com website did not exist, I had to find ferry schedules from forums, street vendors selling excursions and tours, or directly at the pier.
Let me share my experience buying tickets at local travel agency offices or counters. Tourists are usually collected from hotels and brought to the travel agency office, where they are kept for several hours until all the hotels, excursions, and extras are sold to them. Buying tickets for boats, ferries, and buses online is much more reliable on websites where you can read reviews from other tourists or leave your review of the trip.
How to Get to Koh Yao Noi from Krabi and Ao Nang
Speedboats operate between Krabi Province and Koh Yao Noi during the dry season (from November to April).
The typical speedboat route includes the following stops:
- Klong Jilad Pier or Ao Nam Mao Pier (Krabi)
- East Railay (East Railay floating pier)
- Nopparat Thara Pier (Ao Nang)
- Chong Lard Pier or Klong Hia Pier (Koh Yao Yai)
- Manoh Pier (Koh Yao Noi)
- Bang Rong Pier (Phuket)
You can find the schedule for speedboats from Krabi and Ao Nang to Koh Yao Noi on the 12go.com website.
Travel Time from Krabi and Ao Nang to Koh Yao Noi
- From Krabi Airport to Koh Yao Noi: about 2 hours
- From Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang to Koh Yao Noi: 30 minutes
During the rainy season (May to October), you can travel from Krabi to Koh Yao Noi by ferry. These ferries are nothing more than large wooden boats with minimal comfort and safety. The schedule often changes and depends on the weather. So it's best to ask locals for the latest information on which pier to use and when to catch the ferry.
This Map of Ports and Piers in Phang Nga Bay can be helpful for your travels in Thailand.
How to Get to Koh Yao Noi from Phuket
Speedboats from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi depart from two piers:
- Bang Rong Pier in the north of Phuket
- Thiensin Pier near Phuket Town
You don’t need to search for these piers on a map. You can easily book a ticket on the 12go.com website for a speedboat to Koh Yao Noi with a transfer from Phuket Airport or your hotel in Patong, Kata, Karon, Panwa, Rawai, Krabi Town, or Chalong:
- Enter "Phuket - Koh Yao Noi" in the search bar, select your travel date and the number of passengers.
- Review the search results, choose the time and route that suits you.
- Buy a ticket.
The schedule for speedboats from Phuket and Ao Nang to Koh Yao Noi can be found on the 12go.com website.
Travel Time from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi
- From a hotel in Patong to Koh Yao Noi: about 3.5 hours
- From Phuket Airport to Koh Yao Noi: 1.5 hours
- From Bang Rong Pier in Phuket to Koh Yao Noi: 1 hour
You can travel from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi by ferry from Bang Rong Pier. These ferries are wooden boats with minimum comfort and safety. You can sit on the roof of the ferry and enjoy the views of the islands in Phang Nga Bay.
How to get to Koh Yao Noi from Phang Nga
Wooden boats to Koh Yao Noi depart from:
- Ao Thalane Pier in Khao Thong
- Tha Dan pier near Phang Nga town
Here is an article that may be useful to you - The best destinations in Krabi (Thailand).
