Koh Libong - A True Off The Beaten Path Thai Island Paradise

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We’ve worked our way down the west coast of Thailand staying on the islands of Phuket, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Jum, Koh Lanta, Koh Mook and Koh Lipe. You would think we’d be bored of islands by now! But no, the Thai islands keep us coming back for more and each island has its own unique charms. Whatever it is you’re looking for, from scuba diving to rave parties, there will be a Thai island that provides. 

Our final island stop on this visit to Thailand was to be three days and two nights staying on the island of Koh Libong. We knew very little about the island, but had heard positive things. We were expecting an even more laidback island than Koh Mook and with even less tourists than Koh Jum. We set off into the relative unknown, and boy what we found… Koh Libong may well be our favourite Thai island!

This off the beaten path island was stunningly beautiful and blew all of our expectations out of the crystal clear waters of the Andaman Sea. 

How To Get To and From Koh Libong?

From the mainland you can get to Koh Libong via the Hat Yao pier in the province of Trang. This pier is located about an hour away from the city of Trang, or two hours from Krabi airport. It’s a short ferry ride and should cost you around 100 to 150 baht per person. 

If you’re already on a neighbouring island, then you can get to the island via a long tail boat. The long tail boats will drop you off either at Koh Libong’s main pier of Banphrao Pier, or if you’re staying on the western beaches, directly on to the beach outside your accommodation! 

We travelled from Koh Mook and it cost us 1400 baht (£33.02 or $41.51) for two people including a tuk tuk pickup from our Koh Mook accommodation and a private long tail drop off to the beach in front of our Koh Libong accommodation. The whole journey took around an hour. This was a pricey option, but the alternative would have been a ferry to the mainland, a taxi or minibus between two piers and another ferry to Banphrao pier on Koh Libong. After all of this we would still have needed to have got a tuk tuk from the pier to our new accommodation. We may have saved 500 odd baht doing this, but we would have sacrificed the best part of a day. Backpacking is all about compromising your time versus money and on this occasion with the shorter stay on Koh Libong we thought that our time was more precious.

If you find yourself on Koh Mook and do want the most budget friendly option; get the public ferry across the water from Koh Mook pier to Khuang Tung Ku pier for around 100 baht per person, then get a private taxi, or a shared minivan from the pier to Hat Yao pier (a fifteen minute ride), and then catch a public ferry across the water. This should get you to Koh Libong for a little under 900 baht for two people.

If you’re on an island slightly further away, you can hop on any of the speedboat services that work their way up and down the western islands. This is usually the more expensive option, but will almost certainly be the quickest. Both the speedboat and long tail boat tickets can be arranged via your accommodation or via any travel agent wherever you are. If you like being prepared and having everything booked in advance, the tickets can be brought online via 12Go.

The Island of Koh Libong

Our long tail boat from Koh Mook approached the island and we could see a near endless and empty white sand beach stretching along the coast. It was only as we skimmed closer over the ridiculously clear water that we realised that this was the “busiest” main beach on the island! It was something out of a tourist brochure, you know the ones where they have to photoshop out the crowds of pasty sunbathers, except here there was no photoshop trickery, just a beautiful, deserted stretch of the most perfect beach you could imagine.

Koh Libong’s busiest beach….

Koh Libong is far less visited than other islands on the west coast of Thailand. It is still a `working island` in that it has an economy outside of tourism  and there are no 7/11s, chain stores and only a few small scale beachside “resorts”. Koh Libong is also a predominantly Muslim island so alcohol is not available outside of some of the hotels. This all means that it is not a party island which discourages a good portion of the banana pancake trail backpackers. Koh Libong is a little oasis, a Thai island with beaches straight out of a postcard but with hardly any tourists there. 

Our visa was running out in Thailand and we had only booked a couple of nights on Koh Libong but  as we jumped from our long tail boat into the diamond sparkling water outside our hotel we were already regretting not booking more.

Where to Stay on Koh Libong?

There are only a smattering of hotels and guest houses to choose from on the island and most of them are clustered on a single beach in the south west.  These hotels stretch along the beach with wooden bungalows sitting up on stilts looking down out onto the sea.

We opted for Le Dugong Hotel (location), The hotel was on the beach, had good reviews and, crucially for us, was not too pricey! The raised beachside bungalows of Le Dugong were set within flower-strewn gardens and swaying palm trees.  The room had a large comfy bed and private open air bathroom and shower.  The room was fan only but the shaded windows and clever wooden design meant that it was always cool and airy inside. We had a little veranda with fantastic views over the beach and out across the sea. This unassuming beach hut, with its beautifully crafted wooden interior was one of our favourite accommodations we have stayed in so far.

Click here to book your stay at Le Dugong Hotel.

Le Dugong also has a restaurant that serves food throughout the day and evening. We only used this for breakfast, so can only report that they make very good scrambled eggs! Le Dugong is also one of the very few places on the island that serves beer. You would think that this would mean paying a premium price for a large bottle, but no, it was ironically our cheapest island beer from our whole Thai island adventures!

Jellie beer price index 1 x large bottle of Leo cost 100 baht (£2.35 or $2.94)

There are a couple more hotels on offer on this beach, one offers slightly cheaper rooms that are set a little distance back from the beach and another is considerably fancier (and more expensive) and has (we think) the only swimming pool on the island. As this was to be our last island on this leg of our Thailand trip, we chose the middle path. Beachfront, but not overly bougie, Le Dugong was the Goldilocks choice!

Have a look at the map below to check out the accommodation choices on the island.

What to Do on Koh Libong

Beaches

The number one recommendation we can give for Koh Libong is just to enjoy the beach. The south western beach of Lang Khao Beach (location), the one with the majority of the hotels on, is simply spectacular. The beach is blessed with perfect white sand and the clearest water we have ever seen. Seriously, when we were pulling into the island on our long tail boat, a couple of hundred metres offshore, we could see all the way to the bottom!

Adding to the white sand and the crystal waters, is the fact that you’re basically getting this beach to yourself. The beach must be over a km long and at its busiest, had five other people on it whilst we were there! It would be foolish not to spend your time here, when else in life are you presented with a postcard perfect, near deserted beach. Just don’t be like us and forget to pack your snorkel. 

It is almost too perfect!

There are other beaches on the island as well, usually accessible by scooter. Further north from Lang Khao beach is Tung Yaka Beach (location), an even more secluded white sand paradise. Panyang Beach (location) is also meant to be lovely and very good for snorkelling (we didn’t manage to get there in our short stay). Tub Beach (location) lying on the east of the island, the beach is more for birdwatching than sunbathing as it’s a great spot to watch migratory birds (again we didn’t manage to get there so cannot comment).

Lang Khao Beach is home to armies of hermit crabs. During the day you’ll frequently see the small ones skittering back and forth across the sands. At night however is when the giants come out. Hordes of hermit crabs with shells of every shape and size crowd the beach. Le Dugong hotel puts out little plates of food for the crabs and these become a literal feeding frenzy of shunting, shuffling crustaceans! 

Although we failed spectacularly in spotting much non-crabby wildlife, Koh Libong boasts fantastic biodiversity in the sea. Sea turtles frequent the island and the ubiquitous dugong is also a visitor to the island's sea grasses. An organised tour will give you better luck in spotting these elusive creatures than we had on our stay. Tours can be booked through your accommodation or from one of the shops on the islands.

Point Dugong - Viewpoint and Cave (location)

Point Dugong is, for some reason, listed as a theme park on Google Maps. There are no slides and roller coasters here but it is still well worth a visit. Located up a winding and very steep road, so steep in fact that we parked our scooter and walked the last stretch, lies the entrance counter for Point Dugong. It was at this point we almost turned around and left as the sign stated it would cost 400 baht per person to enter! Luckily for us it looks like this sign is a sign of things to come and not a current cost; the island looks like it is in the midst of developing Point Dugong and this will be the final entrance fee when it is done. In any case there wasn’t anyone to collect it from us and the only other bike in the car park was owned by a charming older gent from Germany who cheerfully reassured us that we didn’t need to pay anything. Trusting our new German friend we wandered past the entrance counter and up into the park.

Point Dugong is split into two sections, there is a viewpoint out across the bay accessed by the path that forks right from the entrance, and a cave accessible via the left hand path. 

The viewpoint is lovely, the high vantage point giving great views out to sea. There is a large wooden platform under the shade of trees and whilst we were there a Thai family came up and had their lunch on this scenic spot. We wished we had thought of that! Below in the shallows you can see fishermen and rock pool hunters going about their business.

We didn’t see any dugongs (a recurring theme for us) and don’t know if it an especially good place to try and see them from, nevertheless, it was a great place to stop and admire the view.

The caves at Point Dugong are an entirely different experience, much more of an adventure!

The caves start out on a well maintained, new looking set of stairs. As you climb, the paths wind up and through some amazing caves. Every so often there will be a break in the rocks forming a window with views out across the sea and…the sheer drop below. Abruptly however, the well maintained path ends and you are left to continue upwards. Occasionally a section of the path will re-emerge with steps or a rope to help you up a steep portion of rocks but it definitely looks like this is an area they haven’t finished redeveloping yet.

Beware also there are a couple of forks in the path. Including one which looked like a cliff edge walk with a small rope and six inches of ledge being all that separated you and a long fall. We reasoned (correctly as it turned out) that this couldn’t be the way and continued on up. Eventually we reached a fantastic viewpoint near the top of the mountain, with jaw dropping views across the island and sea. A frayed rope up a near vertical rock indicated that it was possible to go higher but we decided this was quite high enough! After admiring the view and taking the obligatory selfie, we headed back down the mountain.

Point Dugong is well worth a visit, it is a scooter or taxi ride away from anything, but is a lovely viewpoint. The caves were exciting and fun to scramble around but we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone with small children or mobility issues!

Dugong Tower and Leekpai Pier (location)

In the village of Ban Ba Tu Pu Pe, to the north of Point Dugong is the Dugong Tower. The tower is set over the water at the end of the Leekpai Pier, confusingly called Leekpai Bridge on Google Maps. You can either scooter / taxi to the village and walk down the pier or you can scooter all the way across the water and park just underneath the tower. We parked up in the village and walked down the long hot pier. At low tide you can see lots of mudskippers and wading birds hunting or just generally flopping around on either side of the pier. As you get to the end you are treated to a brightly painted mural of dugongs on the pier itself and finally the viewing tower.

At the top of the tower, up a few sets of concrete steps, you can see out across the bay and to the towering limestone cliffs of Point Dugong. 

Through the clear water we saw large shoals of fish and waving clumps of seagrass. We did not, however, see any dugongs. At this point, after staying on Koh Mook and now Koh Libong, after visiting at least 5 places with dugong in the name and still not catching a glimpse of these cute ocean grazers, we started to suspect that we are cursed.

The village at the base of the pier is also worth exploring.

Home to a couple of guesthouses and quite a few restaurants, street food vendors and shops, this little village was relaxed, friendly and great fun to wander around.

Stone Bridge (location)

At the far north of the island sits the stone bridge. To get to the stone bridge you drive (or are driven) all the way up and round the north of the island and park up next to a snack stall. From there you walk for a couple of minutes through a forest until you pop out into a cove. This small beach is littered with boulders and rocks along the shore line but on the left lies the main attraction. A large mass of black stone with a flat top sits squat on the shoreline, at low tide the receding water reveals the ‘bridge’, a curved archway carved into the rock by the ever changing tides. Below the bridge, the waves flow in and out of the opening. The bridge is a nice excuse to have a drive and explore the north of the island, it's not Durdle Door and is completely invisible at low tide but it is a cool thing to go and see.

Scootering About

We loved scootering around on Koh Libong, it has fantastic paved roads pretty much everywhere on the island and very little traffic. 

We rented our scooter from the lovely lady at Star Coffee Bar and Restaurant (more on this later) for 200 baht rental for the whole day (£4.70 or $5.88). When we asked for helmets she looked confused, then reassured us that there were no police on the island…. We eventually convinced her that we wanted helmets, not because we feared legal repercussions but because we feared other road users, and two helmets were found for us.

We scooted around most of the above attractions in a day, stopping wherever we felt like it, taking pictures, grabbing drinks and generally having a wonderful time. Being Londoners, it never ceases to amaze us that you can just park your bike anywhere and leave it unattended and there is no worry of it being pinched!

If you are happy riding a scooter we cannot recommend it enough on Libong. For those who do not want to ride their own scooter there are tuk tuk taxi services available from the southern beach, where you can get an individual ride or hire them for a day’s sightseeing. 

Next time we’re on Libong we will hire a scooter again and spend a day exploring the beaches we didn’t manage to get to this time.

Best Places to Eat on Koh Libong

One of the only criticisms we have seen online of Koh Libong is that there is a limited choice of dining options. We can see this maybe being an issue if you stayed there for a couple of weeks but for a shorter stay there are plenty of options to keep you interestingly fed.

Fisherman’s Kitchen (location)

For our first lunch on the island we had chicken noodle soups at the Fisherman’s Kitchen. These noodles were cheap, hearty and delicious with rich broths and roasted shredded chicken that was full of flavour. We later returned here for a healthy banana roti breakfast (cough cough), which was excellently crispy and sweet, just what you want in a banana pancake! 

Mao-Nom Cafe (location)

Down the road from the Fisherman’s Kitchen, towards the sea, is a white wooden coffee shack. Busy with locals and tourists from the nearby hotels, this little shack puts out some great coffee and Thai teas.

These are all of the powdered variety so don’t go expecting some artisan small batch brew, but they were cheap and powerful and a great pick me up after a morning's lazing on the beach.

Star Coffee Bar and Restaurant (location)

Further inland but still only a few minutes walk away from the beach hotels is the amazing Star Coffee Bar and Restaurant. Amazing not just for its food but also for the wonderful powerhouse of a lady running it. She cooks, she organises tours, she can arrange taxis, she runs a scooter rental and has a petrol pump! In short she is a one stop shop for all your touristy needs whilst on Koh Libong. Her scooter rental was significantly cheaper than our hotel's offer and the transfer she arranged to the mainland and onwards to the city of Trang was 400 baht cheaper than the nearest other offer we found! To add to all of this she was a funny and genuinely welcoming lady.

We ate at her restaurant twice whilst on Koh Libong . The first time we had crispy fried fish and little soft shell crabs and the second we had a gorgeous barbecued mackerel. Both times that we ate here, the food was fresh, delicious and surprisingly cheap. We absolutely loved this place. Please bear in mind it is all cooked by one person on a single wok so if it is busy there may be a little wait, but this is an island! Calm down, chill out and enjoy the laid back pace of it all!

Ja Nhai Seafood (location)

This one was special. We had been jealousy craving crab since our friends had ordered an amazing looking platter of it on Koh Yao Noi . We had done our research and decided that Ja Nhai Seafood of Koh Libong would be the place we would have our crab fix. 

We took our scooter and drove there for a luxurious late lunch. The restaurant is set out within shaded wooden platforms looking out to sea. The menu is reassuringly short and the place reassuringly lively with Thai’s. Thai people really seem to know and respect a good seafood place so it is always a good sign when you find yourself dining alongside them!

We ordered a whole steamed fish with chilli and some yellow curry crab. To cut a long story short, it was one of the best meals of the trip so far! The fish was excellently balanced, super spicy whilst retaining the sweet perfectly cooked taste of the flesh. Steamed in a delicate ginger, lime and coriander sauce it was amazing, but when paired with the crab it was just next level. The crab was sweet and perfect, the rich sauce never overpowering the white meat. Pulling apart the crab shell and hunting out the delicious tender meat, we got super messy (is there any other way to eat crab?) but it was totally worth the yellow stained fingers. We now find ourselves daydreaming about this place and the wonderful meal we had there.

To top it all off, the meal was very reasonably priced. A whole steamed fish, crab for two and two soft drinks only set us back 535 baht (£12.57 or $15.74). If we were staying on the island for longer we would have come back here again and again.

Ban Ba Tu Pu Pe Village

If you’re after cheap eats and street food, there are a couple of vendors in the village of Ban Ba Tu Pu Pe offering roti, noodle soups etc.

Beer on the Beach - Sunset in Koh Libong

If you are staying in any of the hotels on the south western beach then you are in for a treat come sundown. The beach faces out to the west and so gets a fantastic view of sunset. The hotels are also some of the only places on the island where alcohol is available. 

The two facts of - perfect sunset spot and available beer led to the obvious conclusion that this would be a perfect place to enjoy a sundowner drink. So we made our camp at the tiny Le Dugong Bar and popped open our Leo’s. What followed was nothing short of magical. The sun sank slowly and lit up the entire sky with vibrant oranges, then purples, whilst hundreds of small swallows zipped around us. 

We were sat on driftwood furniture with these little birds flitting past us no further than a couple of feet away. We’ve had some incredible sunsets in our time in Thailand, but the ones we spent sipping beer on a deserted beach in Koh Libong are some of our most memorable.

Koh Libong is amazing. Empty beaches, friendly locals, good food and some of the most amazing sunsets we have ever seen. Half of us doesn’t want to publish this article and keep Koh Libong to ourselves as a special Thai getaway but that would be unfair and dumb. There is a small amount of development already on the island, with a new hotel and bar coming to the main beach area as well as the infrastructure and improvement of the tourist attractions. Koh Libong cannot stay a secluded paradise forever so go out and enjoy it now!

Quick Questions

Is Koh Libong Worth It?

Did you read the article? This island is phenomenal. The only time we could see it not being worth being included in your itinerary is if you’re strictly in Thailand for parties. It’s chilled out, beautiful, fun to drive around and all in all one of our favourite places we’ve been. 

Can you tell we rather liked Koh Libong?

How Long to Spend on Koh Libong?

This is always a tricky one with islands as it depends on how many days you want to spend lounging on a beach. You can definitely see all the island's “attractions” within a day or two, but we would recommend spending more than the two nights we spent. We would have loved to have had another two nights here to really relax, explore some more beaches and just generally embrace the slow island life (also to eat some more crab!). 

When to Visit Koh Libong?

The peak season for tourism in western Thailand runs from October to April. As there’s not a lot to do apart from beaches, make sure you head here then. As mentioned it was near deserted when we visited, but there is a limited amount of accommodation so if it did get busy it would fill up quickly. We’d recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Thanks for reading,

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie 

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*Prices correct at time of visiting - March 2023

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A Day Out On Koh Lanta, A 24 Hour Itinerary. What Can You Do When You’re Short On Time?

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.

Koh Lanta is a popular destination for backpackers and tourists island hopping on Thailand’s west coast. This large island boasts many beaches, masses of bars, restaurants and accommodation as well as all of the home comforts a traveller could ask for.

One of Thailand’s larger islands, Koh Lanta has everything from late night beach raves to a beautiful National Park, but what if you’re short on time? What if its just a one night stopover on this island? Read on for our 24 hour guide to Koh Lanta. 

This itinerary will require you to hire a scooter or if you’re especially fancy, hire a driver for the day. It is easy to do either on the island, with scooter rentals everywhere and costing around 250 baht per day (£5.84 or $7.32). Tuk tuks and taxis are plentiful on the island and will be more than happy to negotiate for multiple trips, although it might not be that cheap! 

One Day in Koh Lanta

What To Do In The Morning On Koh Lanta

Wake up, grab yourself some fruit or a smoothie from one of the cafes or street vendors before heading to the beach. Take a leisurely morning beach walk or a dip in the sea but make sure you’re back in time to book a tour with the Lanta Animal Welfare Centre (Location). Slots can be booked online.

Tours run everyday, with two slots available at either 10.30am or 1.30pm. The Centre asks for a small donation of 250 baht per adult or 150 baht per child. The tours are well worth a visit and support a great cause, taking you through the Centre, its work and introducing you to some of its cats and dogs. One word of a warning though, after an hour spent with the animals you might want to end up adopting one of these furry friends.

To find out more about the Lanta Wildlife Centre (or how to go about adopting a pet) click here.

Whose a good girl? Pink the dog was very happy to have head strokes!

After your animal adventure, hop back on the scooter and drive 2 minutes round the corner for a quick caffeine fix at Mems Coffee Corner (Location). The lovely lady and her adorable daughter serve up a great cup of coffee. Caffeine fixed, it's time for lunch. 

What To Do In The Afternoon On Koh Lanta

Jump on your scooter/taxi and head across the island enjoying the scenic views on your way to Lanta’s Old Town (Location). Koh Lanta’s Old Town was possibly our favourite part of the island. The Old Town is spread along the waterfront on a pretty lantern lined street. Filled with bars, restaurants and cafes as well as quirky shops, tourist tat and art galleries. There’s plenty for you to see whilst you wander around working up an appetite. Head to one of the shore front restaurants and enjoy a lovely lunch with a view. We had an excellent meal at Rareview Coffee and Restaurant (Location).

After you’ve eaten, head back out of town to the car park making sure you check out the extremely long pier, bright blue lobster statue and sunken ship (just to the right of the pier facing the sea). After pottering around, it’s time to move on. 

Koh Lanta boasts several viewpoints, and one of which is a short detour on your way back to the beaches. Stop off at the Khao Yai Restaurant (Location) for some phenomenal views over the bay in a very cool restaurant/cafe. It’s a little pricey but serves coffee, cakes and a full menu all with panoramic views and seating to take advantage of this. Parking is available at the bottom of the hill and is a short 2 minute walk to the restaurant.

Drop your scooter back, get your swimwear on and head to the beach for the rest of the afternoon. Our favourite beach was Klong Dao Beach (Location) but you can’t go wrong with any of the beaches on Lanta really. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon swimming, splashing, sunbathing and generally lounging about.

What To Do In The Evening On Koh Lanta

With its western facing beaches, Lanta is perfectly situated for sundowner drinks. Bars line the beachfront so take your pick. Just choose a chair with a good view of the sea and the setting sun. We can highly recommend the Majestic Bar (Location) which had comfy seats, friendly service and chilled out vibes. 

After the sun has gone down, head to the main strip close to your accommodation to enjoy an evening meal. We had a great Pad Krapow from the Risky Restaurant (Location) and enjoyed some good Indian curries from the Heama Indian Restaurant (Location). We also enjoyed some great barbecued chicken and som tam from a little street side vendor, just follow your nose to any open flames and roasting chickens.

There are so many restaurants on Koh Lanta serving every kind of food imaginable. From Thai favourites to Greek, to pizza and everything in between. If Koh Lanta is a part of a long backpacking trip, it's a good place to seek out some home comforts. 

Once you’re fed, make your way back to one of the many, many bars for drinks and a fire show. If you’re up for it, Lanta also has a healthy clubbing and party scene, so go wild! 

Getting To and From Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta is very easily accessible from pretty much anywhere in southern Thailand. Being one of the largest western islands, you can arrange transport here from pretty much anywhere. Your guesthouse, hostel or travel agent will be able to help you with this or you can use 12Go to book your transport in advance.

If you’re on an island on the west coast already, then you’ll almost certainly be catching a speedboat here but the above will still apply.

Tips and Tricks

• When renting a scooter on Koh Lanta, take photos of the scooter before you ride it away. This will prevent any disagreements as to the state you borrowed it in. 

Koh Lanta’s scooter rentals are understandably cautious when renting vehicles to Farangs. You will need to leave your passport (not a copy) with the operator. 

All the usual warnings also apply - just don’t be an idiot! 

Riding a scooter in Koh Lanta did not look fun at night - there are large unlit sections of road as well as potholes and other road users with varying degrees of skill and sobriety. Again use your best judgement.

• With the Lanta Animal Welfare Centre you may see some distressing images of animals, this is optional and you don’t need to look, but do know that the ones they show you do have happy endings. It is remarkable to see the states that some of the animals arrive in versus the states that they get adopted in. 

• The Old Town is also great at night with charming bars and the street lit by Chinese lanterns. It makes a great choice for dinner if you don’t mind a longer ride back. For the reasons above we recommend a taxi. 

• The northwestern beaches have very little shade outside of the resorts, so whack on the sunscreen and bring lots of water.

Koh Lanta is a big island and 24 hours is definitely not enough to see everything or remotely do it justice. This itinerary mainly focuses on the islands north, and completely misses the southern National Park and other beaches. Koh Lanta is a very developed and popular tourist island. Where we stayed, in the Klong Dao area, was great for access to its beautiful  beach, but if you’re looking for a quiet island getaway, it would not be our first choice. For a look at some quieter Thai island escapes check out our guides to Koh Mook, Koh Jum and Koh Yao Noi all of which are accessible from Koh Lanta.  We used Koh Lanta as a stopping off point for other islands, and only skimmed the surface. Let us know in the comments what else we should do next time! 

Thanks for reading, 

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

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Koh Jum - An Island A World Away

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Koh Jum is a beautiful island in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of Thailand. Surrounded by more famous neighbours, Koh Jum remains a haven for those willing to get off the “beaten track” and go a little deeper in their Thai island hopping adventures.

Filled with pristine beaches, friendly locals and a wealth of good, cheap accommodation and tasty food, Koh Jum is a fantastic island getaway. 

The island is an island of two halves. The northern part of the island is known as Koh Pu and the southern as Koh Jum. When booking tickets, or accommodation the two seem to be interchangeable. 

How To Get To Koh Jum?

The island of Koh Jum lies south of Krabi town but north of Koh Lanta. Although not a popular stop off as Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi or Phuket, Koh Jum is still very easy to get to from either mainland or a different western island. 

Getting to Koh Jum from the islands:

All of the major ferry companies that run up and down the western coast of Thailand will stop at Koh Jum if instructed too. Just book your tickets online via 12Go (LINK) or in person with an island travel agent or your accommodation.

Getting to Koh Jum from the mainland:

The easiest way to get to Koh Jum from the mainland is from Krabi town. There used to be a direct ferry from the main town pier so first check if this has resumed! If not, it shouldn’t be an expensive transfer to get on a Songtheaw or taxi from Krabi town to Laem Kruat pier. 

From here, the public ferry departs every two or so hours and will bring you straight to Koh Jum within an hour. The public ferry is a large longtail boat which also serves as the island's cargo delivery service, so when you board expect to clamber over crates of cauliflowers, boxes of bike tyres and other island essentials. 

For those feeling very thrifty, there is a Songtheaw that runs from Krabi town to the pier, but it is not very frequent, so plan ahead and have backups.

When looking at transport to Koh Jum, please be aware that the island is also known as Koh Pu.

Tickets for the local ferry cost 100 baht per ticket (£2.35 or $2.93).

When Should You Visit Koh Jum?

As with all of the islands on the west coast of Thailand the best time to visit is between December and April as this is the dry season so you have a better chance of hot, sunny days and clear blue seas for swimming. 

On other islands this peak season may lead to more crowding on the beaches etc, however when we visited Koh Jum during the height of the peak season, we really didn’t feel it was busy, or that any prices were inflated!

Why Go To Koh Jum / Should I Go To Koh Jum?

Despite being surrounded by hyper-popular tourist destinations, and having golden sanded beaches and turquoise clear water, Koh Jum remains an untapped paradise. We’re not saying it's “undiscovered” or that you’ll have the whole beach to yourself or anything like that, but it's crazy how calm and secluded Koh Jum is. 

The island felt very local when we visited, it felt like the island operated its own economy first, with tourism taking a back seat. Koh Jum was a perfect “getaway” island with enough to do where you couldn’t be bored, but with such a chilled out and relaxed vibe that you could comfortably do nothing. 

In case it's not clear from the above, Koh Jum is not a party island. There is a hostel on the island but we can’t comment on how sociable it is as we didn’t stay there. We were staying in a lovely bungalow (more on this later) and felt that the island was perfect for us as a couple, but might not be the best for meeting people. 

Koh Jum is the perfect island for those who want to slow down, watch a sunset, walk along empty beaches and maybe have a relaxed scooter drive around. 

Should you go… yes! In our eyes, it's a wonderful island that's managed to escape the remote work/brunch/techno scene found on other islands. 

The island is worth it for the sunsets alone!

Accommodation - Where To Stay On Koh Jum?

The majority of accommodation on Koh Jum stretches along the main road in the central village of Ban Ting Rai, in the heart of the island. Accommodation is available directly on the beach or along the main road itself. There is the usual variety of hostel, bungalow, beach shack all the way up to a fancy resort. 

We stayed at the Garden Home Resort along the island's main road. We had a garden bungalow raised on stilts, which was frankly massive. With a fan, fridge and basic en-suite bathroom it had all the amenities we needed. As well as a great outside area with a chair and table we could relax on in the evenings. 

All this cost us 500 baht per night (£11.74 or $14.66).

What To Do On Koh Jum?

Koh Jum is definitely about relaxing! If we were to say the top five things to do on the island, we’d probably fill the first four entries with variations of lounging on a beach. So we would certainly say that the number one thing you should do on Koh Jum is sit back and relax on one of its many beaches. Speaking of which…

The Beaches of Koh Jum:

Sunset Beach 

Nestled at the north western corner of the island is Sunset Beach. Sunset beach is so called because, guess what, you can watch the sunset from it! Sunset beach is a gorgeous ribbon of golden sands that was, at least when we visited, way quieter and more deserted than such a great beach deserved to be.

The beach has plenty of space to lay down your towel to soak the rays, as well as gorgeous blue waters for swimming and snorkelling. There are also a couple of resorts nearby with at least one offering food and drinks on the beach.

If you walk down Sunset Beach you can’t help but notice a fantastical structure sitting out in the surf. Perched atop a rock, and looking like the lovechild of a treehouse and a hurricane, precariously sits a Ghibli-like house. Legend has it that this was built by a local eccentric, and we did hear that you could stay there overnight. But when we visited, there was no sign of the eccentric and with its walls open to the waves it didn’t look as though anyone had stayed there recently.

Howl’s swimming castle?

Getting to Sunset Beach

Arrange a tuk tuk to drop you off there or drive yourself up the island's main road and simply park where the road runs out and the beach begins (right next to Peace Bar and Restaurant). 

Coconut Beach

Also set in the north west of the island, Coconut Beach is a secluded beach haven that’s not to be missed! Set a short walk from the main road down a dirt path, this small semi circular cove is surrounded by tall swaying coconut trees, and is a perfect secluded place to take a dip. Being off the main road, this beach is even quieter than its neighbours and so its a good chance you’ll get the beach to yourself. 

Getting to Coconut Beach

On the main road towards Sunset Beach, there is a small turning onto a dirt track. We’d recommend parking your scooter here as the path becomes sandy/bumpy/nonexistent.  As you approach the beach, the path splits into two, with the left hand path leading to the Mupa Resort and the right hand turning leading you through the palm trees out onto Coconut Beach.

Long Beach

This beach or rather beaches certainly earns the name Long Beach. Taking up a good portion of the western side of the island, this beach stretches out as far as the eye can see. The beach can be divided into smaller sections, as at lower tides, the rocky outcrops from the shore will cut off parts of the beach from one and other. These are listed on Google Maps as Magic Beach in the north, Ting Rai Beach in the middle and Golden Pearl Beach in the south. 

We thought Magic Beach was the most picturesque of the beaches, with perfect waves lapping up on to golden sands. The beach is huge and has plenty of space to sunbathe and swim. Magic Beach is also perfect for front row seats to watch the sun set.

We recommend grabbing a cold beer from Roots Hill Cafe and Bar (Location). Looking for all the world like a shipwreck got organised (and very into Bob Marley), the Roots Hill Bar spills out across the sands. With driftwood furniture, rope swings, flag's and ramshackle bar furniture. Chilled out vibes and a great spot for sunset, this is everything a beach bar should be. 

The southern beach of Golden Pearl backs directly onto the main island road and has the most luxurious resort on the island. We didn’t spend too much time on this beach, but did enjoy an early morning walk along it and it looked like it would be great for a day of sunbathing and swimming. Like the other two beaches, this beach faces west and would make a great place to watch the sun go down. 

Sandwiched between these two beaches are the rocky shores of Ting Rai Beach, although not as good for swimming or sunbathing, this beach was our favourite place to watch the sunset.

Hugging the rocks at the back of the beach is The Rock Bar (Location).

A driftwood bar, set on stilts and clad in the usual reggae colours of red, yellow and green. The bar is divided into several areas, with comfy cushions on the floor and a wooden ladder leading down to the beach.

Kitties are a massive bonus to the bar!

With great music and a chilled out vibe, this bar was the perfect place to watch the sunset over the Andaman Sea. The rocky outcrops, bunting and the beaches' cove-like shape lent extra drama to the silhouettes of the setting sun. 

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Getting to Long Beach

Long Beach can be accessed from the road at the southern end (closest to Golden Pearl Beach) or as you travel north, any left hand turning off the main road. Most of these roads will quickly become dirt tracks so it may be best to park your scooter on the main road and walk the short distance over the hill to the beach.

Once you’re on the beach you can walk between any of the three beaches at low tide. At high tide, you can still get between the beaches, just look for the white arrows leading you up, over and around the rocks. 

Hiring a Scooter to Explore the Island

Koh Jum is a small island that can easily be driven around within a few hours. Scooters can be rented everywhere, just ask at your accommodation. 

Our scooter rental plus helmets cost us 200 baht per day (£4.69 or $5.89).

Tip: Check your scooter when you rent it! Some of the bikes on the island are, how should we phrase this…. elderly. Make sure your tires have tread and the breaks work before scooting off!

Starting from the south of the island you’ll find yourself in the pierside village of Ban Koh Jum. This is where the majority of the speedboats and ferries arrive and depart from. This village has a few restaurants and cafes, with some sitting picturesquely out onto the water's edge. There are also some souvenir shops, craft shops and grocery stores including one which you can buy beer from.

Koh Jum is predominantly a Muslim island and therefore most restaurants don’t serve alcohol. It's available in bars and certain shops on the island. 

Heading up north on the island's main road, you’ll pass resorts and restaurants as you lead into the main tourist hub of Ban Ting Rai. This village is stretched along both sides of the main road and is where most of the accommodation and restaurants are. The village also has the local mosque as well as fruit sellers and mini marts (no alcohol in these shops).

As you continue further on north, the housing thins out and you’ll find yourself scootering through rubber plantations and thick green foliage.

To the north the road splits in two, with the left hand road (western) leading to Sunset and Coconut Beach and the right hand turn leading to the final village on the island of Ban Ko Pu. This village felt to us like the island's “real” hub. Full of fishermen and their boats, and shops serving the local population. There are a couple of restaurants here including a very well reviewed seafood joint, but when we were here it was closed for a private function. 

The island has one major road that is fully paved, so there’s no danger of getting lost! However, the island is deceptively large and so getting around by scooter is a sensible choice. The island does have taxis but either you need to get lucky or arrange them in advance. Either way, the taxi costs would soon add up to be more than a scooter rental for the day.

Other Things To Do

Koh Jum Viewpoint

According to Maps.me there is a viewpoint you can hike to on Koh Jum, and during our stay we did see faded signs offering tours to take you up through the rubber plantations to the top. However the weather was perfect for beaching, so we thought better of a sweaty climb and decided to enjoy the beaches instead. If you do climb to the viewpoint, let us know what it was like in the comments below.

Where to Eat on Koh Jum ? Our Top Restaurant Recommendations for Koh Jum

Koh Jum Seafood (Location)

Right next to the island's southern pier is the popular Koh Jum Seafood restaurant. We popped in here for lunch on the day we were exploring the island by scooter. Set right over the water's edge, this seemed like the perfect place for us to indulge in some fresh seafood. We knew it was fresh as in addition to the live tank at the front of the restaurant, a boat had pulled up at the back of the dining room and was unloading fresh produce. 

We opted for a seat right at the back with views out to sea. We ordered fried fish with garlic and pepper as well as crab with spring onions and some steamed rice to share. 

When we're by the sea, fried fish is something we always order in Thailand. Unlike our whole fish in Koh Mook (Link), this fish was served as two meaty steaks, perfectly crisp and coated in deep fried garlic. Through some kind of  witchcraft the outside and skin were a crispy crunchy delight, with the inside being perfectly juicy and flaky. You can't really go wrong with fried fish in Thailand but this was going so, so right! 

The crab landed in a steaming pile on our table, now you see, crab really makes you work for it. There's no staying clean, there's no easy way and there's very little dignity when eating crab, however the rewards are worth it! Fingers covered in shell and a soy and spring onion sauce, we ferreted out the sweet white meat and picked clean the crabs of their meat. It was delicious! The subtle savoury spring onion sauce emphasised the sweetness of the crab, and this paired with the steamed rice and fried fish made for a perfect lunch. 

Despite crab and fried fish not being a backpacker budget choice, this restaurant was really reasonable with our total bill including all food, two soft drinks and a bottle of water came to 640 baht (£15.83 or $18.52).

Mama Halal Food (ร้านก๋วยเตี๋ยว) (Location)

Straight off the ferry, we decided, as we always do and walk to our accommodation rather than pay the island taxi fare. On our sweaty journey, we happened to pass Mama Halal Food and stopped in for a quick lunch. The restaurant was unpretentious and unfussy and served us some excellent bowls of chicken noodle soup. Super friendly service and delicious peppery broth, quickly ingratiated Mama Halal Food to us, and served as a wonderful welcome to the island of Koh Jum.

They are very generous with the roast chicken!

Ban Ban Restaurant (Location)

This charming family run restaurant also doubles as a bakery. During our time on the island we ate two fantastic curries. A mild and creamy chicken green curry and a zesty red duck curry, both were fantastic and packed full of fresh, perfectly cooked vegetables. The cauliflower in the green curry was especially lovely. The red curry even featured cubes of dragon fruit. Bear with us now as we go on a small tangent here: 

Dragon fruit, the most disappointing of fruits. You see it in the market and it almost looks like it comes from Mars. With a bright pink exterior and a dalmatian speckled interior, your expectations will be sky high. Yet when it comes to eating, bland is the only word we can use. Barely any taste and mainly a pleasant but boring texture. However….

In the red curry, the dragon fruit finally sings! It seemed to take on the flavours of the surrounding curry without compromising its own texture. We don't know if dragon fruit in curry is a thing, or if it's unique to this restaurant, but damn, we're here for it! 

Also on a side note, the oat cookies make a fantastic take home dessert! 

Pop Up Cafe & Shop (Location)

We're weak okay, we gave in… Ellie was hungover, John needed his cheese fix, we could make all the excuses in the world, but all we wanted was a sandwich. 

Pop Up Cafe came up on our Google results and promised us a panini so off we set. A stylish little cafe, set a short walk off the main road, Pop Up Cafe was way better than the images on Google had led us to believe. We ordered a mozzarella, pesto and tomato panini and a serrano ham, cheddar cheese ciabatta roll and both were divine!  

We’ve been away from Europe for a while now, and cheese is in short supply in South East Asia. The mozzarella, cheddar and olive oil were a delicious reminder of home and just what was needed when we were feeling a little fragile. 

Other notable recommendations on the island are Tingrai restaurant and Krua Chan Ngam restaurant (ครัวจันทร์งาม) both of which served great curries, fried rices and all the usual Thai favourites. We have to give a special shout out to the soy steamed fish at Krua Chan Ngam - It was delicious! 

How Long Should You Stay on Koh Jum?

Koh Jum is a small island, with less “to do” than other western Thai islands, however you could easily spend a good few days lounging on its wonderful beaches. If you’re travelling with a group and bring the party with you, Koh Jum could be a fantastic island to spend a few days chilling out on beaches and drinking on. If you’re a solo or couple traveller and are just looking to reset, a couple of nights on Koh Jum would be plenty. It's so close to the mainland and so well connected to other islands that it could easily be tagged onto any itinerary.

Final Thoughts

Koh Jum is a perfect getaway for those looking for a quieter island to relax on. Great beaches, chilled out bars, good, cheap accommodation and a fantastic choice of restaurants, make Koh Jum a brilliant addition to an island hopping itinerary.

Thanks for reading,

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

*Prices correct at time of writing  - April 2023

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Koh Yao Noi - A Quiet Island Surprise Off The Coast Of Phuket

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Set a short way off of the busy tourist island of Phuket, Koh Yao Noi couldn’t be further away in vibe than its famous neighbours. Quiet and relaxed with far fewer visitors, Koh Yao Noi is the perfect getaway from the crowded roads and party beaches of Phuket.

How to Get to Koh Yao Noi

From the island of Phuket, ferries leave for Koh Yao Noi (and Koh Yao Yai) from the Bang Rong Pier (Location). The journey takes about forty minutes to an hour in the longtail boat and about half and hour by speedboat. The ferries run every 30 minutes or so and alternate between the speedboats and long tails.

Longtail boats cost 300 baht per ticket (£7.03 or $8.74)

Speedboats cost 400 baht per ticket (£9.37 or $11.66)

The pier fee cost 10 baht per person (£0.23 or $0.29)

There are options to arrange a private longtail boats to Noi, but these were very expensive and in own opinion not worth it for the short hop. 

To get to the Bang Rong Pier in Phuket, your best bet is unfortunately the Grab app or other taxi service (unless you are a local), there is a Songtheaw but it is apparently not allowed to pick up foreigners as the local taxis need the custom. As with a lot of transport on Phuket the taxis can be quite costly so attempt to get a group together to share the load! We found Grab worked well on Phuket and was simpler than haggling with taxi drivers a lot of the time.

If you’re starting on mainland Thailand, there are several places you can get a ferry to Khao Yao Noi.

From Krabi town, you can take a ferry from the Chao Fah Pier. Tickets can be booked at the pier, through a travel agent in Krabi or online via 12Go. 

When you arrive at the main pier, Manoh Pier on Koh Yao Noi you will need to get to your accommodation. Tuk Tuks will be waiting to take you wherever you need to go on the island, just give the driver the name of your accommodation. When we visited it was 100 baht per person (£2.35 or $2.91) so if you’re staying closer than we were you could save some money and walk.

When Should I Visit Koh Yao Noi?

Like most of the western coast of Thailand, the best time to visit Koh Yao Noi is during the dry season between January and April. During this time, the weather will be dry and sunny and perfect for beach times. This is the peak season for tourists in Thailand so the prices will be higher, beaches more popular and accommodation busier. 

We visited during February and we had great weather with only a couple of overcast days and the beaches were quiet. Although our accommodation was fully booked.

Accommodation on Koh Yao Noi

Once you are on the island you are going to need somewhere to rest your head. We opted for the “Koh Yao Beach Bungalows” (Location), a comfy midrange option with nice beds and hot showers. Although more than we would typically spend, these bungalows were in a great location, literally opposite the beach, and each bungalow also had a nice outside space to sit and chill out on in the evenings. As we were with some friends at this point, it was definitely worth the extra to have a nice comfy place in such a good location.

Our accommodation, as we are sure all others would too, offered scooter rental and help with day trips and onward travel. The scooters cost 250 baht per day (£5.86 or $7.29) plus petrol when you needed it. 

As with most of the Thai islands you can go as upmarket or budget with accommodation as you want. We would recommend staying on the south east of the island as this had a great combination of beaches, restaurants and bars all within walking distance.

What to Do on Koh Yao Noi

So you’ve made the short hop to the island, now what? Koh Yao Noi has lots to offer both on the island and in the surrounding seas, these are our top recommendations for what to do on Koh Yao Noi. 

The Beaches

Of course there are beaches! It is a Thai island! Lounging around and soaking up the South East Asian sun is practically mandatory island behaviour. Koh Yao Noi, whilst not having the massive white sand beaches of some of its neighbouring islands, has plenty of lovely spots to lay your towel down.

Our favourite beach was definitely Klong Jark (Location), eastward facing and, at least when we were there, pretty much deserted. We made camp under a tree and enjoyed the clear waters and shell strewn sands, whilst above us, hornbills flitted in and out of the trees. 

Low tide at Klong Jark beach - just look at all those people!

On a day out with the scooters we also explored Long Beach (Location) and its diminutive neighbour; Little Long beach (Location). These two beaches were a little off of the beaten path (no paved approach on the scooters) but were beautiful and wild. Due to their remote location, there were only a handful of people there, so you pretty much had both beaches to yourself. There were signs that Long Beach used to have drinks stands and even a bar but it looks like these were victims of COVID and have not reopened so make sure you bring your own drinks and snacks.

Google Maps also shows another beach/ bay called Mankei Bay (Location) at the far north of the island; we would not recommend the scooter ride up there. The ride up and down is on a mixture of dirt roads and raised concrete paths only a couple of feet wide. We eventually gave up after 20 minutes and an incident involving a ditch and our scooter…. The lovely Thai man who came to help us said he sees lots of people come off on this road and he doesn’t understand what we are trying to get too, as there is only a resort and a large tree at the end of the trail. This leads us to believe that the beach may be part of the resort but, due to our ditch based mission abort, we cannot confirm this!

The Island of Ko Nok

The island of Ko Nok requires no longtail, speedboat or even kayak to reach it. At low tide you can just wander across a sandbar from the mainland to this tiny island. Park up your scooter (or just walk) next to the Stella restaurant (Location) and just walk down the sand. The island is small but the short walk there is definitely worth doing. As we wandered down the sand, with the sea either side of us, we scared away armies of tiny crabs. As we walked, the crabs rippled and flowed away from us, ducking into their burrows. The Island itself is small and rocky but gives a nice view of the island and, as long as you don't mind scrambling over the sharp stones, a good view out to sea.

Sunrise on Koh Yao Noi

If you are staying on the eastern side of Koh Yao Noi, then you are in prime position to catch an astounding sunrise. We and our friends groggily rose one morning and crossed the road between our accommodation and the beach. We set up camp and watched as the sun rose directly over the sea.

Sometimes an early morning start is worth it!

The sky rolled from the darkness of night through velvet purples and pinks before the warm light of dawn crept over the horizon. This sunset was extra special to us as it was nearly time for us to say goodbye to our friends. We are not morning people but sunrise on a Thai island is always worth waking up for. It was magical! 

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Hornbill Viewpoint (Location)

In the eastern village of Tha Khao, on the east coast of the island sits a large gaudy statue of two hornbills. This statue marks the entrance to the Hornbill Viewpoint. A short sharp walk up a set of stairs lies a large viewing platform. We had read in reviews that the Hornbill Viewpoint had been optimistically named as it isn’t the best place on the island to see these bizarre birds so we were not too hopeful about our chances. Sure enough we looked out from the viewing platform and saw no yellow beaked avians. We did hear monkeys and the view was worth the short climb so we didn’t feel cheated, we also noticed a path down to the coast that ran under the viewpoint and decided to investigate.

Our curiosity was immediately rewarded, just under the viewing platform and only a few metres from where we all stood, perched a hornbill! They really are strange looking birds with their large curved yellow beaks topped with what looks a little like a jet engine! Not to undercut the excitement of the moment but we would later find that they are not exactly rare on Koh Yao Noi, after this initial encounter we saw them quite frequently, perched on trees next to the beach or just flying about.

The little path that we had followed, drops down to a picturesque little cove which was also definitely worth an explore. If you’re after a beach to yourself, then you’ve found it here! 

There is no entrance fee to the viewpoint, just park up next to the pier and cross the small concrete bridge. 

Boat Trips

Like all the Thai islands, you can organise boat trips around the surrounding islands from Koh Yao Noi. Koh Yao Noi has an advantage over Phuket for this as it is closer to the day trip islands of James Bond Island, Koh Phi Phi etc so you will spend less time travelling and more time enjoying the sights. Having come from Phuket and having done a boat tour there already, we decided to book a private boat for us and our friends to explore the 4 Island tour. This turned out to be a fantastic decision!

We spent the day on our own long tail bouncing between different islands, climbing viewpoints, snorkelling around and lounging on beaches. The day included everything, from the snorkels, to water and lunch. You could have done it slightly cheaper as part of a boat but we and our friends felt like treating ourselves and got a private longtail boat.

Boat smiles - it was so nice to see our besties from home!

We negotiated with a travel agent in a shack on a beach (you’ve got to love Thailand) for a private longtail boat for four people and it cost 2500 baht in total (£58.58 or $72.86) for the day. 

Exploring the Island by Scooter

Koh Yao Noi is not a large island compared to its neighbour Phuket, but it is not a tiny island like Koh Lipe either. Walking from the east to the west of the island would take the best part of an hour and north to south would take longer still. There are taxis available on Koh Yao Noi but you would have to pre book them or get someone to arrange one as they are not frequent or possible to flag down from the road reliably.  Scooters therefore, are essential. They are also not expensive at 250 baht per day (£5.86 or $7.29) plus petrol, and are also great fun!

With a scooter you can go all the way around the island on paved roads, the island's main road (if you can call it that) circuits the centre of the island. As the road is circular you can ride all over the main parts of the island, below is a route starting in the south east but you could start it from wherever you rent your bike from.

Ride up to Klong Jark Beach and have a paddle, then ride the picturesque road over the hill and down to Tha Kao village. You can park here easily, in a carpark near the pier and go to visit the Hornbill Viewpoint, or check out the local shops and restaurants. You can also grab a coffee from our favourite stall (more on this later).

After Tha Kao village, leave the village going north, and ride up over some beautiful hills. Continue following the road until this (Location), follow this road keeping left at the fork in the road. Stay on this road north until you reach the junction of Tong Do Pier. The Tong Do pier is worth a walk up as it sticks out over mangrove forests and into the sea. If you visit at low tide you should see lots of hunting wading birds trying to snack on the crabs and also some mudskippers hopping their way from puddle to puddle.  Time this stop right for a lunch break and treat yourself to some seafood at Pradu Seafood Restaurant (more on this later) From Tong Do Pier, you can either continue north up the island then double back or continue round as we did. 

Drive south and follow the tree lined road until it finally curves left next to a public park. If you are not tired of piers you can park up here and go find another pier (Location) on the other side of the park. If not the road curves around and into the main town of the island. In town there are restaurants, street food vendors as well as souvenir, alcohol and clothes shops. This is a good place to stock up on snacks and supplies (the ubiquitous Honda Click scooters have a good sized storage space under the seat). There is even a 7/11 if you are craving a cheese toasty! 

After the town the road continues down south before curving east and back up to the coast you started from.

If you don't mind a little dirt track riding then in the north of the island, just past Tha Khao Village you can explore Long Beach and Little Long Beach. We did push a little further to try and reach the very north of the island, but due to an aforementioned rendezvous with a ditch we did not get all the way and cannot really recommend it!

Scooter tips:

• Insist on a helmet for every driver and passenger. We really don’t understand why you wouldn’t do this, but we see so many holiday makers riding without one. It’s such a simple thing to wear a helmet and you would feel disgustingly stupid if you chose not to and something bad happened.

• Your  bike may not have a great deal of fuel in it when you rent it! Always check the fuel gauge and top up if needed. Luckily fuel is very inexpensive on Koh Yao Noi, just pull up anywhere with a pump, pay for however much fuel you want and they will fill you up. You can also buy fuel by the bottle from most stores. Just look out for repurposed coke or liquor bottles filled with an orange liquid.

• Cars and vans are not common on Koh Yao Noi but they are there and the roads are not massive, just be aware.

• The roads vary in quality across the island, be wary of potholes and speed bumps as there are lots of both!

Other Things to Do on Koh Yao Noi - What We Missed!

The Island of Koh Yao Yai

Noi’s larger southern neighbour is much less popular with tourists (not that Noi is busy) and much more sparsely populated. You can catch the ferry several times a day to hop across from Noi to Yai, check with you accommodation for times, or head to Manoh Pier (Location). If you are coming from Phuket the ferry stops at Yai after Noi, and Koh Yao Yai does look (from the internet at least) beautiful. Next time we will split our time and stay on both islands

Kayaking

From the eastern beach, right outside Ciao Bella you can rent kayaks and set off around the coast of the island. We have done this before in Koh Mook so we were super excited to do this. The weather, however, apparently wasn’t. The lady on the stall said it was too windy to rent them out and we trust her island knowledge! Next time Noi, next time…

Where to Eat on Koh Yao Noi?

Dotted all over the island are lots of little restaurants, hawker stalls, cafe’s and roti stands. The price, like all Thai islands, is slightly more than the mainland but there is a wealth of lovely grub to be had whilst staying on the island. Below are our top picks from our time on Koh Yao Noi.

Leks (Location)

Located on the ring road around the island and (not that we are lazy) within easy walking distance from our accommodation, Leks is a charming restaurant serving up all manner of Thai food classics from fried rice, to curries pad krapow and all the other favourites. We had a lovely meal including a great massaman curry. Rich, creamy and nutty, it was everything a massaman curry should be. 

Rabianglay Resturant (Location)

The best things in life often aren’t always on Google Maps or TripAdvisor. We had set out to eat at the “Sea Gypsy'' restaurant but had found it closed. A little way down the beach road we found Rabianglay Resturant. Not being in the mood to prolong lunch any further we decided to sit down. The open dining room looks across the road and out to sea and afforded a peaceful background to our lunch. We all were seduced by the Yellow crab curry with noodles on the menu and this turned out to be an excellent decision! Loads of crab in a fragrant broth with slippy, almost tagliatelle style noodle, it was exactly the kind of dish you want to find beachside on a Thai island.

Paired with this was the most delicious coconut smoothie we’ve encountered so far. Made with coconut milk, water and ice cream, this was a tropical island in a glass. 

Pradu Seafood (Location)

We are not a fan of lists; bucket lists, to-do lists, must-sees etc.Lists all tend to constrain you and lead people to have very copy-paste or at least similar, experiences. That said however, we had been wanting to go to a sea front Thai style seafood joint since entering the country. On Koh Yao Noi we finally broke the seal and went for it. Pradu Seafood certainly fitted the bill in what we wanted aesthetically, a sprawling wooden platform raised over the tidal flats with views out towards the sea, it was the perfect setting for some seafood!

We ordered the Thai style deep fried fish as it is something we adore. The fish combined with a spicy Som Tam salad should make for a perfect lunch! Our friends, who we would shortly be very jealous of, ordered a large amount of crab. Our meals arrived and our fish was fantastic, super crispy (to the point where even the spines were delicious) and deliciously garlicky, whilst also juicy and moist. The Som Tam salad was sour, sweet and spicy, everything it should be. Our friend's meal however was really something to behold. A mountain of crab cooked and coated in a yellow curry towered on a large sharing plate. They generously shared some with us (we weren’t looking at them like pleading puppies in a window, honest), and it was amazing!The crab was super sweet but tempered and enhanced by the mild yellow curry.

The restaurant was surprisingly affordable, this was obviously a bit of a treat meal but was not as dear as we worried it may be! Definitely worth a stop if you fancy treating yourself to an amazing seafood feast! 

Our tip for next time would be to go with a group and order lots of dishes to share. 

Western Options

Ciao Bella (Location) ​​

It has happened before and will happen again, we wanted a pizza. Ciao Bella restautant is situated in a prime location right on the beach front overlooking the sea. We ordered a Diavolo and a Napoli pizza and both were fantastic with gooey stringy mozzarella and piquant salami and salty anchovies. 

Eating a pizza whilst waves crashed next to us, might not be an authentic Thai experience but it was still amazing! 

There are actually a couple of different restaurants on Koh Yao Noi boasting Italian pizzas but Ciao Bella’s location was unbeatable… It was also directly opposite our beach front bungalow. 

Green House Coffee (Location)

This German style bakery and cafe serves up fresh baked breads and meals. We came here one morning and treated ourselves to the “Farmer’s Breakfast”. A plate full of fried potatoes, Onions, Bacon and Scrambled eggs was swiftly plonked down in front of us. Was it Thai? No. Was it delicious? Yes!

If you’re craving a hearty breakfast and roti is just not doing it for you, this is a great choice. 

Sabai Corner Restaurant (Location)

The most scenic of the breakfast options, Sabai Corner serves all manner of breakfast choices including fresh baked goods, eggs in every way and a variety of fruit juice and cleansing shakes. With views over Klong Jark beach and out to the Andaman sea, it's a very picturesque way to start the day. 

The Sabai Corner Restaurant is part of a hotel but you can just turn up here to eat. 

Coffee shops

Cafe Kantary (Location)

If you're in the mood for an upmarket coffee on Koh Yao Noi, then we would recommend visiting Cafe Kantary. Boasting an extensive coffee menu as well as quite a few food offerings, Cafe Kantary has a great garden and views out across the sea.

We can vouch that their Thai iced coffee is excellent, and if you’re feeling a little more exotic, the Vietnamese drip coffee is also great. 

Coffee Stall Tha Ko (Approximate Location)  

At the other end of the scale is a great local coffee shop. A wooden counter with a spray of syrups, concentrates and other brightly coloured liquids greets you as you pull up.

Serving cheap, Thai style coffee, drinks and sweet buns this is a little treasure to stumble across. There is no google listing but the stall is next door to the rock climbing shop and across from a dive centre.

Going for a Drink on Koh Yao Noi - Nightlife on the Island

Let’s state the obvious, Koh Yao Noi is not Phuket. If you are looking for massive parties, questionable buckets of drink and thousands of Westerners making poor decisions then Koh Yao Noi may not be for you. If, however, you are looking for a nice drink and maybe a game of pool then the island can happily provide. Just note Koh Yao Noi is predominately Muslim and therefore alcohol is not as widely available across the island. Lots of the restaurants will not serve alcohol, so if you want a drink head to one of the bars.

O2  Beach Bar (Location)

Located a stone's throw from our accommodation this small wooden bar sits directly on the sands of the beach. Serving cocktails and beer this cosy little bar quickly became our go-to pre meal drinking spot.

Jellie beer price index - 1 x small bottle of Leo cost 80 baht (£1.88 or $2.33)

Extra Time Sports Bar (Location)

Ok the name doesn’t really sell it but trust us this bar is well worth a visit! Good atmosphere, live music on certain nights and (most importantly) a free pool table. This bar was the scene for several great nights with us and our friends. Even if John is terrible at pool. Also it is worth mentioning that the food here is not bad either!

Jellie beer price index - 1 x small bottle of Leo cost 85 baht (£1.99 or $2.48)

Charlies Bar (Location)

We always manage to find a bar like Charlies wherever we go, a laid back, old school beach bar. Cobbled together driftwood and lined with beachy trinkets, Charlies Bar had the proper relaxed vibe of an island bar. It also had a free pool table!

Jellie beer price index - unsure as we didn’t record it! 

Sunset Bar (Location)

We only stopped in here briefly but we had to include it on the list, facing westward out to see the sunset bar definitely lives up to its name. As the sun began to climb down for the day the raised platform of the bar, with its cushions and stools filled up. We had a non-alcoholic cocktail (responsible scootering!) and it was excellent.

360 Bar (Location)

There had been signs for the 360 bar all over the island but getting to it proved to be more interesting than the other island bars. Come off of the main island ring road and down a dirt track and you will come to a house at the bottom of a steep hill. Here a man will drive you 2 minutes up the hill to the 360 bar. The view is definitely worth it, a (nearly) 360 degree vista from the vantage point of one of the tallest hills on the island. We watched the sun sink down from the outwards facing bar seating with a cold beer and it was a great way to see out the day.

Jellie beer price index - 1 x small bottle of Leo cost 90 baht (£2.11 or $2.62)

Beer Shops

The true backpacker bar is the one you make yourself, or so we reckon. Koh Yao Noi is nominally a Muslim island and beer/alcohol is not for sale at the 7/11. You can , however, buy alcohol at a number of shops around the island. We found the best value spots were all in the main town around the 7/11. Just respect the local customs, don't throw their concession to tourism in their faces and definitely don't be those a***h**le farangs drunkenly littering the beaches.

How Long Should I Spend on Koh Yao Noi?

Koh Yao Noi is the perfect place to relax and unwind after one of the busier islands or Ao Nang/Railay beach. 

Depending on how long you want to spend chilling on a beach will determine how long you want to stay on the island. Most of the island's sites can be visited within a day if you rent your own scooter and get a wiggle on!

However, we would recommend slowing down, taking a boat trip or two and really relax into the slow paced island life. 

So we would say four full days would be a good start, you can do it quicker or slower it all depends on your style of travel.

Next time we go, we will probably do two/three days on Noi and three days on Yai but this is because it would be a return trip and not our first time. 

Is Koh Yao Noi Worth a Visit?

This is a dumb question, we’re mainly keeping it in as its one people seem to be searching for a lot on Google. In our opinion, Koh Yao Noi was absolutely worth it. The island was a perfect escape and contrast to its busy neighbours of Phuket, Ao Nang and Railay. The island had plenty to do, with quiet roads and beaches and enough bars and restaurants to keep you happily fed and watered for a good while. The only time we would say this island may not be for you, is if what you want is beach parties, raves and buckets of cheap alcohol. Koh Yao Noi is not a party island, and if you came expecting it because it was a “Thai Island” you would be disappointed. 

If you’re on a short holiday (two weeks or so) and you were just going to Phuket/Ao Nang, then definitely carve a few days out to go to this quieter island. 

If you’re on a longer trip, definitely add it to your Thai island hopping itinerary. 

Final Thoughts

Koh Yao Noi was a breath of fresh air. After the crowded tourist stuffed island of Phuket, reaching Noi felt like we were back to the Thailand we know and love. Laid back with an unhurried pace of life, with a background of natural beauty, Koh Yao Noi was a perfect getaway for those looking for a chilled out Thai island. There is plenty to do and lots of food and drink options to keep you occupied. Next time we are there (and we’re sure there will be a next time), we will stay a little longer but split our time with the island of Koh Yao Yai.

Thank you for reading,

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

*Prices correct at time of visiting - February 2023

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A Chef’s Tour - Phuket Old Town

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.

We are what you might call foodies. There are other words for what we are; adventurous eaters, food fanatics, or just plain gluttons. From high end Michelin Star restaurants to the cheapest of street food, we are food obsessed. As culinary travellers, many of our choices of where to go and even what countries to visit have been made due to the food that would be on offer. It should come as no surprise then, that when in the food wonderland of Thailand, we wanted to dig a little deeper and learn a bit more about Thai cuisine than just green curry, mango sticky rice and Pad Thai. We wanted to go on a proper food tour. 

Phuket Old Town is legendary for its food scene with Michelin recommended street food, colonial style shop house restaurants and an amazing blend of cuisines. We found ourselves visiting Phuket to meet up with some of our lovely friends from the UK. To get ourselves curated with the best Phuket could offer, we decided to book ourselves on “A Chef’s Tour - Southern Flavours Phuket Old Town” food tour. 

We came across A Chef’s Tour as they have consistently been recommended to us from other travellers, Instagram as well as a bunch of YouTubers we follow. 

The food tour started outside the entrance to the main market in Phuket’s Old Town. We met with our lovely guide Nam and the rest of our fellow foodie explorers for the day. Introductions completed, we set off down into the bowels of the market. 

Our first stop was at a lady’s stall selling all manner of vegetables, aromatics and herbs. Nam explained to us what each herb was used for in Thai cooking, as well as treating us to have a little sniff and taste of everything.

Our taste buds primed, we moved across into a wall of fragrance, where we found ourselves next to a curry paste vendor. Bowls stacked high with pastes in every shade of ochre and saffron. A large vat of red paste was pulled aside and proudly showed off to us as the legendary massaman curry paste, a southern Thai favourite. We were given the run down of the 10 basic ingredients of the massaman, and as soon as we were told what was in it, our noses could instantly start to pick out the individual ingredients. As our food tour started mid morning, the market was winding down, but you could see from the empty bowls, and the tide mark on the vats, that these curry pastes are popular with the locals.

Our appetites suitably wetted, we moved on to the first course of the day. 

Kuay Jab - Rolled Rice Noodles and Pork

At the back of the Central Market was a charming little counter with a smiling Auntie behind it. The Auntie was introduced as “mum” as our guide Nam was a childhood friend of the owner and had apparently spent a good portion of her youth sitting at this counter chowing down on steaming bowls of Kuay Jab.

Kuay Jab can look challenging to start with, a dark broth filled with all the bits of the pig that in the West would be at the bottom of the barrel. Ears, snout, heart, intestines, offal and all the rest. These more exotic parts (to the West at least) are slow braised along more regular cuts of pork. In eating, bravery is often rewarded. People don’t eat this because it's disgusting or weird, it's not a novelty, they eat it everyday because it's delicious! 

There are two types of Kuay Jab, a light clear broth version called Kuay Jab Nam Sai made with a pork bone stock. The second version is what we ate on this tour, Kuay Jab Nam Son. Our broth was rich and dark in colour, with a distinctive aroma of star anise and cinnamon,  mixed in with coriander, spring onions, garlic and three types of soy sauce. 

Kuay Jab sets itself apart from other pork soups with its unique noodles. Small squares of rice flour noodles are dropped into boiling water and tapioca starch, where they curl up like little scrolls. These are then added to the soup, along with all the pork meats and give a wonderful texture as well as a perfect surface area for absorbing all of the delicious flavours. 

The Kuay Jab was incredible. Unique in flavour and texture, and by the end of the meal there were a lot more converts to pig heart and ear around the table than there had been at the start.

Before we left, Nam challenged the group with a “century egg”. Century eggs, or hundred year eggs are not eggs that have been kept for 100 years! They are simply eggs that have been pickled and cured in brine, and then buried in ash giving them a unique texture and a very challenging look. A century egg is a strange mix of black and translucent, with the yolk clearly defined on the inside. Its taste however, is not so challenging. It just takes like a very eggy egg! Seriously, if you took all the tasty parts and the smell of the egg and just intensified it, you’d have the taste of a century egg. Like lots of the things we have eaten on this trip, the only difficulty is the visuals. Get past this and you’ll be in for a treat.

Rice Salad, Chicken Murtabak, Roti and Teh Tarik - Aroon Po Chana

We left the market, and wound our way through the colourful streets of Phuket Old Town ending up outside Aroon Po Chana restaurant. This southern Thai muslim restaurant gave us a clue before we even stepped in as to what we might be eating. Right at the entrance, on the street side was a large tawa grill. These flat circular grills are a tell-tale sign that roti is to come. The lady in charge of the tawa was skillfully stretching, spinning and draping translucent roti dough onto the sizzling hot surface. We made our way inside.

It turns out we weren’t entirely accurate with our predictions of what we would be eating, as the first thing that came out to us was a Khao Yum southern rice salad. We had never heard of this southern delicacy before, but Nam quickly showed us how to toss the rice, roasted coconut, carrots, cabbage, beansprouts, fried fish together with lime juice. The salad is eaten alongside a potent chilli dip and crunchy fresh green vegetables. This salad was unlike anything we had eaten before. The sweetness of the roasted coconut paired brilliantly with the salty fish, and the rice provided just enough body to make every bite super satisfying. 

Next out of the kitchen came the crispy, oily and rich chicken murtabak. In its simplest terms, a murtabak is a stuffed savoury pancake that's then fried and grilled on both sides to crispify the exterior. Our murtabak was filled with a shredded chicken curry, rich with an almost sweet cinnamon flavour. To balance the decadent richness, a strong vinegar pickle of shallots, chilli and cucumber was served alongside. The corner pieces of the murtabak were especially delicious when dipped in this vinegar, as the extra crunch was amplified by the near raw vegetables in the tangy vinegar.

After our two starters, the savoury roti arrived. Roti can be translated literally to bread. However in southern Thailand, roti usually refers to “Thai pancake”. A thin dough, stretched out until it's like a huge translucent pizza which is then folded and cooked on a piping hot tawa. After being cooked on the tawa, the roti is “clapped” to give it extra surface area. By clapped, it is literally placed on a board and roughly smashed between two hands, breaking the uniform disk of the roti into crispy, chewy shards, perfect for absorbing anything they are dipped into. Our roti came with a massaman curry. We had seen the paste in the market earlier, and all the aromats we had smelled in the market were here tenfold. The cooked curry smelt amazing. Dipping the crispy roti in the massaman made it all the better. The curry coated and stuck to the roti beautifully and the whole bite was a symphony of spices. 

We thought we had finished our roti experience, but we were very wrong. Out came two new colours of roti, bright green and jet black. This was the pandan roti and the charcoal roti and this was now the sweet course. Drizzled with sweet condensed milk, this was a great example of the versatility of roti. Sweet, crispy and morish, it's no surprise that a version of this, is the namesake of the SE Asian ‘Banana Pancake Backpacker Trail’. 

To round off the meal was the famous teh tarik. Tarik is Malaysian for pull, and teh is unsurprisingly Malaysian for tea. So teh tarik is pulled tea and is widely popular in Malaysia and southern Thailand. The tea is poured from increasingly impressive heights from one cup to another, which aerates the tea and gives a smoother texture. Our teas came out towering with foam and tooth achingly sweet from the condensed milk. This black tea and condensed milk combo gave a much needed energy boost after such a heavy meal. 

Hokkien Food Court - Spring Rolls and Satay - Lock Tien Food Court

We left the roti shop slightly disbelieving that we were less than halfway through our food tour, and made our way to the Lock Tien food court. This compact little food court had stores all around, many of them specialising in Hokkien cuisine. Hokkien cuisine originates in the Chinese province of Fujian and is spread all over South East Asia.  

We went to a stall specialising in hokkien spring rolls where we watched the stall owner expertly roll up our soft shelled spring rolls. The texture of the spring rolls was not at all like the crispy exterior familiar to take away goers in the UK.

These rolls were wrapped in a soft wheat flour pancake. The chewy, slightly spongy exterior gave way to a crunchy filling of salad, beansprouts, yam roots, boiled yam and char siu pork. Served alongside was a fermented soybean sauce mixed with sour tamarind, sugar and chilli. The group were split as to whether these were better than the more familiar fried version, or just not for them. However, these were a unique try and certainly not like any spring rolls we had tried before. 

Alongside the spring rolls, another stall had supplied us with satay. Marinated meat, with a sweet savoury peanut dip and a tart pickle, you really can’t go wrong with a good satay! 

Ahpom Coconut Pancakes - Pong Mae Sunee - Michelin Recommended Street Food

At the corner of an unassuming street lies possibly the cheapest Michelin recommended food we’ve ever seen. A small cart, topped with six charcoal braziers, was manned by a charming couple churning out delectable crispy coconut pancakes. 

A thin batter of rice flour, eggs, coconut  milk and sugar was spread evenly across the tiny metal woks set over the coals. A lid went on top, so that the bottom of the batter crisps up against the pan, whilst the top steams into fluffiness. We were reminded of the Sri Lankan hoppers we had eaten during our time in that amazing country and our guide Nam said this may well be because the dish originates on the Indian subcontinent. 

Once the pancakes reached the perfect level of crispy goodness, they were removed from the pans with a palette knife and an expert flip, and quickly rolled into loose cylinders. Presented with these fat crunchy cigars, we bit in. The pancakes were incredible, light as a feather yet full of the rich sweet flavour of toasted coconut. The textures were perfect, the cylinder shape meant you had many layers of snappy crunchy batter, but with a softer underside. As we bit into the middle of the pancake, the coconut flavour intensified. Due to the bowl shape of the cooking vessel, the batter is slightly thicker in the centre, lending an almost spongy coconut chew to the middle. They were fantastic! 

Everything was included in the price of the food tour, but these were so good we had to buy another portion to takeaway. This did not exactly break the bank as each pancake was 3 baht (£0.07 or $0.09). 

Despite their Indian origins, you can’t help but feel that this is the perfect expression of sunny Thai desserts. Light, sweet and full of that quintessential coconut flavour, we’d love them for breakfast with a coffee, although this might not be the healthiest start of the day. Word of warning, the stall sells out extremely quickly, so get there early in the morning! 

Ahpom are also popular in Malaysia, but under the name Apom. Definitely seek out the peanut version of this if you’re ever in a Malaysian food court.

Burmese Naan & Curry - Mingalar Coffee Shop

After pancakes, we headed back towards the market and walked around the busy shop lined back streets to “Little Myanmar” - A collection of Burmese shops and restaurants clustered together in Phuket Old Town. We’ve always wanted to visit Myanmar, so we were very excited to have the opportunity to try the food. 

The streets around Phuket Old Town market are always bustling!

Standing outside the Mingalar Coffee Shop (mingalar is part of a Burmese greeting) we were blasted by the hot air from the tandoor oven sitting at the entrance to the restaurant. Nam quickly roped us all into an impromptu naan making class (try saying that quickly) with one of our group kneading and forming the Indian bread before it was slapped into the furnace-like opening of the tandoor oven. Whilst the bread cooked we took our seats. 

We were quickly presented with an array of colourful Burmese dishes. Along with our naan bread. We had crispy spiced samosas, a chicken curry, chickpea dahl, crispy fried chickpeas and most excitingly to us, a fermented tea leaf salad. We had heard of this dish via one of our many YouTube sessions, and had been eager to try it as it sounded so unique. We were not disappointed. 

The fermented tea leaf salad was made up of shredded white cabbage, shallots, garlic, beansprouts, chilli, dried shrimp, peanuts and the fermented tea leaves. The fermented tea leaves were sour and tart, yet complex. The salad had a layered tasty flavour unlike anything we had eaten before. As a contrast to the curries, deep fried samosas and hearty naan bread, this tangy salad was a perfect accompaniment.

The curries we ate here were completely different to the Thai curries we had eaten so far. These curries showcased the Indian influence in Burmese cooking, and unlike their Thai counterparts were not cooked with coconut milk. They were stronger in dry spiced favour, whilst being lighter and less creamy than the coconut based Thai curries. 

One dish that split the group was the pickled roselle leaf. This deeply sour pickle had a slight funky taste to it, from the pickling/fermenting process. We enjoyed its salty, sour, umami taste but the others in the group found this a little too much and we can see why. 

We were really happy at our opportunity to try some Burmese food, like we say we’ve always wanted to go but circumstances are making that quite difficult and Burmese food doesn’t yet have the international representation of other cuisines. 

Hokkien Noodles and Roselle Juice - Ko Yoon Noodles

By now we must have looked like a group of hippopotamuses (we’ve just learnt that a group of hippopotamuses are called a bloat, and we can’t help but feel that this is perfectly apt for this situation)! We were five locations in, and at least ten courses down but there was still more to come. 

The penultimate stop was a beautiful Hokkien noodle shop. Walking into this restaurant was like walking into someone's front room. The walls were crowded with nik-naks, family photographs, children's toys and other nostalgia. Nam explained that until recently, the family that ran the restaurant lived in the building and the restaurant dining room would have to transform into their living and sleeping area after service hours. Sat at a cosy nook table, we were presented with a bowl of the famous hokkien mee. 

This hearty bowl of noodles was piled high with dumplings, thick noodles, fish balls, prawns, fried garlic and shallot, chilli and crushed peanuts. Using our chopsticks we mixed this all together with the rich, dark sauce from the bottom of the bowl. The taste was deep and savoury, balanced with tart lime and the sweetness of the prawns. We were very full at this stage and shared a bowl, but it was so good we still managed to wolf it down. 

You can get hokkien mee two ways, in soup (nam in Thai) or dry with a soup on the side (haeng in Thai). Ours came with soup on the side and the light broth was a perfect palette cleanser in between mouthfuls of the savoury sweet seafoody noodles. 

Whilst in the restaurant, we were brought strange fruit that looked like purple flower buds. This was the roselle flower. Eaten raw, they were extremely sour, but in a fun way almost like the sour sweets you ate as a child. Next they brought out the roselle juice. It was totally different whilst at the same time obviously made from the same fruit. Like the flower buds, the juice was a vibrant purple served cold with ice. Sweet, but not cloying, this was a deliciously refreshing drink. Later on in our Thai adventures we would frequently seek out roselle juice when dining at markets. This with the soup and the noodles was a perfect end to the savoury portion of our food tour.

O-Aew - Iced Lychee and Jelly Desert - A Phuket Speciality

The final stop at the food tour was for desert. We walked into a Momentary Coffee, a stunning cafe, art gallery and hostel. We were here for the Phuket specialty desert of O-Aew. 

O-Aew is shaved ice in a flavoured syrup with jelly made from the seed of the o-aew plant. The only issue was, we physically couldn’t fit any more food in. We tried a couple of spoonfuls of this desert and it was refreshing and light, yet sweet enough for those looking for a sugary fix. Our o-aew came with a lychee and ginger syrup topped with sprigs of mint. We really enjoyed our taste, and can imagine it would make the perfect desert, or a tasty way to cool down from the Phuket sun. 

Final Thoughts

The tour is extremely well organised, and Nam did tell us right at the start that restaurants had been pre-warned so that if we were full or wanted to ration ourselves then it wouldn’t be rude or awkward to leave anything. Members of the group who were more or less adventurous were catered too, with Nam being more than happy to ask for alternatives where needed. All in all, it was exactly how a food tour should work. 

“A Chef’s Tour - Phuket Old Town” is our favourite food tour we’ve been on so far. Maybe it's because we went with our friends, maybe it was Nam’s excellent direction, personality and knowledge, or maybe it was Phuket’s diversity of culture and cuisines, we don’t know. We hadn’t realised just how diverse the southern cuisine of Thailand and Phuket was. In a single day, we had eaten from Indian influences with the ahpom and the Burmese cuisine, through to Chinese and Hokkien dishes, all the while, every bite permeated with the unmistakable Thai flavour and charm. 

If this article has whetted your appetite and you now want to book your own foodie experience click the button below.

If you’re in Phuket, do check out taking a food tour. It was definitely one of our favourite days on this touristy island. 

Thank you for reading, 

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

A Chef’s Tour offers amazing, unique food experiences in many countries and cities (we also had an amazing time in Delhi). From Bangkok to Bogota, Chiang Mai to Kolkata they offer amazing food tours across the globe. Check out the link below and look around their website to see where they can take you.

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The Best Sunset Spot in Ao Nang, Krabi

Ao Nang is perfectly situated to enjoy the very best sunset shows the Andaman Sea can deliver. Its two beaches, of Ao Nang and Hat Noppharat Thara face directly into the setting sun. With countless bars and restaurants lining the sea front, you’re spoilt for choice for sundowner drinks. However we feel there is one clear winner in the sunset sweepstakes.

The Frog Beach Bar - Map Link

Ignore the lacklustre Google listing for this place, this no nonsense beach bar serves up beer and cocktails with a prime view over Noppharat beach and its extraordinary sunsets. There are posher options surrounding the bar, but nothing really beats sitting on a plastic chair, sipping a mojito that is 90% alcohol whilst watching the sun burn down to the horizon.

It's not posh, the tables are made from driftwood and the seats plastic, but it is set right on the beach wall, and has an unpretentious laid back feel. Exactly what we want as backpackers. Some of the more well-heeled bars also have great views, but tend to be more expensive.

The prices at the bar are not super cheap, but not bad considering the location and perfect fiery sunset show:

• A small beer costs 80 baht.

• Cocktails start from 160 baht. 

• Soft drinks cost 35 baht 

There's something magical about watching the sun set, and there's something even more magical about watching it set in Thailand.

The Frog Beach Bar provides the perfect sunset experience. Plastic stools, cold beer and front row seats to watch the sky catch fire. The view from the bar changes with the fading light. As the last of the day's sunlight traces down the limestone cliffs surrounding the beach, before the fading glow sinks below the horizon, leaving behind the bobbing silhouettes of longtail boats in the bay. As we said… magical!  

Little tip - just when you think that the sunset is over, wait just a little more. After the sun has gone down fully below the horizon and fallen under the curve of the Earth, you’ll have one final display as the sun illuminates the underside of the clouds. 

Thanks for reading,

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

Chok Dee Thailand!

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Accommodation in Ao Nang - Where to Stay?

If your looking for somewhere to stay in Ao Nang we can highly recommend Ao Nang Colors Hotel. We treated ourselves over Christmas and it was great! Ao Nang has countless other hotels, hostels and resorts to chose from check out the map below for where to stay:

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Crossing the Border Between Malaysia and Thailand - The Road to Songkhla

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Our time in Malaysia was finally at an end. We had arrived in Kuala Lumpur in the middle of October and had spent 6 weeks exploring the country. Our final destination of George Town had been fantastic, a fiesta of food, street art and late night drinks. On the horizon now though was our return to one of our favourite countries on the face of Planet Earth - Thailand! 

We had booked a bus through the Easybook app which would pick us up in George Town, cross the border and drop us off in the centre of Hat Yai, the biggest city in Southern Thailand. From there we would immediately attempt to make our own way north east to the historic coastal town of Songkhla. 

The bus tickets cost us 100 RM for the two of us (£18.80 or $22.90). When we booked the tickets on Easybook, there were options to catch the bus from the Greenlane McDonald’s (in town) or from the main bus terminal slightly south of George Town. We opted for the slightly cheaper tickets, with the pick up point from the Greenlane McDonald’s, which was only a short 15 minute Grab taxi ride away from our hostel in central George Town. Tickets booked we received both email and WhatsApp confirmation, along with detailed instructions and photographs of where we needed to wait for our 8.15am pickup.

The day didn’t start fantastically. We had originally planned to get some breakfast Dim Sum before making our way over to the pickup point, but the only restaurant that looked open and serving was still setting up and couldn’t give us a takeaway. A McDonalds breakfast it would have to be (sacrilege but John was secretly looking forward to a hash brown). 

A quick Grab and a cheap forgettable breakfast later, John’s phone rang. It was still twenty minutes before the pickup time and we were waiting in the car park as per our received instructions. The phone call from the bus driver asking where we were, therefore took us by complete surprise. The bus driver seemed to be saying we needed to immediately make our way to a different pickup point somewhere else in George Town entirely. With us speaking no more than extremely basic Malaysian (terima kasih, sedap and nasi lemak ayam were about our limit) and the bus driver equally not fluent in English, we eventually gave up on trying to understand where he wanted us to be and forwarded the WhatsApp conversation between us and the ticket office showing where we had been told to be and where we were now standing. 

The bus driver to his credit immediately apologised for the mix up and told us to wait exactly where we were. 5 minutes later the mini bus arrived and we clambered in and set off for the border. The first hour or so, we appeared to be just circling around Penang picking up other travellers. Eventually, we crossed the water back onto mainland Malaysia and headed north to the Sadao border crossing. 

We stopped about twenty minutes before the border in a (very nice) service station for the driver to arrange our TM6 immigration forms. A fee of 10 RM each (£1.87 or $2.29) was asked for by the bus driver and when asked, he said that this was for the Thai government insurance. We’re not sure whether this was to get the immigration forms completed by the service station, or if it is the new tourist tax, but either way we were at a service station in the middle of nowhere and did want to cross the border that day, so we paid. Our driver took the money and our passports and returned with completed TM6 immigrations forms, all we needed to do was to sign them (or so we thought). 

A short drive later and we arrived at the Malaysian side of the Sadao border crossing. We decamped from the minibus and picked up our luggage as we needed to scan it through the Malaysian border. Bags scanned and our passports stamped to exit Malaysia, we got back onto the mini bus and crossed no man's land to the Thai immigration border. At time of writing, Thailand was being very generous to UK citizens and had temporarily (from October 2022 to March 2023) allowed a 45 day visa on arrival. All we needed to provide at immigration was the full address of our Songkhla hostel (the TM6 immigration form printed at the service station just said Hat Yai) and specify the number of days we wanted to be in Thailand. The Thai immigration was friendly and efficient, and very soon our passports were stamped with our 45 day visas. We headed out back into the blazing sun, and for the first time in five very long years we were back on Thai soil. We were ecstatic! 

Back on the bus we were joined by a friendly energetic Thai lady who quickly asked everyone on the mini bus where they needed to be dropped off in the large city of Hat Yai. As we weren’t quite sure of how we were going to make our way to Songkhla we asked to be dropped at the main bus station. 

At the main bus station we were passed from helpful person to helpful person like a baton in a relay race all the way down the line of buses to a half-full minivan to Songkhla. The tickets for the 29 km journey would cost us 34 Thai baht each (£0.80 or $0.98). We may be looking at this whole episode through rose tinted specs, but the instant jovial friendliness of the Thai’s was immediately apparent and very welcoming. Our little minivan quickly filled up and started the drive to Songkhla. Partway through the journey a plastic basket was passed through the bus for everyone to place their fare in and sort out their own change. Again this was a little reminder that we were very far away from South London as we can’t imagine what would happen if you tried this on the 159 bus to Marble Arch! 

As we approached Songkhla the driver would stop wherever he was asked to, dropping passengers off on the side of the road. We stayed on until the end where we pulled up in a petrol station near the clock tower in central Songkhla. Hoisting our packs onto our back, we started the short walk to our hostel in the heart of the old town. As so frequently happens to us, we were waylaid by our stomachs and the call of curry. We stopped at a small joint serving rice and a selection of curries and tucked into our first Thai meal.

Sitting on plastic chairs and eating deliciously spicy curries, we knew we had arrived. We were finally back!

Thanks for reading, 

John & Ellie x

#adventuresofjellie

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Booking bus and train tickets between Malaysia and Thailand

When we made this journey, as we mentioned above, we booked our tickets through Easybook. However since writing this article, we have made this journey again, and this time we booked our tickets through 12Go.

12Go is a great option if you want to book your tickets ahead of time, with plenty of departure times and locations. For those who would like a private transfer, you can even book your own taxi!

Book your tickets here.

You can also cross the Thailand / Malaysia border via train. To do this you will need to book a train ticket to Padang Besar. Once you’ve arrived at the station you will need to get stamped out / stamped into whichever country you’re heading to and then board a train to your next destination. There is currently one train a day running between Padang Besar to Bangkok and five trains a day running from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur. If you’re heading to Singapore you will need to change trains in Kuala Lumpur. Again you can book train tickets in advance via 12Go.

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Useful information for crossing the border between Malaysia and Thailand

By road you will need to cross the border at the Sadao border point.

Time difference between Malaysia and Thailand

Thailand and Malaysia are in different time zones with Malaysia being GMT +8 and Thailand being GMT +7. Be aware of this time difference if you’re booking onward travel / when approaching the border checkpoint.

Malaysia - Sadao Border Opening Times

On the Malaysian side, the Sadao border checkpoint is open from 6am to 12am.

Thailand - Sadao Border Opening Times

If you’re leaving from Thailand and entering into Malaysia the border is open from 5am to 11pm.

How to cross the border

Crossing the border on either side is a very similar process. On either side of the border checkpoint, you will need to make sure you have received your exit and entry stamp from both countries in your passport.

You will also need to have your luggage scanned through so will need to decamp from your bus and cross the border on foot with your luggage. Your driver will be waiting the other side for you to cross.

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