In photos: Sunrise on Koh Yao Noi
This morning, I woke up to this. How did I get to be so lucky?
These photos are of the rising sun on Koh Yao Noi island, which will be our home for the next few nights. We’ve already been on the island for four nights spending time with our Malaysia-based friends CeCe and Tony who joined us for a holiday. It was great to spend some time with them again.
Now we’re on our own again and we didn’t want to leave Koh Yao just yet so we found some new accommodation, though we had no idea how special the location would be until we got here. Our beach bungalow is steps away from a soft-sanded beach surrounded by tall, majestic palm trees. Already I don’t want to leave.
Koh Yao Noi is the smaller of two sister islands which comprise Koh Yao. Though smaller it is actually the more inhabited of the islands and it is the quietest and most authentic place we’ve visited in Thailand yet. Tucked in the bay of Phang-Nga and easily accessible from both Phuket and Krabi, Koh Yao is a regularly visited but relatively untouched destination for travelers and tourists. There are maybe only 10-15 places to stay scattered around the island and even fewer restaurants and shops.
The majority of land on both islands is forest, with rubber plantations being a primary source of income for many families and the majority of the islands inhabitants are descendents of the Muslim fishermen or the Sea Gypsies who originally populated the islands. Unlike Koh Lanta roads are rougher, people are sparser and the island is quieter, though the few people we have met offer smiles and friendly waves freely. I am looking forward to exploring this island more.

Frances M. Thompson
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