Last Updated on 06/12/2024

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The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai is actually a huge, sprawling hotel across the beach and up the hillside in Koh Yao Yai. However, it is very cleverly done that you don’t even realise how big the hotel is and it feels much more cosy and intimate. The only downside was that there is hotel transport that leaves regularly to take guests up and down the hill so if you are staying further up the hill you cannot walk back to your room. That said, there are amazing views from the top over looking Phangna Bay and I would still recommend staying there.

Is Koh Yao Yai worth visiting?

I think Koh Yao Yai is worth visiting for the Santhiya resort and spa alone. It felt like a 5 star hotel without the price tag! It’s the kind of resort where you don’t necessarily need to explore the island and as it has multiple restaurants, most visitors tend to stay within the resort. It has multiple swimming pools, a beach, a pier for sunset and delicious Thai food at the restaurant. At the end of the beach you can see monkeys and I spotted squid when snorkelling under the pier. 

Koh Yai Yai Accommodation 

If you are wondering where to stay in Koh Yao Yai, then I definitely recommend the Santhiya Koh Yao Yai resort & spa for the reasons given above. It felt like such luxury without breaking the bank and I will definitely consider becoming a repeat guest at this hotel in Koh Yao Yai. 

Koh Yao Yai Location – Where is Koh Yao Yai?

Koh Yai Yai is a fairly large island in Thailand, located just east of Phuket and below Krabi. There are two islands nearby, Koh Yai Noi and Koh Yao Yai. In Thai ‘Yai’ means big and ‘Noi’ means small so this island is the bigger of the two. 

Best Time to Visit Koh Yao Yai

The best time to visit Thailand, for most visitors is going to be in dry season between the months of November – May. However, I stayed at the Santhiya Koh Yao Yai resort during rainy season. It really didn’t matter that the Koh Yai Yai weather was stormy, it actually felt atmospheric, we still enjoyed some days of sun and watching the storms rolling in from the infinity pool was very exciting! 

How to get to Santhiya Koh Yao Yai

The best way to get to from Phuket to Koh Yao Yai is to fly to Phuket airport and then take advantage of the Santhiya’s travel offer. They will arrange for a shared airport taxi pick up to bring you to the pier and then a speedboat direct to the Santhiya resort & spa. This is definitely the best way to get to the Santihya koh yao yai location because if you take the local ferry it will drop you the other side of the island, and as Koh Yao Yai is a big island you will need to spend at least 40 minutes travelling by land to reach the Santhiya Resort & Spa. With the Santhiya speedboat to Koh Yao Yai, the travel time is only 20 minutes.

Koh Yao Yai Beaches

While the beach in Santhiya Koh Yao Yai is not in the top beaches in Thailand, it is a pretty white sand beach with generally clear water (even in rainy season!) and is definitely still picturesque. 

The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Restaurants

There are several restaurants at the Santhiya. My personal favourite was the Saiitara restaurant. Order the Thai vegetarian cuisine for sharing and you will not be disappointed. I have lived in Thailand for many years and this was some of the best Thai food I have experienced – strongly recommend this Koh Yai Yai restaurant!

The Santhiya Koh Yai Yai breakfast was also delicious. It is a buffet breakfast with so many different options to choose from including Asian and International dishes. 

The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Swimming Pools

The Santhiya hotel definitely has one of the best infinity pools in Thailand! It overlooks Phangna Bay and you can see Phuket in the distance.

Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Prices

Considering that the restaurants could charge a very high price as there are limited other restaurants around, I found the price very reasonable and was certainly happy to pay once I knew how delicious the local food was. The staff were very friendly and took care of all our needs as well as the spa offering discounts for massages and even a free 30 minute massage by the pool! 

For more island summaries, read this article about the best islands in Thailand to help you decide which Thai island to pick

For itineraries, check out these articles for Thailand itineraries to suit 1 week – 1 month Thailand trips!