Staying in Haad Yao: resorts, bungalows and villas on Koh Phangan's long west-coast beach

63 accommodations

Haad Yao ("long beach", also Hat Yao or Had Yao) is the main resort beach of Koh Phangan's west coast, about 12 km and 20–25 minutes north of Thong Sala. It is a sweep of more than a kilometre of pale sand, with resorts along its whole length and up the rocky headlands at each end, restaurants and massage huts on the sand, dive shops and a strip of shops on the road behind, and the sunset straight ahead every evening. This zone also covers the coves just south of it, between Haad Yao and Srithanu: Haad Chao Phao, a relaxed bay with a lagoon behind it and excellent swimming; Haad Son, better known as Secret Beach, a small cove with a beach bar; and Haad Gruad, a tiny rocky bay with a restaurant and a rope swing.

Who should stay in Haad Yao?

Haad Yao is the choice for a classic beach holiday on Koh Phangan: a long beach you can walk, good swimming at the northern end at most tides, resorts of every standard, and enough restaurants, bars and shops that you never need to leave. It suits couples, families with older children and first-time visitors who want the sunset side without the retreat culture of Srithanu or the isolation of the north coast. The beach has an upmarket feel and prices to match — basic rooms cost more here than the same rooms would in Ban Tai — but it is also the west-coast beach with the widest choice.

Chao Phao, Secret Beach and Haad Gruad are the quieter, cheaper alternative ten minutes south: bungalows and yoga guesthouses on the sand, hillside resorts with views, a beach bar on Secret Beach that is popular without being crowded, and the yoga schools of the Srithanu strip within walking or scooter distance. The one thing to know about Haad Yao itself is the tide: the water drops a long way at low tide along the southern and central sections, so check the listing's position on the beach if swimming from the door matters, or head to the northern end, Secret Beach or Haad Gruad, which stay swimmable at all tides.

Resorts, bungalows and villas in Haad Yao

The 63 places listed here include beachfront bungalows from about 1,200 THB (US$38), mid-range resorts with pools at 1,800–3,500 THB, boutique and four-star beachfront resorts at 2,500–5,500 THB, and villas and holiday homes with pools on the headlands and the hill behind the road at 4,000–10,000 THB a night. Chao Phao and Secret Beach add fan and air-conditioned bungalows from 600–1,500 THB, hillside resorts with sunset views at 1,500–4,000 THB, and a five-star resort on Haad Plaay Laem at the southern end of the cove chain. High season adds 30–50 % and the beachfront rooms on Haad Yao are among the first on the island to sell out for Christmas. Every listing states which beach the property is on and whether it is on the sand, across the road or on the hill.

How do you get to Haad Yao?

From Thong Sala pier a songthaew costs about 200 THB a person and takes 20–25 minutes on the paved west-coast road; a private taxi is 400–600 THB, and most resorts arrange a pick-up if you send your ferry time. Scooters rent on the strip for 150–350 THB a day; the road south to Srithanu and Thong Sala is flat and easy, the road north to Haad Salad and Mae Haad is hilly, and the short tracks down to Secret Beach and Haad Gruad are steep. Chao Phao and Secret Beach are 2–3 km south of Haad Yao and 2 km north of Srithanu, so a scooter or a songthaew flagged on the main road covers the whole stretch.

What is there to do in Haad Yao?

Swim and paddle-board at the northern end of the beach, snorkel off the headlands, and take a dive boat to Sail Rock, about an hour offshore, the best dive site in the Gulf, from the Haad Yao shops. Walk the beach at sunset, when every restaurant sets tables on the sand. Ride ten minutes south to Secret Beach for a swim and a drink at the beach bar, or to Haad Gruad for the rope swing, and continue to Srithanu for the vegan night market, the yoga studios and the Friday drum circle on Zen Beach. Haad Salad and the Koh Ma sandbar are 15 minutes north for the island's best shore snorkelling; the Phaeng waterfall and Domsila viewpoint are 20 minutes inland. Haad Yao has ATMs, 7-Elevens, a pharmacy and a clinic on the road behind the beach.

When to stay in Haad Yao

The west coast is sheltered from the north-east monsoon, so Haad Yao stays usable from October to December when Haad Rin Nok and Thong Nai Pan are rough, with wetter afternoons in October and November. The calmest, clearest water comes from February to April; June to September is the green season with lower rates and the occasional day of south-west swell that stirs the beach up. Christmas–New Year and July–August are the high seasons; September to early November the quietest and cheapest weeks.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Haad Yao from Thong Sala?

About 12 km, 20–25 minutes by songthaew (200 THB a person), taxi or scooter on the paved west-coast road through Srithanu.

Can you swim at Haad Yao at low tide?

At the northern end, yes; along the southern and central sections the water retreats a long way at low tide. Secret Beach and Haad Gruad, ten minutes south, stay swimmable at all tides.

Where is Secret Beach on Koh Phangan?

Haad Son, known as Secret Beach, is a small cove between Haad Chao Phao and Haad Yao on the west coast, reached by a short steep track from the main road, with a beach bar and good swimming.

Is Haad Yao expensive?

It is one of the pricier beaches on the island for the standard of room, because of demand for its beachfront; Chao Phao and the bungalows south of it are the cheaper option in the same zone.

Are there shops and ATMs in Haad Yao?

Yes: ATMs, 7-Elevens, a pharmacy, a clinic, dive shops and many restaurants on the road behind the beach; Chao Phao has a 7-Eleven and an ATM on the main road.