Discover the Andaman in Style: A Family Escape at Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas

School break – the upcoming holidays are an ideal time to visit Thailand’s beautiful south, and Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas is the ideal setting for families seeking adventure and luxe in equal measure.

Located in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas offers an ideal base from which to explore, less than an hour by speedboat from all the most famous islands in Southern Thailand. Setting off in a luxury boat charters, guests will be the first to arrive and see the locations in all their natural beauty, with the freedom to also discover more under-the-radar gems with their personal guide. 

Anantara guests enjoy only the most luxurious adventuring, with a sleek fleet of yachts and catamarans, a host aboard each to serve refreshments, and gourmet picnic hampers with salads, sushi and panini to take ashore.

Must-Visit Destinations

Hong Island: Only 20 minutes from the resort is the stunning archipelago known as the “Forest of Islands”, with Hong Island its crown jewel. Unrivalled in natural beauty, after a wander of its powdery beach, and a kayak of its turquoise lagoon, guests enjoy spectacular snorkelling with colourful corals and schools of inquisitive sergeant fish in the calm waters that surround.

Phi Phi Islands: To the south are the famed Phi Phi Islands, setting of generation-defining The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio. With numbers of arrivals now strictly controlled, the shallows of Maya Bay teem with baby reef sharks once again, while Monkey Beach delights especially younger guests with its not-at-all-shy family of long-tailed macaques, and Viking Cave is an explorer’s delight with ancient paintings made by sailors taking shelter over the centuries just waiting to be discovered.

Phang Nga Bay: The waters that surround the resort are world famous for their iconic limestone karsts rising up out of the water as if a mirage. The most famous of these is James Bond Island of The Man with the Golden Gun fame, with the hidden caves and floating villages of nearby islands also worthy of exploration. 

Krabi and surrounds: While perhaps not as famous as Phuket, in beauty Krabi is unsurpassed. Adventurers come from around the world to climb the sheer limestone cliffs of Railay Beach, accessible only by sea, while the pristine islets of Poda, Kai, Thap and Mor just off the coast are perfect for snorkelling with shallow, sunlit waters.

Koh Yao Yai Itself

Life is distinctly laidback and tranquil on Kao Yao Yai, perfect for recuperating between adventures at sea, although there is still much to explore. Traversing its pristine jungle and lush rice paddies either by bicycle, vintage sidecar of classic Thai tuk-tuk, encounters with locals take the form of fishing, buffalo rearing and rubber tapping. Guests can also learn the traditional practices of batik tie-dyeing and babin cake making in the quaint small villages that dot the island. Exclusively to the resort, guests can also kayak the peaceful mangroves just offshore, disappearing into the magical labyrinth teeming with indigenous wildlife.

Presented by Anantara

All of these experiences can be enjoyed in style with Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas. Most stylish of all is the My Sky experience, with a day aboard the sleek 55-foot yacht unrivalled. Guests will visit half a dozen islands, have a gourmet picnic at either Phi Phi or James Bond, and on board enjoy cold drinks, tropical fruits and canapes, with charters beginning at THB 137,000++. Alternatively, the resort offers scheduled cruises each day beginning at THB 6,000++ per person.

Families also stay in exceptional comfort at the resort, with some of the most spacious and luxurious family suites, including the largest Kids Club in Southern Thailand and a grand water park. They are invited to take advantage of the resort’s Family Getaway offer, with round-trip airport transfers, accommodation for two adults and two children, half-board dining, and complimentary experiences each day such as kayaking, island hopping by longtail boat, Thai kickboxing or a cooking class.

This upcoming holiday season, escape the crowds in a remote setting. Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas is only 35 minutes by speedboat from both Phuket and Krabi, with arrival directly at the resort’s private pier. For more information or reservations, visit anantara.com/koh-yao-yai-phuket