A Piece of Paradise – Koh Yao Noi

Koh Yao Noi from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Phuket, Phi Phi Island, James Bond Island, I’m sure you’ve heard of them or even travelled to some of them during your travels. While they are beautiful destinations in their own right, they are also, overrun with tourists. There are definitely less well-known islands that offer the same, if not, better views but without having to squeeze with hoards of tourists right? So why go somewhere that everyone else goes to?

I present to you Koh Yao Noi, one of Thailand’s last remaining unspoilt hidden gem. White pristine beaches, clear blue waters, friendly locals, lack of selfie-taking-coconut-in-hand tourists, mountain views, and affordable food. Sounds like the piece of paradise that I’ve been dreaming of. So why isn’t it popular?

Here are some reasons I could think of:

1. Transport to the island is very very limited and I mean only by boat
2. There are very few accommodations on the island
3. It’s so untouched that animals roam freely around, gas stations look like make-shift huts, electricity was introduced only 12 years ago!
4. It’s a small island so there’s not much to do
5. No real nightlife

While some of these reasons may seem like a deterrence to some, I see it as a great place to go off-the-grid and really relax. Perhaps it’s not a place that I can stay for long (sadly I need my wifi), but it is definitely a place that I would love to visit before the tourism boom hits it. And if my words can’t convince you to put this island on your itinerary, do watch the video to see for yourself what a charming, idyllic, quiet paradise this island is.