Haad Yao Beach

About Haad Yao

Haad Yao — Thai for "Long Beach" — stretches for nearly a kilometre along Koh Phangan's west coast. It's consistently rated one of the island's best all-round beaches: calm, clean, well-served with cafes and bungalows, and facing west for spectacular sunsets.

Swimming & Snorkelling

The water at Haad Yao is generally calm and suitable for swimming most of the year. At low tide the beach can be shallow close to shore. A short swim south from the main beach brings you to good snorkelling spots with reef fish.

Sunsets

Haad Yao faces almost due west — the sunsets here are genuinely spectacular. The sky turns gold and red over the Gulf of Thailand, and the beach bars fill up from around 17:30. One of the best sunset spots on the island.

Getting There

By bike from Thong Sala (15–20 minutes, no mountain pass). Songthaew runs from Thong Sala to Haad Yao for around 80–100 baht.

Coffee & Diving Right Here

Bubba's Roastery has its original shop and roastery tucked between the villas here — worth a stop for genuinely good coffee without leaving the beach. For diving and PADI courses, Haad Yao Divers runs a shop right on the beach, with boats departing from Chaloklum pier on the north coast.