Haad Yao beach has a straightforward layout with no curves. It stretches for about 2,300 feet (700 metres) between Sri Thanu and Haad Salad beaches.
The beach is secluded with its own small set of amenities. You can walk along the shore from end to end in about ten minutes, and on a scooter you can zip through the entire area even quicker. The entire beachfront is occupied by bungalow resorts and from what I’ve observed this area is quite popular.
Beach Overview
Haad Yao is a secluded, beautiful and peaceful spot on Phangan. If you decide to stay here for any length of time it’s best to have transport at your disposal.
Though if you think about it that advice applies to pretty much all areas of Phangan unless you’re planning to be stuck on the beach the whole time. But if that’s your plan then Haad Yao actually makes it possible. It’s a good sandy beach with everything you need for eating and lounging about.
Swimming
To my delight Haad Yao turned out to be a white sand beach. Whatever enthusiastic holidaymakers might tell you Phangan’s beaches don’t exactly have an abundance of snow-white coral sand – the geography just isn’t right unfortunately. But thank Buddha there are some beaches where the colour comes as close to white as possible.
In my photos the sand looks wet so it has a yellowish tint. Like everywhere on the island during high tide the sandy strip at Haad Yao gets narrower which can be a bit of a pain when you’re walking along the beach and the beachfront cafes put their tables right on the sand. Sometimes you have to wade through the sea knee-deep in water to get around people who are eating.
The tides play a big role in both the appearance and swimmability of the beach. The seabed is even gradual with no surprises. When the tide is out you’ll find wet sand with shells and walks in the sunshine. When the tide comes in the water is chest-deep just 16 feet (5 metres) from the shore allowing for proper swimming. On the other hand if you’ve come to Phangan with children this beach would be ideal for them.
Sunbeds and Shade
As you might expect on the western coast of any island on the planet shade is only available until midday before the sun reaches its zenith. Haad Yao is no exception. There’s more than enough shade here with casuarina trees and palms scattered along the shore though you’ll need to respect the invisible boundaries of the resorts.
Despite the fact that all beaches belong to the royal family and access should be free anywhere in the kingdom the Thais prefer not to remember this law and might ask you to leave or pay for staying on the beach area in front of their establishment. So it’s preferable to leave your things under trees in neutral territory. If all the prime spots are taken you can always settle in a cafΓ©.
I didn’t notice any sunbeds on Haad Yao.
Beach Photos
Near Sea Through and Ibiza Bungalows
Closer to Haad Yao Bayview Resort
Amenities
I wouldn’t say this is a place with well-developed amenities. There are massage parlours, several cafes but overall you zip through the entire area on a bike without even noticing it because it’s so small. Most people make do with the amenities of their resort or hotel where the staff will feed you, give you a massage, offer rentals and can even send you on an excursion.
Haad Yao has a 7-Eleven mini-market whose range is quite sufficient to meet the needs of this micro-area. It’s really great actually for any beach to have its own 7-Eleven or FamilyMart. This immediately increases its attractiveness for tourists who are planning a longer stay and don’t want to spend money on car hire or take risks with scooter rental. Among the more well-known establishments is Vagga bar on the shore.
Accommodation
At Haad Yao despite its relative smallness there’s plenty of accommodation of different categories from guesthouses to decent resorts with good ratings. For example:
- High Life Bungalow
- Sun Moon Star Resort Koh Phangan
- No Name Bungalow Haad Yao
I stayed right on the border between Haad Son and Haad Yao beaches at Haad Son Resort but it’s located on a hill.
Many beaches here are in small valleys separated by passes with climbs and descents, and my hotel was on such a climb. Going down to Haad Yao beach is fun but coming back up is rather tough although you can just stick to the hotel beach. My hotel review.
I also stayed at Sea Through hotel where people usually park their bikes and then walk to the beach. A good convenient place. You can stay either in the hotel building (I stayed there, here’s my review) or in a bungalow.
How to find the beach
You can access the beach through any resort, in some places there are even signs with arrows for those who take things seriously. You can also use clusters of parked scooters as landmarks for paths to the sea. The main paths are near Ibiza Bungalows and Sea Through, marked on the map.
