Haad Yao Beach is a place where “let the whole world wait. Eastern beaches of Koh Phangan

Haad Yao Beach is located in the western part of Koh Phangan. Haad Yao beach is considered one of the most popular beaches in Koh Phangan according to guidebooks. We stopped at Had Yao for a few days to form our opinion about this beach and show you what it really looks like.

Overview of Haad Yao Beach

The beach is quite big. Some even consider it the longest on Phanagna. The coastline is about 700 meters. During low tides, the beach becomes wide, and in the high tide season, on the right side, the water can reach almost to the palms. The sand is light, almost white. Walking barefoot is nice.

Hotels near Haad Yao beach

• See Through Resort
• Sun Moon Star Resort
• Haad Yao Bayview Resort
• High Life Bungalow
• Longbay Resort Koh Phangan

All hotels on Koh Phangan

On the right side (if you stand facing the sea) there is an inaccessible place. There are boats, even smaller and the bottom is more rocky. Swimming should go to the left side.

Almost the entire coastline, except for a few sections, is built up with hotels. In several places massage "parlors" are equipped. Massage costs 300 baht. Several beach restaurants. The prices are adequate. There is even one Indian costume shop. But what we like most about Hat Yao is the tall palm trees!

Few tourists

There are few vacationers on Had Yao Beach. Even on the eve of the Full Moon Party, there were no crowds here. And on ordinary days, the beach can be almost deserted.

The contingent of vacationers on Had Yao is European youth, especially during the Full Moon period, and middle-aged people. There are tourists with small children. There are few Russians, in 6 days only one Russian-speaking company was heard. By the way, European girls are now in fashion with large tattoos on the floor of the thigh or back. Literally every first Euro-girl in Koh Phangan with these weird tattoos.

Sunbeds

There are no sun loungers on Had Yao. Only near the hotels for the guests of these hotels can be sun loungers. On the beach itself, you can only stay on your own bedding.

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - Kiwi Taxi
Ordered a taxi online, paid by card. We were greeted at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You have already talked about your experience In this article.

Shadow

There is very little natural shade. If there is shade in the morning until 12-13 o'clock, then in the afternoon there is almost no shade left. This is due to the fact that the beach is western. In the afternoon, the sun shines from the sea and there is almost nowhere to hide from it. A little shade can be found in the central part under coniferous trees.

Where to eat on Haad Yao

There are several beach cafes in the central part of the beach. Also in the depths of the area there are 7 Eleven. All hotels have restaurants. Therefore, there will be no problem with food.

Where to swim on Haad Yao

It seems that everything should be fine, the beach is large and beautiful, the water is blue, there are few people. So why such a question? In fact, it turned out that swimming on Haad Yao is problematic due to the shallow sea and the rocky bottom in most of the beach. All tourists swim on the left side of the beach near the Haad Yao Resort hotel and the IBIZZA cafe. For swimming in the sea, choose these bright glades with a sandy bottom.

There is no depth, but you can swim even at low tide. The water does not go away completely, it remains somewhere knee-deep, at best waist-deep. Therefore, swimming at Haad Yao is not swimming, but just sitting at the bottom.

Everyone here does it, they went in and flopped into the water. You won’t be able to swim further, since the dark spots in the sea, which can be seen in the photo, are stones, corals and algae. But people like on Had Yao. We ourselves have also become accustomed to this feature of the western beaches of Koh Phangan, we wallow in shallow water with pleasure. The main thing is that the water is transparent and there are no waves.

sunsets

Sunsets are visible every evening on Haad Yao. You can admire the sunsets from a restaurant at dinner or just during an evening stroll along the beach.

By the way, while watching the sunset, we noticed that a pig was running around on the left side of the beach. We learned that she lives in one of the cafes as a pet and sometimes she is let out to run around to the delight and surprise of tourists. We also saw a big green parrot. Perhaps he also lives in a cafe and sometimes flies out for a walk.

Also, dogs come out on the beach in the evenings, like on all the beaches of Koh Phangan. Therefore, walking in the evening may not be very comfortable. Especially if you have reheated food from 7-11 with you in the package.

Haad Yao videos

Watch an overview video of the beach from different angles.

Sometimes it is also sometimes called Long Beach. This beach, about a kilometer long, quite wide, with fine white sand, is considered one of the most beautiful beaches on Koh Phangan. Picturesque palm trees, coniferous and deciduous trees grow near the shore, which create a pleasant shade for relaxation.

Haad Yao Beach has very fine white sand and clear turquoise sea. But the tides are noticeable on the sea, of course, the tides are not as terrible as on the beaches in the south-west of the island, but still swimming in the sea in the evening is not very comfortable. Not far from the shore there is a reef where you can snorkel and look at the fish and corals.

On the shore on the beach Haad Yao(Haad Yao) there are no local settlements, but only hotels and bungalows for every taste and budget. We lived at the very beginning of Haad Yao beach (if you go from the port of Thong Sala) in a hotel. From the port of Thong Sala to the hotel is a normal road, travel time 15-20 minutes.

The beach on this side of Haad Yao is wide, there is a place to play football or volleyball. But closer to the end of the bay, near the cape, a lot of algae were noticed, which made swimming in this place not very comfortable.

On the opposite side of the beach, the beach strip is narrower and in the morning, at high tide, the water reaches almost to the hotel restaurants.

On the beach there are restaurants and bars that offer Thai and European dishes.

In the evening, closer to sunset, many restaurants put tables on the sand and people gather to drink cocktails and watch the sunset first, and then taste BBQ or other delicious dishes.

In the evening, all bars are beautifully illuminated and many host fakir shows.

Haad Yao is located in the west of Koh Phangan, so you can watch magnificent sunsets from it.

On the Haad Yao beach there are many salons with Thai massage for 300 baht (I can’t say anything about the quality of the massage - they didn’t do massage there, as there was always no time) and, for some reason, a lot of costume shops !!! We haven't seen this on the beach for a long time 😎

On the beach of Haad Yao there is a rocking chair, which is so nice to ride 😎

A little further, on the road parallel to the beach, there is a 7 eleven store, which opened in 2011. In it you can buy water, coffee, nuts, chocolate, wine and other little things. Prices in this 7 eleven are cheaper than on the beach, but more expensive than on. And what surprised me - there were queues at 7 eleven! First time I meet this!

Near 7 eleven in the evening they bake and sell delicious Thai pancakes. But the fruit market on the beach Haad Yao was not noticed. But we didn’t really look, because we specifically went to the market in Thong Sala and Tesco Lotus for fruit and water.

There are many houses for rent in the area of ​​Haad Yao beach. As we understood, many winterers from Russia also live in this place 😎

Here are a few offers for houses for rent on Koh Phangan - there are phones in the photo, you can call and find out the terms of rent and book a house for yourself:

Contingent on the beach Haad Yao different from the contingent on Thong Nai Pan Yai beach. If a more respectable audience rests on the Thong Nai Pan Yai beach, then on the Haad Yao beach there are more young people and more informal people and a lot of families with children and a lot of Russians. We have not heard so much Russian speech since that time.

If we compare the two beaches where we lived on Koh Phangan, I liked the beach more than Haad Yai beach. Firstly, because of the contingent living on the beach, and secondly, because Haad Yai is somehow less well-groomed, the beach is cleaned worse, the cafes are not so pretty 😎 . Yes, and there are much more people on the beach of Haad Yao.

Although for those who need at least a minimal party and the ability to easily get to the largest town on Koh Phangan - Thong Sala, Tesco Lotus, the market, other attractions and beaches of Koh Phangan, I recommend the beach for living Haad Yao.

It is populated no less densely than the southern one, and in terms of beauty and picturesqueness it is in no way inferior. The main difference between the beaches probably lies in the fact that the south of Koh Phangan is long, kilometer-long beaches, and the west is a series of small cozy beaches, some of which do not exceed hundreds of meters in length. There are of course a couple of long beaches, but they can be ignored. Why? You can read more about this below.

In our opinion, if you are looking for a quiet, relatively inexpensive beach holiday on Koh Phangan, and apart from the beach itself and swimming, a good hotel is also important for you, then it is best to look at this side of Koh Phangan.

The first three beaches, if you move from Thong Sala along the west coast - Play Laem beach, Ao Wok Tum beach and Hin Kong beach are very long and practically unaffected by the tourism industry. There are almost no hotels here, and on the picturesque coast, under hanging palm trees, you can always retire and take a break from the hustle and bustle or take a walk through the coconut groves. Such a quiet paradise. However, all this splendor is shattered to smithereens on one underwater, or rather land stone - swimming here, even at maximum tides, is not easy at all. During low tide it is not possible. Water is not that little - it is not at all. Those. This area is perfect for a beach holiday. Mostly people settle here who are looking for silence and leisurely village life. However, if you have your own vehicle, then getting to the swimming spots is not difficult.

Sri Thanu beach

Passing these long beaches you will find yourself in a fishing village called Baan Sri Thanu (however, it seemed to us that there were few fishermen there) and on the beach of Sri Thanu (Ao Sri Thanu). Starting from this place, the beaches become more conducive to swimming, note that it is for swimming, and not for swimming. The beach itself is very wide, even at high tide and there are always plenty of places to lie on the white coral sand. There is a reef about 100-150 meters from the shore where you can try to snorkel. But expect something fantastic from this action is not worth it. The village has many cafes, restaurants and even several Thai food stalls, you can also find macaroons. They say there is a good and inexpensive Big Mountain restaurant with Indian cuisine, but we did not visit it and therefore we cannot say whether it is really tasty and inexpensive. To be honest, Indian food in Thailand sometimes turns out to be simply inedible and resembles an Indian dish only in name. With fruit, it seemed to us that things were not very good there. Let us pay special attention - further to the village of Chaloklum, located already on the northern coast of Koh Phangan, it is almost impossible to find decent and inexpensive Thai cafes and fruit markets with reasonable prices. Catering outlets will be represented mainly by hotel and beach restaurants and cafes. The cost of housing in the Sri Thanu beach area is on average 300-600 baht, but of course there are more expensive ones. You can swim, but at low tide it is rather shallow. The beauty and scenery of the beach did not impress.

Haad Chao Pao Beach

Further north of Koh Phangan is a rather cozy and beautiful beach of Haad Chao Phao. We managed to jump on it only for a short time and we don’t have much to say about it. However, the beach made a good impression: clean, spacious, a lot of greenery and very comfortable. The possibility of swimming, as on the previous beach, greatly depends on the strength of the low tide. A reef and rocks were visible, probably you can try to snorkel there. Housing is represented by resorts with a cost of 500 to 1500 baht per day, but there seems to be more expensive. Some hotels have swimming pools. I repeat, in general, the beach made a positive impression.

Secret beach

In general, in this area we were looking for a tiny beach called Secret beach - Secret Beach. Painfully tempting was the name and the rumors about it. If my memory serves me right, then we found it right here, between Shri Thanu and Ao Chao Pao, but I could be wrong, just in case, here is a photo of the pointer to it.

If you arrive on a bike, it is better to leave it on the road near this sign. The exit down is in the best traditions of Koh Phangan, it is very steep, but it is not yet paved and washed out by the waters from the slope. It's not worth the risk. However, the Secret beach itself is not worth it. There is nothing special there, the only thing we managed to swim tolerably and even swim a little at low tide. There are several very inexpensive bungalows for living on the coast, and at the northern end of the beach there is a large and apparently not very budget resort. You will not find silence and solitude here, however, and special views.

Haad Yao beach

Well, here we got to the business cards of a beach holiday on Koh Phangan, it is the photographs of these beaches that can most often be seen on advertising brochures. The first beach in this series will be Haad Yao Beach, or as it is also called Long Beach. The beach is really beautiful. Lots of greenery, lots of clean and white sand. Water at low tide, however, not very much, but still enough to swim. Svetlana, having shown some perseverance and skill, even managed to swim there during the period of maximum low tides. On the coast and on the slopes, everything is strewn with attractive resorts, however, at the same time, it is quiet and calm here. The exception is the resort ... in whose bungalow we were lucky enough to spend three "wonderful" nights. Before settling on this beach, a few words about this fun hotel can be found. Bear in mind that in the evening and at night sounds travel particularly well and over considerable distances.

In short, Haad Yao Beach is one of the best places for those who are looking for a classic beach holiday, and in the evenings they like to enjoy the sunsets sitting in a cafe or at a table right on the beach. Despite the fact that Had Yao and the rest they offer are not to our taste, we liked the beach itself. The only thing you should not believe in travel agencies is the promises of excellent snorkeling. There is nothing interesting in terms of the underwater world here.

Well, take into account what we wrote about food in these parts, be prepared to spend significant amounts on it. To save money, we recommend walking to the 7-Eleven store. If you don’t know what kind of stores these are, we recommend reading the article 7 eleven stores in Thailand. The store is located on the highway passing over the beach. If you need rum or beer, then you should definitely not be lazy. We also recommend that you stock up on drinking water. And, if you go up the road that goes from the northern end of the beach, about 50-70 meters before joining the highway, you can find a couple of not very expensive cafes that do not belong to hotels. With fruit, a complete ... ambush.

BeachHaadSalad

Mae Haad beach

Mae Haad beach is located at the northernmost point of the west coast of Koh Phangan and is considered one of the most beautiful and best beaches on the island. We will not say how true this is, we will only say that we really liked Mae Haad in many ways. It is very picturesque, wide, a lot of greenery, it has very clean sand and the sea. In addition, here is the best place for snorkeling in Koh Phangan. Not that you can see something amazing, but of all the many places on the island where we dived, this is the most interesting. But the reef, unfortunately, is being intensively destroyed by the anchors of yachts and ships that bring snorkelers here. It will probably be completely dead in five years.

During the day, Mae Had beach is quite crowded due to its popularity. A lot of people come here to dive, swim, just sunbathe, but there is enough space for everyone, and there is no crowding. In the evening, the beach is empty, only those who live here remain, and since there are not very many hotels, there are few people. Accordingly, it is quiet and calm. Well, another feature of this beach is the sunsets! We will not praise and describe. Just come and have a look. Of the minuses - all the same problems with food and fruits.

As a brief summary, let's say the following. During the period when we were looking for accommodation, Mae Had beach was one of the main candidates. And although we chose Chaloklum, people still came here very often to swim and enjoy the sunsets. See all the hotels of Mae Haad Beach General conclusion If you are going to Koh Phangan for a beach holiday and at the same time dream of peace and tranquility, take a closer look at the west coast. Perhaps this is just what you are looking for. But don't expect to find nightlife here. If suddenly during your vacation you still need it, then you can easily go after it to the South coast of Koh Phangan.

updated: April 10, 2017 by: Sergei

The beach is isolated and with its own small infrastructure. The entire beach can be walked along the coast from edge to edge in about ten minutes, and on a scooter along the road, it will be possible to slip through the entire area even faster. The entire first line is occupied by bungalow resorts, and I must say that according to my observations, this area is a popular place among Russians, Russian speech is often heard here.

Haad Yao Beach is a secluded, beautiful, quiet place on Koh Phangan. If you decide to live here for a while, it is better to have transport at hand.

Although, if you think about it, this advice is relevant in general for all areas of Koh Phangan, provided that you are not going to sit on the beach all your free time all the time. But if you are going, then on Haad Yao it is in principle possible. Nice sandy beach, everything you need to eat and seal is here.

Entry into the water, depth and waves

To my delight, it turned out that Haad Yao is a white sand beach. No matter what enthusiastic vacationers tell, the beaches of Koh Phangan do not suffer from an excess of snow-white coral sand - the geography is not the same, unfortunately. But thank Buddha - there are separate beaches where the color is as close to white as possible.

In the pictures, my sand is wet, so its color gives off yellowness. As on the whole island, at high tide the sandy strip at Haad Yao becomes narrower; this is inconvenient when you walk along the beach, and coastal cafes put their tables right on the sand. Sometimes you have to bypass chewing people right on the sea, knee-deep in water.

A large role in the appearance of the beach is played by the ebbs and flows, and in bathability too. The bottom is flat, gently sloping, no surprises. When the water leaves, there will be wet sand with shells and walks under the sun. When the water comes in, there will be chest-deep depth five meters from the shore and full bathing. On the other hand, if you came to Koh Phangan with children, then such a beach would be perfect for them.

Sun beds and shade

As you understand, on the western coast of any island of the planet, the shadow is only until noon, until the sun reaches the zenith. Khaad Yao is no exception. There are more than enough shadows here: there are casuarinas and palm trees interspersed on the shore, although you will have to respect the invisible boundaries of the resorts.

Despite the fact that all the beaches belong to the royal family and the passage should be free anywhere in the kingdom, the Thais prefer not to remember this law and may ask you to leave or pay for the stay on the beach in front of their establishment. So it is preferable to throw your things under the trees in no man's land. If all the trump places are occupied, then you can sit down in a cafe.

I didn't notice sun loungers on Had Yao.

beach photo

Near Sea Through and Ibiza Bungalows

In the morning, the shadow reaches the water - very cool for a beach holiday.

Closer to Haad Yao Bayview Resort

And a fly in the ointment: the blue pipes are the drain from the bungalow. Usually the pipes are not visible under the sand.

Infrastructure

I would not say that this is a place with a developed infrastructure. There are massage parlors, several cafes, but in general - you skip the whole area on a bike without noticing, it is so small. Basically, people are content with the infrastructure of their resort or hotel, whose employees will feed you, give you a massage, offer a rental, and send you on an excursion.

Haad Yao has a 7-Eleven mini-market, the assortment of which is quite enough to meet the needs of this micro-district. It's very cool, by the way, for any beach to have its own 7-Eleven or FamilyMart. This immediately increases its attractiveness for tourists who plan to stop for a long time and do not want to spend money on renting a car or risking renting a scooter. Of the more or less well-known establishments - on the shore.

Local infrastructure, a mini market on such a small beach - it's very cool

Houses and hotels on the beach

Haad Yao, despite its relative diminutiveness, is full of housing of various categories, from guest houses to decent resorts with a good rating. For example:

I lived right on the border of the beaches of Haad Son and Haad Yao, at the Haad Son Resort but it is on the mountain.

Here, many beaches are in lowlands and are separated by passes with ascent and descent, and so my hotel was on such an ascent. Going to Haad Yao beach is fun, but it’s already hard to climb, although you can only go to the hotel beach. .

Be sure (and I insist) to check for discounts or special offers on an excellent service. It will quickly and easily show you discounts in all existing booking systems. In the same Asia, for example, there are a lot of offers on Agoda.com, which are much more interesting than exactly the same hotels on Booking.com.