Kamala vs Koh Yao Yai
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Slightly easier exploring without a scooter
The village and beach are walkable, and taxis, tuk-tuks and tours cover common Phuket outings.
A quieter setting
Quiet coastal stays and an unhurried village setting are central to the island experience, with local variation around piers and resorts.
Side by side
What feels different
Our editorial assessments · Select a factor to see how we scored each place.
Why we rate Kamala 8/10
Kamala’s sandy beach sits beside the village and resort area, making a relaxed beach day convenient.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 7/10
Several appealing beach bases and Laem Had provide strong coastal appeal, with substantial tidal and location differences.
What we assess
Beach appeal, convenient access and variety during a beach-focused stay, within the destination itself.
Why we rate Kamala 7/10
The bay, forested headlands and nearby coastal viewpoints create an attractive setting, though resorts line parts of the shore.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 8/10
Green island landscapes, coastal views and the Laem Had sandbar provide a strong natural setting.
What we assess
The visual impact of natural surroundings and how central those landscapes are to a typical stay.
Why we rate Kamala 3/10
The village has local temples and everyday Thai life, but visitors mainly choose Kamala for its beach and resort atmosphere.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 5/10
Village and fishing-community outings offer worthwhile local context, with less depth of major heritage sights than cultural cities.
What we assess
The variety, depth and practical access to historic places, temples, architecture, traditions and cultural experiences during a typical stay.
Why we rate Kamala 6/10
Thai food, seafood and international restaurants are easy to find, with less choice than Phuket Town or Patong.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 6/10
Village food and several resort restaurants provide useful choice, though dining is dispersed rather than concentrated in a large town.
What we assess
Food quality, variety, distinctive local cooking and how readily visitors can find good places to eat, regardless of price.
Why we rate Kamala 5/10
Beach clubs and casual bars offer a few lively evenings, but the scene is smaller and more relaxed than Patong.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 2/10
Resort bars and quiet coastal evenings are available, with few late-night options beyond the main resort venues.
What we assess
The choice, variety and liveliness of evening venues, their opening hours and how easily you can enjoy a typical night out.
Why we rate Kamala 7/10
Kamala is generally calmer than Patong, with quieter stays outside the busiest beach-club and main-road areas.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 9/10
Quiet coastal stays and an unhurried village setting are central to the island experience, with local variation around piers and resorts.
What we assess
How easily you can enjoy a peaceful stay, considering traffic, nightlife noise, crowds and practical quieter bases.
Why we rate Kamala 7/10
Boat tours and island excursions can be arranged, though most departures require transport to a larger pier.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 8/10
Arranged trips reach nearby islands and Phang Nga Bay, with weather, group size and the chosen base affecting convenience.
What we assess
The variety of worthwhile sea-island trips, convenient departures, journey times and flexibility under normal operating conditions.
Why we rate Kamala 7/10
The village and beach are walkable, and taxis, tuk-tuks and tours cover common Phuket outings.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 6/10
A chosen resort base works with arranged transfers and taxis; exploring the spread-out island requires planning and extra rides.
What we assess
Freedom to explore without renting a scooter, using walking, public transport, taxis, tuk-tuks, ride-hailing or boats; transport price is assessed separately.
Why we rate Kamala 6/10
Local meals and modest accommodation are available, though resort pricing and island-trip transfers increase the full-trip cost.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 6/10
Simple bungalows and village food are available, but the smaller budget selection and boat or road transfers add costs.
What we assess
How easily you can enjoy a typical stay on a modest budget, including simple accommodation, food, realistic transport and characteristic activities.
Scores out of 10 · Higher means more of that characteristic About these scores
How to read the scale
Scores run from 0 to 10 and describe how strongly a destination offers each characteristic.
Higher does not always mean better
A higher nightlife score means a livelier scene. A higher quietness score means a calmer atmosphere. The right balance depends on your trip.
Close scores mean similar experiences
Small differences should not decide your trip on their own.
Kamala
Choose Kamala if...
- You want a beach and village base with a slower pace than Patong.
- You want relaxed resort days with local meals and casual evening venues nearby.
- You like having beach clubs as an option without staying in the main party district.
The trade-off
The dining and nightlife choice is smaller than in Phuket’s busiest bases. Wider island exploring needs rides, and the areas beside main roads or lively beach venues can still be noisy.
Koh Yao Yai
Choose Koh Yao Yai if...
- Laem Had sandbar and coastal scenery
- Local village and fishing-community context
- Resort stays and arranged water-based outings
The trade-off
The island is dispersed, beaches are tide-sensitive, and a resort transfer does not provide effortless transport everywhere else.
Plan your trip
When to go
See how temperature, rainfall and travel conditions change through the year. Select a month to focus your comparison.
| Factor | Kamala | Koh Yao Yai |
|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 50 mm | 50 mm |
| Rainy days | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 24 mm | 24 mm |
| Rainy days | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 81 mm | 81 mm |
| Rainy days | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 135 mm | 135 mm |
| Rainy days | 11.7 | 11.7 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Typical | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 237 mm | 237 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.9 | 18.9 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 249 mm | 249 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 240 mm | 240 mm |
| Rainy days | 19.1 | 19.1 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 309 mm | 309 mm |
| Rainy days | 19.5 | 19.5 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 350 mm | 350 mm |
| Rainy days | 21.7 | 21.7 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 336 mm | 336 mm |
| Rainy days | 22.7 | 22.7 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 178 mm | 178 mm |
| Rainy days | 15.9 | 15.9 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Typical | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 82 mm | 82 mm |
| Rainy days | 10.3 | 10.3 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | ||||||||||||
| Kamala |
33°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
33°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
| Koh Yao Yai |
33°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
34°C
|
33°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
| Monthly Rainfall | ||||||||||||
| Kamala |
50 mm
|
24 mm
|
81 mm
|
135 mm
|
237 mm
|
249 mm
|
240 mm
|
309 mm
|
350 mm
|
336 mm
|
178 mm
|
82 mm
|
| Koh Yao Yai |
50 mm
|
24 mm
|
81 mm
|
135 mm
|
237 mm
|
249 mm
|
240 mm
|
309 mm
|
350 mm
|
336 mm
|
178 mm
|
82 mm
|
| Rainy days | ||||||||||||
| Kamala | 5.6 | 3.4 | 7.5 | 11.7 | 18.9 | 18.6 | 19.1 | 19.5 | 21.7 | 22.7 | 15.9 | 10.3 |
| Koh Yao Yai | 5.6 | 3.4 | 7.5 | 11.7 | 18.9 | 18.6 | 19.1 | 19.5 | 21.7 | 22.7 | 15.9 | 10.3 |
| Crowds | ||||||||||||
| Kamala | High | High | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | High |
| Koh Yao Yai | High | High | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | High |
| Stay prices | ||||||||||||
| Kamala | High | High | High | Typical | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Typical | High |
| Koh Yao Yai | High | High | High | Typical | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Typical | High |
| Sea conditions | ||||||||||||
| Kamala | Calm | Calm | Calm | Calm | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Variable | Calm |
| Koh Yao Yai | Calm | Calm | Calm | Variable | Variable | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Variable | Calm |
Temperatures are historical average daytime highs, not the highest temperatures you might experience. Rainfall and rainy days are monthly averages, not a forecast. A rainy day need not mean rain all day.
Stay prices are relative to each destination’s usual rates. Holidays can bring extra crowds and higher prices. Sea conditions vary by beach and day; check local conditions before boat trips.
Kamala: Thai Meteorological Department — PHUKET, 1991–2020.
Koh Yao Yai: Thai Meteorological Department - PHUKET (48564), 1991-2020.
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Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
Copyright of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)