Koh Kradan vs Koh Yao Yai
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Easier exploring without a scooter
The compact, road-free visitor area is explored on foot, with boats for excursions and onward travel. Another assessed advantage: a stronger beach offering.
More scope for a modest-budget stay
Simple bungalows and village food are available, but the smaller budget selection and boat or road transfers add costs.
Side by side
What feels different
Our editorial assessments · Select a factor to see how we scored each place.
Why we rate Koh Kradan 9/10
An outstanding sandy main beach and smaller shorelines make beach time central, with tides and visiting boats affecting the experience.
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 Koh Kradan 9/10
Clear-water coastal views, forested slopes and offshore island silhouettes create a striking compact setting.
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 Koh Kradan 2/10
The visit is centred on beaches and nature, with little village or built-heritage sightseeing in the island stay area.
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 Koh Kradan 5/10
Resort restaurants provide Thai and international meals, with less everyday variety than an inhabited village island.
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 Koh Kradan 2/10
Evenings mostly mean resort bars and quiet beachside dining rather than a varied nightlife circuit.
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 Koh Kradan 8/10
Quiet mornings and overnight stays are a major attraction, while day-trip arrivals can disturb the main beach.
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 Koh Kradan 7/10
Nearby island and cave trips are available, with fewer spontaneous departure choices than a larger transport hub.
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 Koh Kradan 9/10
The compact, road-free visitor area is explored on foot, with boats for excursions and onward travel.
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 Koh Kradan 4/10
Basic stays can reduce room costs, but limited dining choice and boat access make a low-cost holiday less flexible.
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.
Koh Kradan
Choose Koh Kradan if...
- You want the beach and nearby reef to be the centre of your trip.
- You enjoy walking between a small number of beachside places.
- You prefer slow island days over shopping and a busy evening scene.
The trade-off
Food and services are concentrated in a small number of stays, and the mainland boat connection adds planning. Day trips can make parts of the beach busy.
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 | Koh Kradan | Koh Yao Yai |
|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 57 mm | 50 mm |
| Rainy days | 6.2 | 5.6 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 26 mm | 24 mm |
| Rainy days | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 35°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 102 mm | 81 mm |
| Rainy days | 7.4 | 7.5 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Calm |
| Average daytime high | 35°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 149 mm | 135 mm |
| Rainy days | 12.5 | 11.7 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Typical | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 217 mm | 237 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.1 | 18.9 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 215 mm | 249 mm |
| Rainy days | 17.2 | 18.6 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 254 mm | 240 mm |
| Rainy days | 17.7 | 19.1 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 286 mm | 309 mm |
| Rainy days | 19 | 19.5 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 287 mm | 350 mm |
| Rainy days | 20.5 | 21.7 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 283 mm | 336 mm |
| Rainy days | 21.9 | 22.7 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Rough |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 226 mm | 178 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.5 | 15.9 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Typical | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Variable |
| Average daytime high | 31°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 152 mm | 82 mm |
| Rainy days | 12.8 | 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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan |
33°C
|
34°C
|
35°C
|
35°C
|
34°C
|
33°C
|
33°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
32°C
|
31°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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan |
57 mm
|
26 mm
|
102 mm
|
149 mm
|
217 mm
|
215 mm
|
254 mm
|
286 mm
|
287 mm
|
283 mm
|
226 mm
|
152 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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan | 6.2 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 12.5 | 18.1 | 17.2 | 17.7 | 19 | 20.5 | 21.9 | 18.5 | 12.8 |
| 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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan | 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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan | 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 | ||||||||||||
| Koh Kradan | Calm | Calm | Calm | Variable | 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.
Koh Kradan: Thai Meteorological Department — TRANG AIRPORT, 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)
