Koh Yao Yai vs Nan
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More island-hopping options
Arranged trips reach nearby islands and Phang Nga Bay, with weather, group size and the chosen base affecting convenience. Another assessed advantage: a stronger beach offering.
More cultural experiences
Temple murals, historic religious buildings and museum collections give a short stay substantial cultural depth. Another assessed advantage: easier exploring without a scooter.
Side by side
What feels different
Our editorial assessments · Select a factor to see how we scored each place.
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.
Why we rate Nan 0/10
Nan town is inland and does not offer a coastal beach holiday.
What we assess
Beach appeal, convenient access and variety during a beach-focused stay, within the destination itself.
Why we rate Koh Yao Yai 8/10
Green island landscapes, coastal views and the Laem Had sandbar provide a strong natural setting.
Why we rate Nan 6/10
River views and nearby hilltop outlooks add scenery, while major mountain landscapes lie beyond the town scope.
What we assess
The visual impact of natural surroundings and how central those landscapes are to a typical stay.
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.
Why we rate Nan 9/10
Temple murals, historic religious buildings and museum collections give a short stay substantial cultural depth.
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 Yao Yai 6/10
Village food and several resort restaurants provide useful choice, though dining is dispersed rather than concentrated in a large town.
Why we rate Nan 7/10
Northern dishes, market food and cafés make eating a worthwhile part of the town stay.
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 Yao Yai 2/10
Resort bars and quiet coastal evenings are available, with few late-night options beyond the main resort venues.
Why we rate Nan 4/10
Local pubs and music venues add evening options alongside the weekend market, with a smaller scene than a major nightlife city.
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 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.
Why we rate Nan 7/10
The town supports an unhurried stay, though central streets and market evenings can be busy.
What we assess
How easily you can enjoy a peaceful stay, considering traffic, nightlife noise, crowds and practical quieter bases.
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.
Why we rate Nan 0/10
Nan is inland and has no practical sea-island excursions.
What we assess
The variety of worthwhile sea-island trips, convenient departures, journey times and flexibility under normal operating conditions.
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.
Why we rate Nan 8/10
A central base works well for walking and cycling; arrange a ride for outlying temples or wider outings.
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 Yao Yai 6/10
Simple bungalows and village food are available, but the smaller budget selection and boat or road transfers add costs.
Why we rate Nan 8/10
Simple town accommodation, local meals and compact sightseeing make a modest-budget cultural stay practical.
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 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.
Nan
Choose Nan if...
- You want temples, murals and local heritage to shape your stay.
- You prefer a smaller northern town with markets and cafés.
- You want an old-town base that works on foot or by bicycle.
The trade-off
The town makes a compact cultural break, but remote mountain scenery needs a separate transport plan. Weekend market activity is not available every evening.
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 Yao Yai | Nan |
|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 31°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 50 mm | 14 mm |
| Rainy days | 5.6 | 1.9 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 24 mm | 9 mm |
| Rainy days | 3.4 | 1.3 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 36°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 81 mm | 39 mm |
| Rainy days | 7.5 | 3.9 |
| Crowds | High | Moderate |
| Stay prices | High | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 34°C | 37°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 135 mm | 98 mm |
| Rainy days | 11.7 | 8.4 |
| Crowds | Moderate | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Typical | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 36°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 237 mm | 170 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.9 | 14.4 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 33°C | 34°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 249 mm | 135 mm |
| Rainy days | 18.6 | 15.2 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 240 mm | 213 mm |
| Rainy days | 19.1 | 18.9 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 309 mm | 292 mm |
| Rainy days | 19.5 | 22 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 350 mm | 206 mm |
| Rainy days | 21.7 | 17.1 |
| Crowds | Low | Low |
| Stay prices | Low | Low |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 33°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 336 mm | 60 mm |
| Rainy days | 22.7 | 9.3 |
| Crowds | Low | Moderate |
| Stay prices | Low | Typical |
| Sea conditions | Rough | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 32°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 178 mm | 16 mm |
| Rainy days | 15.9 | 2.4 |
| Crowds | Moderate | High |
| Stay prices | Typical | High |
| Sea conditions | Variable | Not applicable |
| Average daytime high | 32°C | 30°C |
| Monthly Rainfall | 82 mm | 12 mm |
| Rainy days | 10.3 | 1.1 |
| Crowds | High | High |
| Stay prices | High | High |
| Sea conditions | Calm | Not applicable |
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daytime high | ||||||||||||
| 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
|
| Nan |
31°C
|
34°C
|
36°C
|
37°C
|
36°C
|
34°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
33°C
|
33°C
|
32°C
|
30°C
|
| Monthly Rainfall | ||||||||||||
| 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
|
| Nan |
14 mm
|
9 mm
|
39 mm
|
98 mm
|
170 mm
|
135 mm
|
213 mm
|
292 mm
|
206 mm
|
60 mm
|
16 mm
|
12 mm
|
| Rainy days | ||||||||||||
| 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 |
| Nan | 1.9 | 1.3 | 3.9 | 8.4 | 14.4 | 15.2 | 18.9 | 22 | 17.1 | 9.3 | 2.4 | 1.1 |
| Crowds | ||||||||||||
| Koh Yao Yai | High | High | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | High |
| Nan | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | High | High |
| Stay prices | ||||||||||||
| Koh Yao Yai | High | High | High | Typical | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Typical | High |
| Nan | High | High | Typical | Typical | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low | Typical | High | High |
| Sea conditions | ||||||||||||
| Koh Yao Yai | Calm | Calm | Calm | Variable | Variable | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Rough | Variable | Calm |
| Nan | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
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 Yao Yai: Thai Meteorological Department - PHUKET (48564), 1991-2020.
Nan: Thai Meteorological Department — NAN, 1991-2020.
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