Just 30 minutes by boat from Phuket, the Koh Yao Islands — Koh Yao Noi (the smaller, but more developed one) and Koh Yao Yai (the larger, quieter sister) — feel like stepping back in time. With rice paddies, rubber plantations, and fishing villages set against the backdrop of Phang Nga Bay’s limestone cliffs, the islands are the perfect antidote to Phuket’s bustle. Life here is slow, authentic, and deeply connected to nature.