Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa

We tried three different room types, and this one was the best. After talking to the front desk, we weren't given the best floor, but at least the view was still pretty good. The restaurant near the lobby had delicious food, but the breakfast restaurant was just average with limited choices, though it did have a great view. Getting to Koh Yao Yai was quite convenient, but you have to pay for it yourself. I traveled from Koh Yao Yai to Krabi directly by speedboat, which was very easy. The island is almost exclusively frequented by Caucasians. As long as you can speak English, you'll get by fine. The staff were very enthusiastic, and I didn't feel any discrimination. There are plenty of activities, so you can stay busy even without leaving the resort. Just a heads-up: kayaking and paddleboarding are free for 30 minutes a day. If the weather is bad and you can't use them, the time doesn't carry over to the next day; it expires. The hotel is huge, and transportation relies entirely on pickup trucks. There are many vehicles, which is convenient, but it feels a bit environmentally unfriendly. The island isn't big; you can get around by scooter, but there isn't much to do, just one sandbar. There was a slight hiccup that I hope they improve. On our last day, when leaving the island for Krabi, there was a miscommunication with the hotel. We waited for a long time, but no staff member called us to get on the car, and our luggage was nowhere to be found. We watched as wave after wave of Europeans got on their buses with their luggage, but no one paid attention to us. I had to go ask myself, otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten on a car or seen our luggage.