What to Do in Ao Yon Beach
Ao Yon Beach is a surprisingly quiet and remote beach where you can have a calm walk and only meet locals and a few longtime residents. Of course, these little hidden beaches are far away, and you need to make a bit of effort to find them, which is the main reason why such beaches remain quiet.
The Geography of Cape Panwa
There are still a few hidden beaches in Phuket, including Ao Sane Beach, Panwa Beach in the south, Banana Beach and even Naithon and Haad Sai Keow in the island’s north.
Ao Yon Beach is so out of the way and far from the road you could drive nearby ten times without noticing its entrance. Located between Panwa beach (past the Panwa Boutique Beachfront) and Cape Panwa, it is not well indicated, but a few ‘restaurant’ signs might give you a hint.
You will have to park on the main road as residents won’t allow the way down to the park, but it is not often crowded except on some weekends when the locals practice the ‘Dragon Boat’ or small sailing boat races. While the beach is quite long and charming, each end can feel neglected, as remote beaches are sometimes in the low season. However, it is a beautiful tropical setting with tall palm trees, hotels like the Bandara Villas, modest beach clubs, and small restaurants.
If you are looking for a quiet place that retains a bit of a local feel, you will like Ao Yon, but it would probably be a good idea to have your car or motorbike. If you do, this is a great base to explore a lesser-known part of Phuket that has retained much of its original feel.
WHERE TO STAY IN AO YON?
There are now at least four hotels in Ao Yon. Note that Ao Yon consists of 2 adjacent bays. On the main beach, you can stay at V Villa or Bandara Villas. The Mooring has become a trendy boutique hotel on the next bay.
V Villas Phuket – MGallery
V Villas Phuket, MGallery is a modern and unique hotel on a hilltop overlooking Ao Yon Bay with panoramic Andaman Sea views. The 5-star luxury resort is positioned 39 meters above sea level, giving 360° views of the sky and ocean from the main infinity pool and comfortable sunbeds.. Read more
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The Mooring Resort
The Mooring Resort is a charming boutique beachfront property nestled on the serene Ao Yon Beach, situated on Cape Panwa, southeast of Phuket Island. This haven features 15 beautifully designed bungalows that are just steps away from a tranquil beach, surrounded by lush tropical gardens and centred around a swimming pool. Read more
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Bandara Villas
Bandara Villas Phuket is a luxurious boutique resort located on the secluded Ao Yon Beach in the Cape Panwa area, southeast of Phuket. Built on a steep hillside facing the sea, the hotel is known for its stunning ocean views from superb modern rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows over private infinity pools. Most of all, the location on Ao Yon Beach is a rare hidden gem, away from all the crowded beaches on the west coast of Phuket. Read more
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WHERE TO EAT IN AO YON?
There are now several small restaurants and modest beach clubs along the beach, and you will have plenty of choices for your lunch or dinner. Once you have tried them all and want to explore them further, Cape Panwa and Panwa beach have many more dining options; most are stand-alone restaurants, and there are a few great options inside nearby hotels, such as the beautiful Cape Panwa House.
Flamingo Beach Club
Nestled on the hidden Ao Yon Beach, southwest of Phuket, Flamingo Beach Front Cafe is a relaxed restaurant and bar that provides stunning views of the turquoise waters and soft sand. Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks while comfortably seated under beach umbrellas and coconut trees on the vast sandy terrace. The cafe offers both indoor and outdoor seating options, but the sandy terrace is obviously popular with the pleasant tropical climate and refreshing sea breeze.
Address: 98 Moo 8 Wichit Subdistrict Muang Phuket 83000
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 10 PM
Phone: 086 312 2077
Akoya Rooftop
Akoya Star Lounge is an upmarket rooftop bar and tapas at V Villas Phuket by MGallery in Ao Yon Beach, a secluded cove in the southeast of Phuket. The place is new and packed with Instagram and selfie lovers every evening, so you definitely need to book before going.
Address: Moo 8 Ao Yon Road, Wichit, Muang, Phuket 83000
Phone: 076 630 939
Hours: 5 pm – 11 pm
Price: High
The Cove
If you are looking for a unique atmosphere, don’t miss a chance to have a beachside lunch or dinner at the terrace of the excellent restaurant ‘The Cove’.
Location: Ao Yon Beach
Address: 8/1, Wichit, Muang, Phuket 83000
Open: 7:30 am – 9.30 pm
Phone: 062 242 3442
Panwa House
Panwa House serves Thai food for dinner in a beautiful Sino Portuguese, less than 3 kilometres from Ao Yon. The location right on the Cape Panwa Hotel’s secluded beach makes it unique.
Location: Cape Panwa
Open: 6:30 pm – 11 pm (except Mondays)
Distance from Ao Yon: 3 Km
Bandara Villas
Phuket can be very hot, and at lunchtime, we found the air-conditioned restaurant of Bandara Villas a very welcome break.
WHAT TO DO IN AO YON?
Once you have had lunch and your beach massage done, you can rent a longtail to go to a nearby island such as Koh Kai, or you can drive a bit further to discover a small waterfall or the beautiful Panwa View Point (Khao Kad Tower) then continue to the Panwa Aquarium.
Khao Khad View Tower (Panwa Viewpoint)
Khao Khad Viewpoint (Panwa Viewpoint) is a solitary standing viewpoint on top of one of the highest and most remote hills of Phuket and a bit of a mystery. With parking designed to accommodate a large number of buses and cars, a shop and a massive staircase leading to a large tower, you would expect to find a crowd up there, but when you arrive, the solitude of the place is striking.
Phuket Aquarium
The Phuket Aquarium in Cape Panwa is just 3 kilometres from Ao Yon. It’s not immense, as the tunnel is only a few metres long, but it is an excellent place to enjoy on a rainy day, and it might even be your chance to see baby turtles. Several rooms display various aquariums, from small tanks with seahorses, fun and colourful clownfish, funny-looking longhorn cowfish, and squarish boxfish.
AO YON BEACH PHOTOS
Street View of Ao Yon
AO YON BEACH MAP
If you are on mobile, add the map here: https://goo.gl/maps/V8L6jaYQcRskBS3g9.
What’s around?
All Beaches of Phuket!
