Koh Yao -100-Year Khoi Bridge

Ko Yao (“long island”) is a roughly 9km coastal strip in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat, separated from the mainland by the Tak Bai River and linked to the district office by the 345m “100-Year Khoi Bridge.” The name commemorates a long wait, not a construction date: local history holds that islanders relied on boats to cross for nearly a century before any bridge was built. Entry is free, and a newer concrete bridge now runs alongside the original wooden one.

The island itself is quiet and residential rather than set up for tourism — coconut plantations back a shoreline where the Gulf of Thailand meets the river mouth, and most households here are Muslim families working in fishing and small-scale coconut farming. The wooden bridge is the main point of interest: a long, low crossing that locals and the odd visitor walk out onto for open views across the river to the Gulf, particularly at sunset when the water catches the light. There’s no ticket booth, gift shop, or set viewing platform — it’s a working piece of local infrastructure that happens to carry a distinctive backstory, not a built tourist attraction.

Watch out: Don’t confuse this with Koh Yao Noi or Koh Yao Yai, the well-known resort islands in Phang Nga Bay near Phuket — this is an entirely different, much smaller “Ko Yao” roughly 850km away in Thailand’s deep south. Also worth knowing before planning a trip: most Western governments advise against all but essential travel to Narathiwat province because of an ongoing separatist insurgency. Check your government’s current guidance before booking.

Insider Tip: Pair a stop here with Ko Yao, a separate nearby attraction covering more of the island’s coral reef and fishing-village side, if you’re already in Tak Bai for the day.

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