Sarai Islands

Ko Sarai — the Sarai Islands, or Ko Yara Todyai and Ko Yara Todnui to locals — sits off the coast of Mueang Satun district, close enough to Satun town that longtail boats reach it from Chebilang or Thung Rin pier in under an hour on a good crossing. It’s a common mix-up: the islands are sometimes filed under Tarutao National Park, but Ko Sarai forms its own subdistrict (Tambon Ko Sarai) and sits well east of Tarutao’s park boundary — a separate, inhabited fishing community rather than a protected island reached from Pak Bara.

The two main islands, Ko Yara Todyai (the larger) and Ko Yara Todnui (the smaller), are home to Muslim fishing villages that also work coconut and rubber smallholdings — this is lived-in coastline, not an empty nature reserve. Shallow coral gardens ring parts of both islands, drawing snorkelers for parrotfish, angelfish, and butterflyfish over the reef, and the mangrove-lined shore is worth a slow paddle by kayak if a boat operator can arrange one. A short hop away, Ko Had Hoy Ngam (Shell Beach Island) is a small islet built up from wave-piled seashells rather than sand — an easy add-on to the same boat trip.

Watch out: Skip anything that describes these islands as uninhabited or facility-free. Village jetties, houses, and working fishing boats are part of the scene, and turning up expecting an empty desert island will misjudge the trip.

Insider Tip: Homestays on Ko Yara Todyai run 500–900 THB per person a night, some with a shared breakfast or dinner cooked by the host family — worth booking through a Satun-based operator ahead of arrival rather than assuming a spare room will be available on the day.

Visit in the dry season, November through April, for calmer crossings and clearer water — the same window that suits the rest of Satun’s islands. Bring cash (small piers and homestays won’t take cards), your own snorkel gear if you have a preference, and sun protection, since shade is limited once you’re on the water. If Tarutao National Park or Koh Lipe are also on the itinerary, note that those depart from Pak Bara pier further north — a different departure point entirely from the Sarai Islands crossing.