Elixir Resort Koh Yao Yai — private-beach villas on the island that is still genuinely quiet between Phuket and Krabi
Koh Yao Yai sits out in the sea between Phuket and Krabi — a short boat ride away, yet still a quiet, local island with no busy walking streets. Elixir Resort Koh Yao Yai is a boutique 4-star resort that scatters around 40 tropical-style villas through green gardens along a roughly 300-metre private beach on the Andaman Sea. Almost every room has at least a partial sea view, and types run from a 44 sqm Superior Villa up to a Beachfront Pool Villa. From approx ฿3,000/night. It scores 9.2 from 78 Trip.com reviews and is a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2025 winner, ranked #2 on the island.
Elixir has been open on Koh Yao Yai since 1999 and was given a major refresh in 2022. What people remember is not luxury polish but the roughly 300-metre private beach that is almost empty, and the way the 40 or so villas are scattered through gardens rather than stacked into facing blocks. The design is contemporary tropical with island woodwork — some villas have high vaulted wooden ceilings, a few have jacuzzi tubs, and nearly all come with a semi-outdoor bathroom and at least a partial sea view.
Rooms start with the Superior Villa at 44 sqm, which is noticeably larger than a standard room at most resorts. From there they step up to the Deluxe Villa (65 sqm), One-Bedroom Pool Villa, the Beachfront Pool Villa (98 sqm) closest to the sand, and a Two-Bedroom Pool Villa (218 sqm) for families or groups of friends. Guests often say the villas feel genuinely private, with outdoor seating and garden space around them — more like a small beach house than a hotel room.
"It is under a minute from the villa down to the sand, and the whole beach is basically just us. In the evening you sit at the beach bar with a drink watching the sunset, quiet enough to hear only the waves — this is a place you come to truly switch off."
Shared facilities include an outdoor pool, a beachfront restaurant and bar, a spa for massages, a small gym, a pool table and ping-pong, plus arranged snorkelling trips and long-tail boat hire to explore nearby islands. Breakfast draws praise for being fresh and made to order in a European style, while the beachfront restaurant is talked about for its Thai dishes and seafood — the lobster in particular comes up often. Because the island is fairly remote, many guests eat mostly at the resort, but you can ride a motorbike out to small local eateries and cafes to vary things.
Honestly, Elixir has real trade-offs to weigh. The first is getting there and the remote setting — you first take a boat to Koh Yao Yai from a pier on the Phuket (Ao Po) or Krabi side, then it is still about a 40-minute road transfer from the island pier to the resort. The resort can arrange car-and-boat transfers, but for a surcharge. The second is that the tide means sea swimming works in windows, and some reviews note that the pool and a few finishes are starting to show wear and could use further upkeep. It scores 9.2 from 78 Trip.com reviews and 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor from over 830 reviews, with a Travellers' Choice 2025 award and a #2 ranking on Koh Yao Yai — figures that are hard to argue with.
Elixir is not the right fit for every trip. If you want somewhere you can drive straight to, with restaurants and convenience stores around you, or you would rather not spend time on a boat plus a road transfer, this is not it. But if this trip is about finding real quiet, sleeping in a villa with its own garden, stepping a few paces onto a private beach that is almost empty, and not minding spending most of your time inside the resort — Elixir delivers exactly that, at a price that is easier on the wallet than the 5-star resorts on the same island. Rates start around ฿3,000/night for a Superior Villa in low season, rising to roughly ฿5,000–6,000 in high season, with the Beachfront Pool Villa reaching five figures.
A tip from following the reviews here: if the budget stretches and you want full sea views, consider upgrading to the Beachfront Pool Villa, the closest to the sand, which is worth it given the effort of getting onto the island. Tell the resort your flight details and arrival time so they can line up the car-and-boat transfer in advance, since boats and island transport run on limited schedules. And check the tide table if you want to time your sea swims.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Quiet private beach with a real sense of seclusion
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff who go out of their way to help
- ✓ Spacious villas with gardens, like a small beach house
- ✓ Fresh breakfast and seafood at the beachfront restaurant earn praise
- ! Remote setting; a boat plus a road transfer to reach it
- ! Tide means sea swimming is limited to certain windows
- ! Pool and some finishes are starting to show wear and could use upkeep
- ✓ Private-beach setting with a beautiful, quiet Andaman view
- ✓ Tropical-style villas that feel relaxed and private
- ✓ A strong choice for couples escaping the crowds
- ✓ Sunset drinks at the beach bar are a guest favourite
- ! Some way from the island's main pier; plan the transfer
- ! A few beachfront villas have limited privacy due to shared loungers
- ! Few dining options outside the resort, as the island is very quiet
- 💡If you would rather not spend time on a boat plus a road transfer — Elixir sits deep on Koh Yao Yai, about 40 minutes from the island pier, after a boat from Phuket or Krabi → if you want somewhere you can drive straight to, look at the Khao Lak resorts in this roundup instead.
- 💡If you plan to swim in the sea all day — low tide leaves sea swimming to certain windows → check the tide table in advance and use the resort pool when the tide is out.
- 💡If you expect everything to look brand-new like a just-opened resort — some reviews note the pool and a few finishes show wear → favour the rooms refreshed in 2022 and check real room photos before you confirm.