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Ko Tao
From Wikitravel
Ko Tao (เกาะเต่า), literally Turtle Island, is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in the south of Thailand in Surat Thani Province, Thailand.
[edit] Understand
Historically, it was once the detention place for political prisoners similar to Ko Tarutao of Satun Province, but today it is a great place for divers or anybody who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Ko Samui and want more than the Full Moon Party on Ko Pha Ngan. Ko Tao is a great place to learn how to dive. There are hardly any currents and a wide selection of dive sites and dive shops, schools and resorts. Activity options are growing outside of diving and the food and nightlife options are some of the best in the Gulf of Thailand.
Ko Tao is a small island of app 21sq Km. It receives over a 100 000 visitors per year. To minimize your impact on the eco-system, notice that there are no garbage disposal facilities, so everything that can't be burned has to be taken away. Try to avoid plastic bags that are given out for every purchase you make. There is also no department to clean the roads or other public areas, so don't dump your waste on the open landscape. Water is scarce and electricity expensive, so don't waste them.
Peak seasons in Ko Tao are from December to March and July to August. It is quite popular destination amongst Thais also, so it can be nearly fully booked on Thai holidays.
[edit] Get in
The only option is by boat. The nearest airport is in Ko Samui or Surat Thani, which is fairly well connected to major cities in the region (Bangkok, Penang, Singapore, etc).
[edit] From Surat Thani (From The South)
If you're coming from the south, you can take a ferry from Surat Thani (around 3 hours for the morning ferry) on the mainland, or from Ko Samui (1.5 hours) or Ko Pha Ngan (1 hour). If you're taking a boat from Surat Thani by Bus or Train, one possibility might be an overnight ferry - depart around 23:00 and arrive in the morning, about 06:00 (subject to changes). It's advisable to arrive early to grab a mattress as most are formerly cargo boats, so facilities are basic.
[edit] From Bangkok / Chumphon (From The North)
The northern terminal for the island ferry service is Chumphon. Numerous agents sell tickets for a variety of boats of varying size and speed. The fastest takes about 90 minutes, the slowest almost 5 hours.
These ferries only depart Chumphon at 07:00, 13:00 and 23:00/00:00. The ferries at 07:00 and 13:00 are the normal passenger ones (offered by Lomprayah, Seatran and Songserm), the late night ferries are normally vehicle or cargo ferries, making for a slower (5-6 hour trip, arriving at 5AM) and less comfortable ride. If you are arriving via bus or train, be sure to arrive well before the ferry times, as the ferry terminal is around an hour from the train station, and a missed connection either results in a late night trip on the vehicle/cargo ferry or an overnight stay and a 05:30 start to catch the bus to the ferry terminal for the first ferry the next day.
Sangserm offer "VIP" combined coach and boat tickets from Bangkok, claiming to take 6 hours by bus and 1.5 hours by boat - in fact, it takes closer to 9 hours by bus and 3 hours by boat, neither of which are particularly comfortable.
The best trick, if coming from Bangkok, is to book a Sleeper Train (leaving Bangkok around 18:00 and arriving at Chumphon around 03:30) and then have a ticket booked for the 07:00 ferry. Most ferry operators can pick you up from the station (where you can while away the 3 hour connection gap).
[edit] From The Other Islands
You can also day trip on diving charters from Ko Samui. Many have high speed boats that can make the trip to Ko Tao in about an hour.
Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran or Seatran are the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Ko Tao. They run twice a day from Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan Surat Thani and Chumphon. They also have online booking - useful for checking availability at peak times and all their boats have air conditioning and movies for all passengers.
[edit] Get around
There is one main road running North to South on the island with many smaller roads diverting off it. Some roads lead over the spine of small mountains that run along the middle of the island and are all dirt, can close out after rain, and can be challenging even to a skilled driver. There are usually plenty of taxi cars available on both Sairee village and Mae Haad, however they tend to be expensive given the actual distance you travel.
You can rent bicycles and motorcycles at a few places on Sairee Beach, Mae Haad, and Chalok. Be careful if you rent a motorbike as the dirt roads can get dangerous. ATV's (all terrain vehicles) are dangerous (ask any medical clinic) and expensive (500+ THB a day) and should be avoided in favor of Honda Dream's (150-200 THB a day) or Sonic's (200-250 THB a day).
Be aware that an increasing number of rental shops are charging large amounts of money for non-existent scratches on bikes when returning them, notably the shop next to 7/11 in Sairee (Save way travel). Make sure you note down all scratches and dents before you rent a bike from anyone.
Longtail boats offer rides to and from certain beaches on the island. They are a more comfortable way of getting to isolated beaches than attempting to ride over the mountains. Round island longtail 500-700 baht, short trips 100-200 baht.
[edit][add listing] See
Take a bike around the island. Shark Bay is a good place to go snorkeling for the day (don't worry too much about sharks, they are only small black-tip reef sharks). Koh Nang Yuan, Freedom beach, Laem Thian, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Bay and Tanote Bay are good day excursions, accessible by road or boat. If you rent a scooter, be prepared to turn around or continue by foot since some roads (e.g. to Mango Bay) may be in such condition that you need a dirt bike or a car to ride them. Some beaches are private, but a boat can take you snorkeling to those bays also.
However, to see the best places, go by foot as some are inaccessible to motorists. There are a number of good viewpoints around the island such as John Suwan mountain viewpoint in the South of the island, Two View in the center and Fraggle Rock in the North.
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit] Scuba diving
Scuba diving is still the biggest attraction on Ko Tao. Diving in Ko Tao is easy, fun, and you can see turtles, stingrays, barracudas, lots of small fish, reef sharks, and there is a very small chance of seeing a whale shark.
At Chumphon Pinnacle you are likely to see juvenile bull sharks which have, until recently, been misidentified as grey reef sharks. Pay caution, the bulls are curious and very aggressive though for many years literally thousands of people have dived this site without a single shark related incident.
Nearly any time of the year except November is good diving weather in Ko Tao and visibility can exceed 40 meters. Average visibility is around 15-20 meters. In November visibility is reduced and the seas are choppy, but diving is good by the standards of many other destinations.
It is possible and perfectly comfortable to swim and dive without a wetsuit year round. However, as with most diving, a wetsuit is recommended to help reduce risk of cuts or injury. Avoid contact with coral reefs!
[edit] Dive Training
There are a huge number of dive operators on the island, many offering budget accommodation (sometimes described as free accommodation, but this is not really true as you will usually get a discount if you stay elsewhere). Currently (2009) the price for PADI open water certification including the new PADI training manual, professional instruction, rental equipment, boat dives, and certification is around 9,800 baht; insurance and basic accommodation may also be included. Shop around as not all shops teach the course in the same way. Look for experienced dive instructors instead of a low price.
A common method for teaching new divers is to train in a pool first by being taught about 20 basic skills before being taken out into the open water. Others will instead take you to a secluded beach so you will see fish and coral from the start and you might be able to squeeze in a short extra dive in this way, depending on your group and instructor. Some shops have a private pier, some shops depart with a longtail from the beach, and some use the public pier, where you will have to climb some other boats. Ask if this matters to you. Most important: find out maximum number of dive students in a group, and make sure you get an instructor who speaks your language if you are not absolutely sure about your English. These are the little things that will make the difference between an ok course and a great one.
[edit] PADI 5-Star Career Development Centers
- Ban's Career Development Center and PADI 5-Star IDC Center [1]. Largest divecenter in South East Asia with 170 rooms and 2 swimming pools and 3 huge diveboats that depart off the resort on Sairee beach without having to go to the pier in Mae Haad. The resort is located on the Sairee Beach surrounded by a beautiful garden. Ban's Diving Resort won the prestigious PADI award "Outstanding Divecenter/Business Award" in competition with over 1500 dive center and resorts in Asia Pacific in 2009. Ban's CDC Center offer monthly IDC, MSDT, Internship, Staff Instructor courses headed by PADI Award winning PADI Course Director Jonas Samuelsson (Outstanding Contribution to Instructor Development both in 2000 and 2007) and his team of 5 PADI Course Directors. Unique packages for non-divers that wants to achieve the instructor level over 8 months. For more information see [2] and [3]. Daily news on [4] for daily news from Koh Tao.
- Crystal Dive Career Development Center [5]. One of only a handful of PADI Career Development Centres in Thailand. Offers every PADI student diver level course and are the island specialists in PADI Divemaster and Instructor training. With a maximum student-Instructor ratio of 6:1 & Koh Tao's widest selection of environmental programs & courses Crystal was the only PADI Dive Center in Asia Pacific to be nominated for three awards at the 2008 PADI Asia Pacific Dive Center Awards ceremony, winning the Diver Training award.
- Davy Jones Locker [6]. Offering Divemaster Internships and PADI Instructor Training, DJL is located right next to Sairee Beach. Also offering MCA Boat Handling courses in their RIB. Accommodation and gear packages are available for all courses.
[edit] PADI 5 Star Dive Centers and Resorts
- Buddha View dive resort [7] Located in the tranquil Chalok Ban Kao beach in the south of Koh Tao. Buddha View is a PADI 5 star IDC gold palm resort with a great atmosphere, friendly staff, fantastic facilities and excellent BBQ and Beach Bar to relax in the evenings. Offers some of the best structured and most successful dive professional training programmes with renowned divemaster and dive instructor courses.
- Coral Grand divers & resort [8]. Located in a much quieter area than the other dive shops, at the far end of the beach, the hotel is more upmarket and better suited for families. Operates 2 dive boats plus a speed boat.
- Black Tip Diving & Water Sports Resort [9] Get away from the crowds in peaceful Aow Tanote. Take part in dive courses or tours with small groups, wake boarding, shark snorkeling trips or go hiking. All dive training is personalized and places great emphasis on diver safety and marine awareness. The resort itself offers a variety of bungalows to suit all budgets. Great discounts for divers on accommodation. Wi Fi accessibile.
- Easy Divers [10]. A PADI 5 Star dive shop with friendly but experienced instructors. Professional and fun with great accommodation, and the only dive centre on Koh Tao with all inclusive packages. With a private pier and a maximum class size of 6 students to 1 instructor - Easy Divers was the the only Koh Tao dive centre to be featured on the 2008 Bebo.com [11]"The Gap Year" television series.
- Seashell dive center, [12]. a small local run shop with helpful multilingual staff, an ok boat and gear but no free accommodation.
- Sunshine Divers Resort: located in Chalok Baan Kao, Sunshine Divers is a PADI 5 STAR Gold Palm Resort. Combined together, the; DMT’s, staff, instructors, students, resident dogs, and fun divers all contribute to the fun, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere of Sunshine Divers. [13]
- New Way Diving, [14]. One of the oldest and most reputable dive shops. This small school prides themselves on being the first diveboat out in the morning (car leaves for the harbour at 6 AM), to avoid crowded divesites. Small groups, friendly and professional instructors. Comes highly recommended by Lonely Planet's "Thailand's Islands & Beaches". Some basic accomodation available.
- Island Dive Club, [15]. Located in the center of Sairee Beach. Does good deals on course and accommodation packages. The Thai staff can be annoying, so deal with the foreigners, they really make the effort. The dive shop is not that busy, meaning you might get an instructor for yourself or be taught in a small group.
[edit] SSI Dive Centres
- Scuba Junction [16] One of the most respected dive centers on Koh Tao. Run by Koen "Kay" De Wit - who runs a very tight shop. The equipment is beautifully maintained and they dive and teach strictly by the rulebook. Good accomodation nearby are the Narakaan Bungalows.
- Carabao Diving Center & resort [17]. A good diving center located at Chalok Baan KAO Bay, South Koh Tao. This is a quiet beach with some nice locations to eat and drink. The staff is very friendly and helpfull. Good accommodation available.
- New Heaven Dive School, [18]. Over ten years of experience on Koh Tao and with that comes diving expertise. Has been involved with turtle conservation, reef restoration, The "We love Koh Tao" festival, The Koh Toa Under Water festival and any other activities which help to create the eco-friendly environment they would like to see on Koh Tao.
- Master divers (mae haad) [19]. Good safety record and well placed for people looking for a special thrill. Providing tec diving.
[edit] BSAC Dive Centres
- Davy Jones Locker diving resort (dive resort on sairee beach) [20]. Small groups, experienced instructors and quality instruction. PADI, BSAC & SSI courses. Wreck diving by high speed rib. Offers one-year internships for aspiring divemasters.
[edit] CMAS Dive Centres
- Calypso (Tanote bay) [21]. Thorough German dive teachers. small boat, small group, immediate dive of the beach (2. dive wreck diving by the beach). CMAS certified. quiet huts with lovely views next door at family tanote bay resort (400 Bth and up)
[edit] Instructor Development Centres
- New Way Diving 5-star IDC center ( http://www.newwayidc.com) .Offering courses from beginner to professional level in small group sizes. Instructor/ MSDT/ Staff Instructor courses conducted every month.Free IDC Prep course.
- Black Tip IDC Resort [22] IDCs run by Koh Tao's only Thai Course Director, Aram 'Ko Dam' Limsakul, in fluent German, Thai and English. Candidates are taught in small groups for more personal attention with a focus on real life training in a variety of situations. Learn how to pass on your passion for diving and respect for the aquatic world on to your students. IDC schedules are set at a relaxed pace to give candidates time to absorb the training.
- Buddha View dive resort [23]. Located in the tranquil Chalok Ban Kao beach in the south of Koh Tao. Buddha View is a PADI 5 star IDC gold palm resort with a great atmosphere, friendly staff, fantastic facilities and excellent BBQ and Beach Bar to relax in the evenings. Offers some of the best structured and most successful dive professional training programmes with renowned divemaster and dive instructor courses.
- Crystal Dive Resort [24]. One of only a handful of PADI Career Development Centres in Thailand. Offers every PADI student diver level course and are the island specialists in PADI Divemaster and Instructor training. With a maximum student-Instructor ratio of 6:1 & Koh Tao's widest selection of environmental programs & courses Crystal was the only PADI Dive Center in Asia Pacific to be nominated for three awards at the 2008 PADI Asia Pacific Dive Center Awards ceremony, winning the Diver Training award.
- Dive Careers - Koh Tao [25]. Divemaster and Instructor Internship packages conducted with one of Thailand's most successful Course Directors, Mark Soworka. Dive Careers internships use the modern and well equipped facilities of Buddha View Dive Resort. These internships are fully inclusive packages that create a competent, confident and employable dive professional.
- Planet Scuba (Maehaad) [26]. Samui International Diving School incorporating Planet Scuba has over 20 years of experience in Scuba Diving in Koh Samui and Scuba Diving in Koh Tao. One of Thailand's leading Dive Centers and the first Scuba Diving Center in Thailand to be awarded the prestigious PADI Career Development Center Rating (CDC). Recipient of many awards from PADI over the years. Operates a chain of Full Service Dive Centers on Koh Samui and Koh Tao offering the full range of PADI Scuba Diving courses from complete beginner up to Dive Instructor. Scuba Instructor Training in Thailand on both Koh Samui and Koh Tao running regular PADI IDC Thailand programs throughout the year.
- Koh Tao instructor course [27]. PADI Divemaster and Instructor courses.
- IDC Koh Tao [28]. Instructor Development Courses (IDC's) conducted every month by Award Winning PADI Course Director Matt Bolton.
- The Koh Tao IDC Group Company Limited [29]and [30]. Instructor Development Courses (IDC's), MSDT, Internship, Staff Instructor courses conducted every month by Award Winning PADI Course Director Jonas Samuelsson.
- Simple Life Divers [31]. PADI 5 star Instructor Development Center on Sairee Beach, offering PADI courses with small group sizes, quality beach front accommodation and lots of fun!
[edit] Other Dive Operators and Booking options
- Good Time Adventures [32]. Certified divers only, fast comfortable boat taking you where you want to go when you want to go to see the best sites with no crowds. We specialize in the PADI Advanced Open Water Courses, conducted over a 3-4 day period giving you maximum flexibility to ensure you gain the best instruction possible. We offer discounts to all dive professionals.
- Oceans Below Underwater Videography [33]. Dive school on Sairee Beach specializing in underwater videography and photography, training you to capture your diving experiences on HD video.
- Deep Down Productions (http://www.deepdown-productions.com). Established in 2001 DDP is one of Koh Tao's premier underwater videography & photography companies. Specializing in underwater videography internships DDP's philosophy is ‘to encourage personal development & creativity’ encouraging their staff to use their own creative inputs to produce high quality movies that are always different from the previous one.
- Just Dive It [34]. Connects to Koh Tao dive centers and offers all dive courses from the PADI open water course through to the PADI instructor course (IDC). Can arrange transport from Bangkok to Koh Tao online.
- Diveglobe[35]. Book your dive course or live aboard dive trip online or come and see us in chalok ban kao - full range of dive destinations and dive courses.
- Xtreme Gap [36]. The Extreme Sports and Adventure Travel company. Offering Dive instruction training packages on koh Tao, from open water to Technical diving packages. They also work with other Koh Tao operators in non diving activities.
- Thailand Gap Internships [37]. Offer adventurous gap year internships on Koh Tao including scuba diving, Muay Thai training, marine conservation, apnea free diving and underwater videography programs.
- ACE Marine Images [38]. Since 1992, ACE Marine Images has been filming and photographing Koh Tao, both above and below the water. Specialising in Underwater Videography Internships, technical diving filming and much much more!
If you're not into scuba diving, many operators arrange snorkeling trips around the island. ask your accommodation about a tour. long-tail boat and a driver can be chartered for about 1500-2000 baht/day including snorkeling gear.
[edit] Dive sites
To see interactive dive site maps for Ko Tao please click here:[39] or here: [40]. To view underwater videos of the Koh Tao dive sites click here [41].
- Chumphon Pinnacles, (5 km Northwest of Koh Tao). Widely regarded as the Gulf of Thailand's premier dive sites, . The site is comprised of one huge granite pinnacle with some smaller pinnacles rising from the bottom. Bull Sharks, schooling Barracuda. Batfish, Giant Gropers, Pacific Lionfish, occasional Whalesharks. Depth to 40 meters. edit
- Green Rock. Offers several small swim-throughs, caves and crevices where marine life can be seen sheltering. There is often a strong current here that you can use to drift around the submerged pinnacles so its not really recommended for inexperienced divers. You will certainly encounter Yellow Margin and Titan Trigger fish here as it forms a popular breeding ground for them ... so approach with caution. Depth surface to 32 meters. edit
- Hin Ngam. Same wider bay as Aow Luek, shallow training or sheltered dive dive. edit
- Hin Pee Wee, (Next to White Rock). Depth to 30 meters. edit
- Hin Wong Pinnacle, (East side of Koh Tao). This site comprises several large granite boulders covered with sea fans and whip corals, as well as filefish, shrimpfish, coral grouper and many other reef fish. You may encounter the resident Green Turtle if you're lucky. The summit is a tabletop rock formation. Depth 10-32 meters. edit
- Japanese Gardens, (East side of Koh Nang Yuan, North West of Koh Tao). This dive site is named after the ornate arrangement of coral boulders here. Suitable for snorkelers & beginners. Plenty of staghorn and plate coral can be observed in the shallows. A popular drift dive can be done from Red Rock through a series of swim-throughs and emerging into Japanese Gardens for a relaxing safety stop amongst the myriad coral formations. Depth 2-12 meters. edit
- Laem Thien Pinnacle. Great rocky dive site near Mao Bay full of swim-throughs, caverns and small caves. There are a few steep walls with some predators hunting for smaller prey. Some excellent white soft coral and sea whips can be admired along the wall. It is possible to combine this cave dive with the beauties of shallow reef diving inside Mao Bay or Aow Mao. Depth 5-18 meters. edit
- Lighthouse. edit
- Mango Bay, (North of Koh Tao). Ideal for beginners and snorkellers. Hard and soft coral formations here are plentiful along with a variety of sponges and clams. The bay is only accessible by boat and makes a popular snorkellers day trip. Drop in further around the northwestern tip of the island and drift into the bay area to avoid the crowds. Depths 2-15 meters. edit
- ' -
- Red Rock (Nang Yuan Pinnacle). The pinnacle itself is nothing special and the main attractions to this site are the swimthroughs. The entrance to the swimthrough can be found if you leave the pinnacle and head west towards Koh Nang Yuan. This is usually done as a drift dive down to Japanese Garden where you can relax for the safety stop. Depth 2-22 meters. edit
- Sail Rock. One of the most, if not the most, famous Scuba diving sites in the Ko Samui archipelago. It is an iceberg shaped pinnacle that rises from the sandy sea floor. It is a suitable dive site for all levels of diver, from Discover Scuba up. Its surface consists of small patches of hard and soft coral. Common fauna that may be seen include barracuda, batfish, jacks, occasional whale sharks, and many other species of tropical fish. The currents can vary considerably, but generally are mid to strong. Visibility is usually in the 10-30 meter range. For more advanced divers, there is a vertical 'swim-through' on the northwest side of the rock. Commonly called "The Chimney", it begins at a depth of 18 meters and exits the rock again at depths of 12 and 6 meters. Depth 15 meters above sealevel - 40 metres below. edit
- Shark Island, (Southeast of Koh Tao). Named after its resemblance to a dorsal fin, Shark Island is a twin rock outcrop. Each side of the islet offers a different array of marine life and features making it almost two sites in one! On the east side you'll find myriad soft corals, gorgonians and sponges while the west offers hard coral formations that are home to moray eels, nudibranchs, sting rays and the odd Leopard shark. Titan triggerfish can be very aggressive here so approach with caution. Depth to 25 metres. edit
- Southwest Pinnacles, (12km off the southwest coast of Koh Tao). Consisting of seven granite pinnacles and is one of the islands best dive sites. The shallower sections of the pinnacles are covered in anemones, whip corals and sea fans. Big groupers and barracudas can often be seen here and you may be lucky enough to spot even larger visitors. Depth 5-30 metres. edit
- Tanote Bay. edit
- Torpedo Wreck, (An hour north of Koh Tao). Torpedo is the name of the ship, and not the way it ended up on the bottom. She is a 70 meter Japanese cargo vessel sitting upright after having sank in the mid 1970's. There are three areas of penetration however visibility is usually poor at depth. The deck is at 45 meters and the cargo holds are still full of teak logs, with a few scattered on the seabed. Depth to 45-55 meters. (Due to the depths involved this has been classified a technical dive for experienced divers only.) edit
- Twin Pinnacles (Twins), (Far side of Koh Nang Yuan). This is an ideal site for beginners due to its depth and ease of navigation. The rocks are embedded into white sand and there is no shortage of marine life here. A friendly pair of rare saddleback clownfish and be found to the western side of the larger of the Twins. Depths 5-18 metres. edit
- Unicorn Wreck (Dog Food Wreck), (12km off Mango Bay). Unicorn is a 60 meter cargo vessel, which, according to local lore, was sunk on purpose in 1989 for an insurance scam. The vessel was reported to have a hold full of expensive tuna fish which turned out to be inexpensive dog food, hence the nickname it later acquired - the "dog food" wreck. Still mostly intact with the majority of the obtrusive fishing nets now removed some penetration is possible. The wreck is now home to some big red snappers and patrolling groupers. Depth to 50 meters. (Due to the depths involved this has been classified a technical dive for experienced divers only.) edit
- White Rock. Two large granite boulders make up this dive site. An expansive coral garden can be found here at around 10 meters that's teeming with schools of butterfly fish and angelfish. Blue spotted stingrays are also a common sight on this dive. White Rock is also a popular night dive spot where feather stars, and an array of crustaceans can been seen hunting for food. edit
[edit] Other activities
Over the last couple of years more and more non divers have discovered the beauty of this island with its secluded little bays and unspoiled mountain ridges. Due to this, and the increasing amount of small upmarket resorts and villas nestled in the hillsides there are nowadays a lot more activities available, including sailing, rock climbing, bouldering, abseiling, cliff jumping, wake boarding, paint-ball jungle games, mini golf or bowling in Mae Haad, massage and yoga courses, and cooking courses.
- Good Time Adventures [42] - Flexible and friendly with a wide range of adventure activities including: rock climbing instruction up to lead climbing and a guiding service, Scuba diving on a fast boat (certified divers only) taking you where you want to go when you want to go, abseiling / rappelling, mountain biking, cliff jumping, skin diving / snorkeling, booze cruises, and even good old fashioned pub crawls around the bars of the island. Tailored trips and packages are available to allow customers to have input on how they spend their time. Bouldering equipment (crash mats / shoes / chalk) are also available and include a free map of sites on the island.
- Hike to one of the secluded bays on the northern and eastern side of the island? On the 2 hour walk through the jungle to Mango Bay you will hardly meet any people. And when you're there-well, the snorkeling is good too.
- xtreme Gap [43] has lots of different activities based on koh tao, from freediving, diving, Muay Thai and Yoga.
- Island Cruises sailing charters are doing sailing courses, day and sunset cruises, private charters, Ang Thong National Marine Park safaris and fully customized crewed charters.
- Muay Thai - for those looking for a serious workout the Thai boxing stadium in Sairee offers Muay Thai courses and if that's not enough the Monsoon Gym is conveniently located alongside.
- MV watersports - Wake boarding, mini catamarans, water skiing.
- Black Tip Diving & Water Sports [44] wake boarding, tube rides, shark snorkeling trips, cliff jumping, round the island trips, hiking, kayaking.
[edit][add listing] Eat
A huge selection of Thai food is available, including lots of sea food. Barbecue fish is one of the local favourites. As a large portion of the population are expats, you will find plenty of other cuisines ,too.
Thai food is cheapest, with July 2007 prices ranging from 45 baht for stuff-on-rice through to 250 baht for a nice hunk of fresh barbecue fish at a decent restaurant. 25 baht would get you a fresh banana pancake, and 60 baht a bowl of porridge with honey at a budget resort's restaurant. 200-300 baht would get you a bowl of freshly made Italian pasta, and 160-200 baht for pizza. Fresh fruit juices are available at many stalls for 20-30 baht.
- ''Bhan Thai'', (Saieree Plaza- Next to the Cabaret Show). Average Tex-Mex, Cozy, small restaurant with FREE pool in the terrace. It serves GOOD Thai food. Excellent CURRIES. There is a nice guy who can explain any dish and answer any question about the food. He can also give you some hints of Koh Tao Cheap. edit
- El Toro Restaurant, (between Ban's and AC BAR). Average Tex-Mex, Pizza and Thai food. edit
- Lung Pae Restaurant, (follow the road direction 'Monkey's show', then take first road on the left (red sign)), ☎ 08-62871039 (+66-862871039). Cheap, very delicious traditional Thai food, but also western food and BBQ meat and fish. For a starter the 'chicken satai' is recommended. Their 'yam nam tok nua' (waterfall style beef) is superb! Great lassi's and shakes. Very cosy environment with lots of colorful lanterns. Excellent view, and chill music. Very good cook and friendly staff, runned by Lung Pae ('uncle Pae'). Not so far from the main road as you might think. Also, Uncle Pae will collect you for free, from any place on the island, to bring you to his lovely restaurant if you call him! edit
- Thipwimarn Restaurant, (at the north of the island). Wonderful sunset views and a "higher class" feel - but the prices are not much different from the rest of the island. Great for dates. edit
- Safety Stop Pub, (Mae Haad - beach front at Seatran pier), ☎ + 66 (0)77 456 209. 7AM-late. Comfy english pub with tropical beer garden. Draught beers, Wild buckets. English pub grub. Weekend BBQ's Sunday roasts. Daily Specials. Live sports. edit
- Choppers Bar and Grill, (Sairee village), [45]. Australian Sports bar on Koh Tao. Live Music, Live Sports, Pub Grub and a wide selection of beers. Great food, great value with a lively crowd every night. edit
- Cafe del Sol, Mae Haad Square (Mae Haad). Authentic French and Italian cusine, homemade past and pizza, smoked salmon and first choice steaks: excellent wine collection and German "Erdinger" White-Beer edit
- Chopsticks, (Mae Haad), ☎ 0892901930, [46]. Substandard and overpriced Chinese dishes, prepared by Burmese "chef" and frozen dimsum. Eat in or delivery edit
- Greasy Spoon, (Mae Haad). Full Monty English breakfast bar. Eat in or delivery. edit
- Farango Pizzeria, (Mae Haad and Sairee Village). Great pizza and pasta, always busy with dine in or take away. edit
- La Matta Ristorante Italiano, (Mae Haad). Italian pizza and pasta, daily specials and free pool, one of the oldest restaurants in Koh Tao, crazy management, but funny times enjoyed there for a delicious food and sensible staff. edit
- Shalimar Indian Cuisine, (opposite Sairee Plaza), ☎ 077 456 740. Authentic Indian chefs, ingredients and tandoor. Great food at a great price. Wide variety of tasty dishes in a beautifal garden setting. Relax in the lounge for cocktails and sheesha. Take away and delivery available. edit
- Noori India, (Sairee Beach), ☎ 0801456476. Impressive Indian food with authentic chefs using the finest imported herbs & spices. Check out the Tandoori Chicken. Eat in or delivery. edit
- Morava, (Sairee Village). Contemporary Asian design, deli style daytime menu: wraps, bagels and health smoothies. Fine dining and sushi bar edit
- King Crab, (Sairee Beach). Pick your own seafood and dine on the beach. Great clean and cheap edit
- Papas Tapas, (Sairee Beach). Koh Tao’s premier fine dining venue and the first of its kind on the island. Designed for discerning tastes with casual elegance in mind. Chefs are from a Michelin rated restaurant in Stockholm, and prepare great tapas, entrees, and desserts. Stop by for a cocktail specially created by Jesper. Try their Martini, that won first in an international Martini competition. edit
- Tongs Thai Food, (Sairee Village). Classic locals hangout, big restaurant, low prices and good food. edit
- Tukta Thai Food, (Chalok Ban Kao). Cheap and good Thai food, if you like MSG. edit
- Chinese Noodles, (Mae Haad (next to Thai Art)). Best Noodle Soup in Thailand, seriously. edit
- Bingo Thai Food, (South Sairee Beach). Thai food / Western food edit
- Zanzibar, (Sairee Plaza). Fantastic selection of coffee and bakery food. Home made bread ranging from pita to baguettes with an extensive range of sandwich and breakfast options. Try the Good Time breakfast burrito. edit
[edit][add listing] Drink
When you get a break from diving, there are a few bars on the island. The bars on the island rotate nights, so the best bet is to ask someone working at dive shop which bar will be crowded that night or check the posters. Many start off the evening at the bars located at the northern end of Sairee, and after they closes at 1am, make a pilgrimage down towards whichever club is open for the rest of the evening at the southern end of Sairee.
- Fizz Beach Bar and Lounge, (on Sairee Beach). Chilled out beach bar with bean bags and Thai cushions right on the sand. Great after dinner location to sit and chill but it never gets lively as standing room is limited. edit
- MOOV, Sairee Beach (Opposite InTouch Resort), (info@moov-kohtao.com), [47]. 4pm-2am. An enchanting haven at the beginning of Sairee Beach - where imagination, playfulness and soulful tunes unite. Check for funky daytime events and monthly parties. edit
- Vibe, (North Sairee Beach). Atmospheric beach bar with happy, funky vibes, fire shows & refreshing cocktails edit
- Khirana, (Chalok Ban Kao). Swimming pool bar on the beach edit
- Lotus Bar - the world famous beach bar that is always busy! must see fire show nightly, sunset happy hours, drinks so big there should be a lifeguard on duty. north sairee at the horizontal palm tree
- Dirty Nelly's, (Mae Haad). The first and only Irish pub on Koh Tao with Irish management, live music, extensive food options and live sport. edit
- Queens Cabaret - Regular nightly cabaret act with extravagant costumes and good humored showgirls.
- Trade Winds - Bar with swimming pool located in central Sairee Village at Davey Jones Locker. Regular BBQ nights and locals hangout.
- AC bar - Late night club that generally does not kick off until 2 am. Fairly dodgy crowd with lady boys, drunk tourists and average music.
- In Touch - Late night club that is open only a couple of times a week. House music on the far South of Sairee beach.
- Maya bar - Very very similar to AC Bar, when one is open the other is closed, same music, same crowd right next door.
- The Castle - Weekly parties at this out of the way club. Can prove to be a good night out with refreshing tunes and a mixed crowd.
- Moon Burger
[edit][add listing] Sleep
You can usually find accommodation at the pier when you arrive. However, during peak times it is worth booking ahead unless you want to sleep on the beach or spend the night in one of the more expensive lodgings. If you are planning on taking a SCUBA diving course whilst on the island, most dive schools have an attached resort and will either discount the accomodation or throw it in for free when you book a course. During busy periods, most resorts with dive outfits will not want you to stay unless you are diving at least every second day with them. If you don't want to stay with your dive operator and use their free accommodation, ask for a discount (although they will probably just give it to you without asking - competition is stiff!)
If you are thinking of booking accommodation online before you arrive, make sure you book with the actual resort or a trustworthy booking site as there are numerous fake sites for several well known Ko Tao resorts appearing on the Internet.
In August 2009, 300 baht/night would get you a room for two with a fan, 24 hour electricity, and basic bathroom facilities close to the beach. Prices generally go up with quality and features such as a fridge, hot shower or air conditioning. The swankier bungalows may go for around 1200 baht/night. Notice that not all resorts supply 24 hour electricity, some use their own generators usually from 6pm to 6am and for a short time around midday. You may want to check before booking if this matters to you.
The majority of the accomodation on Ko Tao are centred around two main areas - Sairee Beach and Chalok Bay.
[edit] Sairee Beach
This is the largest beach on Ko Tao, located on the Western side of the island and stretching from the Ferry Terminal (which is on the South Western corner of the island) almost the length of the island. All along this beach you will find dive schools, resorts and restaurants/bars. The southern and central sections of the beach are well known for their nightlife, and the northern end has a large number of shops and restaurants which lends it to be a bit quieter at night (but with the bars only a short walk down the "Yellow Brick Road".
- AC Resort budget resort.
- Blue Wind, North Sairee Beach. 200 - 1,500 THB Bungalows on the beach. Extremely helpful manager, and friendly staff. The bakery offers variety of good quality food. edit
- Koh Tao Cabana [49] located on Sairee Beach with 2 major room types: 1) Whitesand Villa A white rounded concrete villa w/king sized bed, spacious terrace and newly renovated daybed section; 2) wooden cottage style.
- Koh Tao Montra Resort and Spa (Spa Resort), Mae Haad, Koh Tao, [50]. Luxury boutique spa resort with large swimming pools, Jacuzzi, international bar-restaurant, spa treatments and in-house Padi dive center. From 1500 baht per night. edit
- Sairee Hut Resort, Sairee Beach, [52]. Located right on the idyllic Sairee Beach in Koh Tao, the Sairee Hut Resort is a perfect place to come and stay - whether for a dive course, or simply to chill. 1800 Baht. edit
- Koh Tao Montra Resort and Spa (Spa Resort), Mae Haad, Koh Tao, [53]. Luxury boutique spa resort with large swimming pools, Jacuzzi, international bar-restaurant, spa treatments and in-house Padi dive center. From 1500 baht per night. edit
- Silver Sands Beach Resort, (central Sairee Beach), [54]. Fan & air-con bungalows and 'hotel-style' rooms. Close to many restaurants, shops, and bars. edit
- Simple Life Koh Tao [55] 14/11 Moo 1. Sairee Beach, T.Koh Tao. A.Koh Phangan Suratthani; room price 2000-3300 Baht
- View Cliff Resort situated between Maehaad Beach and Sairee Beach, with budget price.
- Tommy Bungalow Dive Resort Located near Cape Hpr areas of the mountains. Beach is located between Mae Haad beach and Sai Ri beach This is the most famous beach of Koh Tao
[edit] Chalok Bay
Chalok Baan Kao is a much more chilled, relaxed environment than Sairee Beach, while still giving access to a great range of restaurants, beach bars and BBQs plus a wide range of accommodation from luxury resorts to budget rustic, beach-side bungalows.
- Buddha View Dive Resort' [56] a resort primarily for divers with a range of budget to deluxe accommodation. Excellent beachside cafe, bar and nightly BBqs.
- Sunshine Resort 2 (Bungalows), Chalok Baan Kao Bay. checkout: 9.00. Nice bungalows. All the windows have mosquito nets and you have 24h electricity. In our bungalow there was no wall outlet. Friendly staff. European toilets, but missing normal flush (there is an scope and bucket instead). 300 THB bungalow with dbl bed and fan. (may 2009). edit
- Freedom Beach Resort (Bungalows), Chalok Baan Kao Bay, ☎ +66 (0)77 456 596 (booking@freedombeachresort.com), [57]. checkout: 9.00. Beach front bungalows for every budget. All the AC houses have hot water and a TV. 2 private beaches in front. Quiet location 10 min walk to the Chalok Baan Kao Beach.Friendly staff. From 500 THB for fan, up to 2500 THB for AC bungalows. edit
[edit] Other
- Black Tip Diving & Water Sports Resort, ☎ 077 456 488, 077 456 489 (info@blacktipdiving.com, fax: 077 456 489), [58]. Peaceful resort great for families, romantic holidays or just to get away from all the rest. Located on a quiet beach with one of the best bays on the island for snorkeling. 24 hour electricity, swimming pool and Wi Fi available. * Jamahkiri Spa & Resort, [59]. edit edit
- Villa Jivarah. Private villa. edit
- Villa Lipanaa. Private villa. edit
[edit] Stay safe
The number one way to stay safe on Ko Tao is to not drink and drive. Motorbike accidents are very common, especially when driven under the influence, on the wrong side of the road, in the dark. All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) are becoming numerous on the island. They are considered a menace by many as they are expensive, slow, noisy and more people injure themselves on them under the mis-belief they are safer; which they are not. Walk or hire a smaller motorbike instead. Be aware that vehicle hire shops are cheap but can become very expensive if you so much scratch the vehicle, try to hire an older bike than a brand new one.
Should you be unfortunate enough to need medical attention then there are numerous clinics on the island. The largest clinic is in Sairee. The closest hospital is Koh Samui or Chumphon.
Be also aware of the safety of your hotel room. There are many reports of stolen money especially on the resorts on Sairee beach. Normally the thieves (sometimes even hotel staff) sneak into the room while you are out diving and take your cash from your wallet or from your bags.
As always, watch out for the sun. It seems to be particularly strong on the island due to the bright sand and surroundings, especially when slightly clouded. Prevent yourself from running around and being identified British right away with that nice red and white t-shirt tan of yours.
[edit] Contact
<math>Insert formula here</math>== Get out ==
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