Koh Tao
Thailand
Backpacking Koh Tao
Information on Koh Tao, sights to see, nightlife, activities and more.
Koh Tao – meaning ‘Turtle Island’ – lives up to its name, being the scuba diving destination of choice in Thailand. The perfect white-sand beaches which ring the small hilly island are surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The vibrant coral reefs there are home to a wide range of exciting and colorful sea creatures, including turtles. The compact island is 55 km to the north of Koh Samui and was only really ‘discovered’ in the early 1980s, but now supports a varied selection of hotels, from hostels and beach bungalows all the way up to five-star luxury resorts. The choice of restaurants and nightlife establishments has also been constantly growing, to the point that there is now something for almost every taste. So far from civilization while still being relatively easily reached, it is the idyllic tropical island paradise. With close proximity to Koh Phangan, home of the notorious Full Moon Party, many backpackers arrive in Koh Tao exhausted and hungover, ready to chill out for a few days on this island paradise. Famous primarily as a diving Mecca; Koh Tao is where many backpackers take the plunge and get their first underwater license, PADI certification, as it is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive.
Must See
Koh Nangyuan - A group of three tiny islets off Koh Tao’s northwest coast - which you can get to for about 200 baht return on a long tail boat- the beach which links them is iconic and probably the most photographed part of the area.
Mango Viewpoint - Located in the hills in the north of the island, the view of Mae Haad and Sairee Beach is spectacular. It is reached either by taking a long, challenging walk up the hill from the 7-Eleven in Sariee or by motorbike up a steep and risky road. Access to the viewing platform costs 100 baht, with the money supposedly going towards building a better road.
Must Do
Go Diving - Koh Tao is famous as a diving destination and many a visitor has come away from their visit with an Open Water Diver qualification. The dramatic coral landscapes are home to turtles, stingrays, reef sharks, barracudas and, if you are very lucky, whale sharks. Popular dive sites include the underwater sculptures of Ocean Utopia, the wreck of HTMS Sattakut, Lighthouse Bay, Japanese Gardens, Chumphon Pinnacles and many more. There are dozens of diving shops selling daily trips and training courses, particularly in Mae Haad.
Hang on the Beaches - There are many beaches to lounge on. Haad Tien is one of the furthest beaches from Mae Haad, but one of the best. It has the clearest water and the cleanest beach, with only a small selection of quite exclusive resorts there. It is sometimes also called “Shark Bay” for the number of black-tip reef sharks you can snorkel among.
Nightlife
Sairee Beach is Koh Tao’s best-known beach, where you will find the majority of the nightlife, including beach bars and restaurants. Despite being the longest beach on the island, it is also one of the busiest. Many nights start in the beach bars at the northern end of the beach and gradually work their way south from nightclub to nightclub. Fire shows are very common at the beach bars while house music is the top choice for the clubs, both attracting the young party crowd. Most of the other beaches on Koh Tao have little or no nightlife, save for a few beachfront restaurants.
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