Koh Tao travel guide

Where to base yourself

The Tourism Authority of Thailand calls Koh Tao “Turtle Island,” about 45 kilometres north of Koh Phangan, and one of the country’s main scuba destinations. It also says the island is a breeding area for hawksbill and green turtles and a place where divers are asked to be careful with coral. Most beds face Sairee or another west-coast bay.

Places and experiences

• Sairee Beach. Swim and walk it on a non-diving afternoon. The water near training groups is busy. Swim outside the class lanes.
• A dive or a snorkel with a briefing. TAT’s rule is the right one: look, don’t touch, including turtles, coral, and other marine life. Choose a shop that can explain the site and the conditions that morning. This page cannot know which bay will be suitable on your date.
• Koh Nang Yuan. TAT calls the viewpoint island a trip in its own right. Go on a calm morning. The classic view is a walk, not a purchase.
• A boat around the island. TAT suggests this for non-divers while other people are underwater. One circle, with swims only where the crew says the current allows.
• A walk to a viewpoint. TAT mentions hiking toward the summit. Do it early, with water, and turn back if the path is washed out.
• Another beach you have not slept on. The island’s point for non-divers is a second bay. Ask for the name and the boat, then stop collecting.

A two-day pace

1. Day one, Sairee and a single dive or snorkel. If you are not diving, take the round-island boat instead. Do not add Nang Yuan.
2. Day two, Nang Yuan or a hike. One. Keep the departure boat in mind if you are leaving the island.

Divers on a course should ignore this pace and follow the school’s required days. Do not compress a course to catch a party on Phangan.

If the weather turns

TAT says February to April is a good time to visit, which is a hint, not a lock. When the sea is rough, boats to Nang Yuan and to the outer reefs cancel first. Use Sairee, a short hike if it is safe, and the room. TAT also notes that much of the island’s electricity has depended on generators and asks visitors to switch off lights and air-conditioning when they leave. That is a practical request on a small island, not a slogan. Do not litter. TAT is explicit that cigarette ends and plastic wrappers matter here.

Getting there and getting around

TAT says that although Tao is in Surat Thani province, it is closer to the Chumphon coast, and that the useful boat is often the one from Chumphon. Ferries also run via Phangan and Samui. Read the ticket for the mainland pier. On the island, motorbikes exist and TAT says to be extremely careful. Walking and short taxis are enough for Sairee. Wear insect repellent at dawn and dusk; that is also TAT’s tip.

Before you leave

• Tell the dive shop your experience honestly. A calm bay and a deep site are not interchangeable.
• Confirm the last boat toward your next island or toward Chumphon.
• No school on this page is endorsed, because none was contracted.

Information Tourism Authority of Thailand — Ko Tao.