|
Koh Tao - Overview
 |
 |
| A great
getaway |
In the Gulf of Thailand, just a couple of hours north of Koh
Samui, lies the island of Ko Tao. Once the haunt of sea-turtles,
this small island with its quiet beaches has become a favourite
destination both of paradise seekers and divers who come for the
best coral diving in the area.
"Discovered" by travellers in the 80's Ko Tao (literally
translates as "Turtle Island.") has been gradually gaining
popularity. In recent years word of Ko Tao's natural beauty, beaches,
coral and marine life has spread with more and more visitors arriving
each year. Bigger, faster and safer boats have allowed easier
access to the island resulting in new resorts with 24 hour air-conditioning
adding to the basic bungalows of the past. Ko Tao though, still
remains a beautiful unspoilt place. Since the main attraction
is diving - the beaches remain tranquil and uncrowded while facilities,
food and accommodation have greatly improved. It's a great place
to relax.
What to do
|
 |
| ...... |
Diving and Snorkelling
Check out the underwater scenery - it's what Ko Tao is famous
for! Sharks, stingrays, pufferfish, various groupers and triggerfish
are just some of the locals. Close to Chalok Baan Kao Bay is "Shark
Point," - offering some close encounters with everyone's
favourite big fish. Tanote Bay - to the east of the island has
some of the best snorkelling sites - spectacular coral reefs,
sea fans and colourful fish.
Many dive trips are organised from Ko Samui, but there are dive
shops on Ko Tao which arrange courses, diving and snorkelling
trips. While everyone is diving - the beaches are empty! So if
you're not feeling energetic, relax, sunbathe, read a book and
have the beach to yourself. When you get bored with the beach
you can try......
Kayaking
Kayaks can be rented hourly or daily on most beaches either though
local operators or resorts.
Deep Sea or local fishing
Hire a "long tail" boat or go with one of the local
tour operators, who also offer deep sea and night fishing. Prices
are reasonable and if you don't catch anything, who cares?
Walking
If you like to walk head for Ko Tao's highest peak, "Two
Views" located right in the middle of Sairee and Tanote.
The walk takes about 2 hours (depending on fitness) before reaching
Tanote Bay where you can catch a taxi or longtail boat to Mae
Haad if you don't feel like walking back. The breathtaking views
make it absolutely worth the effort. There are also lots of trails
around the island. Mountain bikes are also available.
Rock climbing - For the adventurous.
There are courses available.
Traditional Thai massage.
Thai massage, foot massage, Reiki healing, Tai Chi and Yoga to
take the strain away. Available on main beaches.
Getting Around
Koh Tao is criss-crossed with small tracks which lead across
the island and to various beaches and are mainly for walkers.
There's one major concrete road connecting Sairee with Chalok
Baan Kao, passing the main village of Mae Haad in the centre.
Small roads are being developed to connect to the other beaches
and bays in addition to the dirt tracks (conditions vary according
to the weather conditions) Motorcycles can be rented from around
150 B, Jeeps from 1000 B per day. You'll need to deposit your
passport.
Remember: Vehicles in Thailand drive usually on the left, but
traffic rules are often disregarded and speed limits not observed,
so take care and check your vehicle and point out any scratches
etc., before you rent, so you don't get charged by the unscrupulous.
Songtaews (open taxis) are cheap, frequent and will pick
up anywhere along the road.
Boat Taxis Traditional "longtail" boats will
take you from one stunning remote beaches to another. You can
find them at all the main beaches. Hire for the day or for a short
trip. Prices approx.
From Mae Haad to:
Chalok Baan Kao: 150 baht/per person
Nang Yuan: 1-2 persons 100 baht/per person
Tanote Bay: 1-3 persons 300 baht/per person
around the island: 1-4 persons 1000 baht/per person.
Where to Eat
Ko Tao's growing popularity has brought lots of influences.
There's now a Burger and Sandwich Bar, Mexican Food, German Food,
bakeries that sell fresh bread and pastries, lots of great restaurants
offering a whole range of cuisine and even a pizza home delivery
service for the exhausted traveller !
The following places seem to be high on the travellers list
Cafe' Del Sol - Cocktail Bar, Grill & Restaurant
- Mae Haad
Good set breakfasts, sandwiches, bruschettas, coffee & wine,
steaks, smoked salmon!
Escobar - Tex-Mex - Mae Haad
Spicy Mexican nachos, enchiladas, fajitas, imported steaks &
vegetarian dishes. On the pier road.
Farango Pizzeria - Mae Haad
Homemade pasta, plus Italian and Mediterranean specialities as
well as pizzas. Pier road.
Nightlife
For a small island, Koh Tao has a remarkably buzzy nightlife.
As the sun dips after a hard day it's time for sundowner on the
beach, followed by a good meal on the beach followed by some good
music....dancing.......on the beach. Most of the major dance places
on the island are right on the beach.
The main villages, Mae Haad and Sairee, have the widest choice
of bars and clubs. Many bars/pubs show movies and sports nightly
and often have pool tables as well. Find out about what's happening
from local ads in shops, taxis or word or mouth. Normally, there
is something going on every night. The Full, Half and Black Moon
parties also take place in Ko Tao - often impromptu, and apparently
as good, if not better, than the ones in Samui and Phangan.
Where to stay
Accommodation on Koh Tao has improved considerably over the last
few years with air-conditioned resorts supplementing the basic
bungalows and rustic huts located along the island's beaches and
bays. While you can find somewhere to stay in almost every bay,
demand often exceeds supply in the high season and also after
the full moon when Ko Phangan's party-goers arrive. Most accommodation
can be found on Sairee, the longest beach (2 kilometres) on the
island; Mae Haad, the main pier and Chalok Baan Kao bay, southeast
of Mae Haad. Prices range from 100 baht (bamboo hut, shared shower
and toilets) to 1,900 baht ++ comfortable rooms in resort, pool,
etc., (See below for details) Unlike many of the other islands,
demand is usually higher than supply, so booking is recommended
at busy times.
As Ko Tao is the main destination for divers in the area, some
companies also offer dive packages which include accommodation.
This means that rooms can be pre-booked in advance for divers
but unavailable for non-divers. Check first. Below is brief summary
of beach locations.
Beaches
Jansom Bay (Paradise Bay) A small cove offering
solitude and snorkelling. Called Paradise for its crystal clear
water, white sand and swaying coconut palms. Protected most of
the year it also offers safe swimming for kids.
Mae Haad
The main pier and arrival point for boats to Koh Tao. All basics
including restaurants, money exchange, post office, travel agents,
boat rental, dive shops, police and clinic can be found.
Sairee Beach
The longest (2-km) and most popular beach, facing the mainland,
which can be seen on a clear day. This crescent-shaped, beach
has a a good choice of accommodation and places to eat making
it a popular spot for travellers. It's also a perfect spot for
snorkelling as the coral reef can be found just 100 metres off
the beach.
Mae Haad Beach Ideal for kids - very shallow with no traffic.
Good for snorkelling - not just lots of tropical fish, but also
a large wooden shipwreck stranded on the reef. Location of some
of Koh Tao's best resorts.
Chalok Baan Kao
Smaller than Sairee beach with a view of the Buddha rock and access
to a few adjacent beaches including Ta Toh and Saan Jao. Good
for budget accommodation.
Koh Nang Yuan One of those idyllic kind of places. Three
islands connected by tiny stretches of sand surrounded by the
sea. In order to maintain its unspoilt quality, plastic bottles
and other human waste are not allowed on to the island by the
main resort.
Rocky Bay, (Shark Bay) has excellent snorkelling opportunities
where sharks can be sighted. One unusual resort popular with backpackers
(Rocky Resort) is situated in the rocks on the southern side of
the bay. The beach is quite small with grass, coconut palms and
tropical vegetation right on the edge
How to Get There
There are a number of boat services connecting the mainland (Chumporn
and Surrathani) to Ko Tao and the neighbouring islands of Ko Phangan
and Ko Samui. Transport ranges from slow boats, big express boats
and speedboats to the latest addition - a high speed catamaran.
If you're coming from Bangkok or the north - the easiest ferry
point is from Chumporn. If you're coming from the south, (Phuket,
Krabi, Hadyai) it's better to depart from Surrathani.
You can go directly to Ko Tao from both Suratthani and Chumporn,
but the journey is longer from Suratthani (about 6 hours) Alternatively
you can break your journey and 'island ho." Go to Ko Phangan
and then Ko Tao or, take a boat (or fly) into Ko Samui and travel
via Ko Phangan to Ko Tao.
From Bangkok (via Chumporn)
By Train - From Bangkok to Chumporn (For travellers
not in a hurry) The Express- (Bangkok - Chumporn) depart Bangkok
19:15 daily and arrives in Chumporn between 03:30 and 05:00am.
Ask the conductor to wake you up at Chumporn Station.
Boats From Chumporn
Songserm Express Boat, Koh Tao Cruiser, Ekawin Speed Ferry, Lomlahk
Speed Boat, Night Boat
From Surat Thani...
Boats are not as modern or comfortable as those from Ko Samui
and Chumporn. Generally only recommended if you are arriving from
other provinces in southern Thailand like Krabi or Phuket. The
night boat leaves from Surat night market daily at 23:00 hrs.
From Boats from Suratthani
Songserm Express Boat, Night Boat
From Koh Samui..
Boats depart 08:00 & 12:30 from Maenam Pier, - and arrive
10:00 at Mae Haad Pier, Koh Tao. In high season there's an
extra boat leaving 10:30 - arriving 14:30.
Speedboats provide a daily service, departing Bophut, at
08:30 and Nathon at 12:00 noon (Times subject to seasonal variation)
Songserm Travel provide a daily boat service which leaves from
Nathon Pier at 10:30. You can catch a minibus from Koh Samui Airport
to
By Air
Fly direct to Koh Samui from Bangkok or Phuket and continue by
boat to Koh Tao.
When to Go
Koh Tao gets visitors throughout the year. In November several
resorts close for renovations and staff holidays. The first week
after every full moon the island is also very busy due to the
influx of party party-goers from Koh Phangan. If you're not a
good sailor, avoid Ko Tao in the stormy November-to-December season,
when the monsoon whips up and winds stir the normally calm seas
making the ferry ride a bit bumpy. Boats are subject to cancellations
during this season.
| 
