bigtravelbuzzKoh Tao is our favorite place in Thailand. Famous for having dive sites and getting his PADI at great prices. But that’s not why we love Koh Tao. We didn’t dive at all! These are my 6 favorite things to do on Koh Tao.
1. Visit the best beaches on Koh Tao
Koh Tao has some great beaches and bays. The water around the island is crystal clear and perfect for swimming and snorkeling. We will name the ones we have visited, but there are many others that are surprisingly less visited.
Sairee Beach
There are several beach bars and restaurants on this beach. Sairee Beach is not so crowded yet and the atmosphere is most relaxed.
Tips: Some bars offer free beds when you order a cocktail.
Shark Bay
In the southeastern part of Koh Tao, there is a beach called Haad Tien, which is beautifully lined with coconut trees. The bay’s name is more than just a name, you can enjoy snorkeling with blacktip reef sharks.
Freedom Beach
A small stretch of sand and rock that can only be reached by bike. It’s the perfect place to swim in azure waters and snorkel among beautiful shallow corals.
2. Koh Tao Viewpoint
The point of view can leave you speechless at times, and the feeling is amazing. Koh Tao has a lot of these viewpoints given its small island size. All viewpoints are on private property, so some charge a small entrance fee.
View point mango
This beautiful vantage point overlooks Sairee Beach and Mae Haad Bay to the south. The walk to the top isn’t easy, so make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes unless you’re the flip-flop type. The entrance fee for Mango Viewpoint is 100 baht.
John Suwan’s Perspective
The most impressive viewpoint on Koh Tao in our opinion. It’s a bit of a hike so the way up is cool and lots of palm trees with very clear blue water in the background looks like absolutely pure paradise. We have visited it a few times and just sat in amazement. John Suwan His view point entrance fee is 50 Baht.
Viewpoint of Koh Nang Yuan
Nangyuan Observation Deck is definitely the most popular spot. Board a boat from Sairee Beach to Koh Nang Yuan. For a 100 baht entrance fee, you can visit every corner of the island.
3. Explore Koh Tao
Koh Tao is small, so you can easily explore the island by bike or on foot! Bikes are our favorite mode of transportation for exploring new areas.
Some of the roads are still undeveloped, which is probably why many people do not explore the island. Still, even if you have little driving experience, you should still explore the island. If you feel unsafe, get off your bicycle.
Motorbike rental koh tao
Bikes can be rented for an average of 200 TBH per day. Unfortunately, motorbike scams are common on this island, so be careful when handing over your passport. We recommend Oli’s Motorbike Rentals and RPM.
4. Paddle board on Koh Tao
Especially at sunset! Sairee Beach has several paddleboard rental companies. Grab one at sunset and experience the most relaxing time of the day. Except when no balance is found. Pay attention to the signs that say “Sup Tao”. There are several, one of which is him at the Maya Beach Club.
5. keep shape
Jim is one of the things I really missed during my travels. Getting healthy on Koh Tao is easy. Hit the gym, take a CrossFit class, or do yoga with Grounded. You can also replenish your protein at health bars, fitness cafes, living juices, and more. Remember, climbing to a vantage point is also hard work.
6. Eating and drinking
There are many good restaurants and bars on Koh Tao, but they are all expensive. Sairee village has a lot of local bars so we preferred to eat and drink in Sairee village while staying near the pier.
Koh Tao weather
Koh Tao’s climate has two seasons, the wet season and the dry season. The island is most crowded from July to September and from Christmas to the end of February.
How to get to Koh Tao?
Koh Tao can only be accessed by boat or ferry. There are two ferry terminals from the mainland to Koh Tao.
Chumphon and Surat Thani. You can also get to the island by ferry from Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Lomprayah is a good tour company. Snacks and drinks are available on board the ferry. Luckily the ferry has air conditioning and toilets.
From Chumphon to Koh Tao by ferry
7:30 and 13:00 Fast Ferry will reach Koh Tao within 2 hours.
From Surat Thani to Koh Tao by ferry
09:00 and 14:30 high-speed ferries reach Koh Tao in 4-5 hours.