Top things to do in Koh Tao Thailand

Koh Tao is a beautiful thai island on the east coast of Thailand.  In this area there are 3 islands with Koh Tao being less popular than its neighbours Koh Samui & Koh Phangan.

Koh Tao means turtle island and was named after its turtle shape. Koh Samui known for its luxury resorts and spa’s is believed to mean sea weather.  Koh Phangan’s full moon parties is what makes this island probably the most famous of the three.

I visited Koh Tao island during my Thailand travel, it was the end of my trip and I ended up spending 8 days there as I decided I was too tired to Island hop and needed some relaxation after nearly 6 months on the road.

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How to get to Koh Tao

I arrived in Bangkok from Myanmar in the morning and got a taxi straight over to the southern bus terminal (known locally as Sai Tai Mai).  This is the bus terminal you need to be at to go to places south of Bangkok.

It’s very easy to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao, you can either get the bus from the southern terminal or get the train.

I booked a joint bus & Koh Tao ferry ticket.  The bus was overnight and left at 9.30pm.  We arrived in Chumpon around 5am and were left on the street outside a petrol station where we were told we would be picked up and taken to the train station for the bus to the port.  We had a few taxi’s come along and try and take us but luckily we were quickly picked up and transported to the train station.

Here we met up with the hundreds of people who had decided to take the overnight train.  I think in the future I would go with that option, I did get the overnight train back to Bangkok and have a great sleep, so would definitely recommend that option.  From the train station we were then were taken to the port and got on the Songserm Express boat to Koh Tao.

Koh Tao Weather

The best time to visit Koh Tao is from January to April, though it is hot and humid all year.  July & August the weather on Koh Tao is the best in Thailand in those months.  It’s advisable to avoid visiting between October and mid December as this is the rainiest time of the year and rain can last all day.  It can rain at all times of the year but generally outside of October to mid December the showers are brief.

I hope you enjoy this guide on the top things to do in Koh Tao, it’s certainly an island I loved.

We arrived at Koh Tao and what a beautiful island, there are lots of taxi’s on arrival waiting to transport you to your accommodation but as I was booked in a hostel for me it was walking (they were charging a fortune).  Luckily on the boat I had met a guy who was staying at the same place so off we went.

I arrived at my hostel Spicytao, it’s a 10 minute walk from the sea, maybe 45 mins from the Songserm terminal, but in a beautiful area.  It has an outdoor common area with kitchen, they also had cider imported in, which I had missed in the last 5 months.  The rooms were spread out on the land and so were nice and quiet even when it was busy in the common area.  The rooms were nice & clean too, though the cats did like to come in and sleep with you on a night!!

Learn to dive

Koh Tao diving is very popular, not only with experienced divers but people looking to get there PADI or Open Water diver certifications as these only take 3-4 days to do.  Some people were also on the island doing their Dive Master qualification which normally takes a minimum of  6 weeks.   As Koh Tao scuba diving is so popular you will  many Koh Tao diving schools near Sairee Beach that you can choose from.

Walk to Chalok Baan Kao

I spent my days exploring the island, I walked down to Chalok Baan Kao a beach on the southern coast about a 1 hour walk from my hostel.  It was one of my favourite beaches and I spent a few of my days there.

I also visited Freedom Beach & Thian Og Bay, a little further east on the south coast.

Hike to John Suwan Viewpoint

If you need some time away from the beach and the water then hike to John Suwan viewpoint.  The views looking back over the island are amazing.

Rent a Scooter or pushbike

Many people choose to rent scooters to explore the island.  You can also rent pushbikes but the island is quite hilly and the roads are not great so it can be difficult to get around.  Only rent a scooter if you have experience as many of the roads are not in the best condition and it can be easy to have an accident here.

Enjoy a Thai Massage

Thai massages are very popular and compared to getting a massage in the UK are quite cheap.  There are many places which offer massages with some even available in places overlooking the sea.  I stopped most days to enjoy a massage and even a pedicure on one occasion.

Relax with some Yoga

If you enjoy Yoga then there are a few Yoga retreats on Koh Tao, or if you just want a few classes then there are many places that offer classes.

Koh Tao Snorkeling Trip or Booze Cruise

I also went on a booze cruise organised by the hostel, though this may not have been the best idea for someone who easily gets seasick.  I had a fun time, despite the rough seas and spent a lot of time snorkelling to keep off the boat. We ended the day watching the sunset from the boat.

Koh Tao Pub Crawl

If you like the party scene then Koh Tao is a great place and you can find it.  Join one of the pub crawls to find the best bars in town.

Take a Thai Cooking Class

Anyone who has visited Thailand before knows how amazing the food is there and so if you want to be able to enjoy cooking your favourite dishes at home, then taking a Thai cooking class while you are in Koh Tao is a great option.

Koh Tao Leisure Park

Koh Tao leisure park is set in 5000 square metres of gardens and has something for everyone from mini golf, goofy golf, sports bar, soft play for children and Koh Tao cinema.  Its open tuesday to sunday from 11.30am to 11pm.

Visit Koh Nang Yuan Island

A highlight was visiting Nangyuan Island, it is just off the main beach in Koh Tao, you can get a water taxi there or as I did hire a kayak and paddle across, it took me about 45 minutes, the sea was quite rough, but it was great to do a bit of exercise after a lazy few days.  I kayaked across, parked up and then went to explore the island, it is split by a sand bar and is well known for amazing snorkelling and diving.  Luckily I had taken my snorkel mask and snorkel fins that I had been carrying for 5 months and so I went to look for fish.

After snorkelling, I walked to the top of the island as there is a beautiful viewpoint.  This island is amazing and well worth a visit for the day if you are in the area.  It can be quite full with visitors but it’s still worth it.

Have Muay Thai Lessons

Muay Thai is very popular in Thailand and there are few places where you can train in Muay Thai on the island or even go and watch fight nights.

Visit Ang Thong Marine Park

42 islands make up Ang Thong marine park which is around an hour boat trip from Koh  Tao.  It is a very popular day trip from Koh Tao with many companies offering the excursion.  Here you can snorkel, kayak, relax on the beaches and also hike up to amazing viewpoint.

Hire a Kayak

From sairee beach it is possible to hire kayaks for you to explore the coastline.  You can even choose to Kayak across to Koh Nang Yuan.

Watch the Sunset on Sairee Beach Koh Tao

The evenings I spent on Sairee Beach, watching the sunsets, having a few drinks, something to eat, there are lots of restaurants on the island that are cheap, with great local food.

Watch a fire show

After watching sunset, stay on the beach for dinner and experience one of the many fireshows that happen outside the different hotels along the beach front.

It was then time to leave after having an amazing trip, meeting some great people, having so much fun.  Back to the ferry for the journey to Chumphon and this time the train back to Bangkok.  It was my first train in Thailand and it was amazing.  I got a bed and for the first time on a night train actually slept through until we arrived in Bangkok.  I had certainly had an amazing time backpacking around Thailand.

If you love Thailand and want to stay for longer, then a great option is teaching English.

Where to stay in Koh Tao

There are many options of Koh Tao accommodation from Hostels to Hotels and Bungalows near the beach.  Prices here are relatively cheap compared to the US and Europe, so if you are not travelling alone then it can be just as cheap to get a little bungalow as 2 or 3 beds in a hostel.  Here are some options of the best places to stay in Koh Tao.

The Miracle Guesthouse & Diving – Located 300 metres in land from Mae Haad Pier this is a great clean guesthouse.  They also have a restaurant onsite and a diving school onsite.  Click here for more information and pricing.

Blue Tao Beach Hotel – Located on Sairee Beach, this very modern hotel has rooms with air conditioning and balconies, just make sure you reserve a room with a seaview to enjoy falling asleep listening to the waves.  Click here for more information and pricing.

Koh Tao is certainly a beautiful island and if you have time, then make sure you island hop and go visit Koh Samui or go and visit the best beaches of Koh Phangan.

Is there anything else you did in Koh Tao that I have missed and needs adding to the list?  Yes? Then let me know below.

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