Koh Tao – Turtle Island
On this page you will find information about getting to Koh Tao and accommodation options.
Koh Tao is a popular holiday destination for young and old.
A small paradise island isolated in the Gulf of Thailand and together with Koh Nang Yuan it forms a small archipelago.
Located on the east side of Surat Thani’s coastline with two neighboring islands, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.
Koh Tao means ‘Turtle Island’ in English for the connection of the island with the habitation of sea turtles.
Although less numerous than in the past, you can still find green turtles and hawksbill turtles in some areas today, such as Thian Og Bay.
The island’s shape is also thought to resemble a turtle when viewed from Koh Phangan.
The natural beauty of the island both above and below the water brings thousands of visitors here every year for an unforgettable vacation.
The predominantly steep, rocky coastline consists of 11 bays with beautiful coral reefs and abundant marine life in (often) clear, warm water.
Koh Tao Weather
Conditions are changeable throughout the year with the Koh Tao monsoons usually arriving between late November and early December.
Heavy rain, strong winds and waves are normal at this time, although it only lasts a few weeks.
Boat services usually continue even with waves up to 4 meters high, but they can be interrupted if the conditions are bad.
From October to March the tide is high so it is better and easier in places to swim and snorkel with the beaches and coves full of tropical fish.
From April to September the tide is low during the day, making the beaches wider for sunbathing and beach activities.
Getting to Koh Tao and accommodation
The only way to get here is by boat!
Ferry services run from the port cities of Chumphon and Surat Thani, and from the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
There is no airport, bus or train station on Koh Tao.
Lifestyle and diving
Koh Tao is open all year round, allowing for a relaxed atmosphere and lifestyle. The accessibility to the many dive sites for young and old makes it a lot easier to follow a diving course. This has allowed Koh Tao to develop into one of the leading diving education centers in the world.
Local transport
Koh Tao is relatively small, though it is not possible to make a round tour.
The roads are fairly new, now about 80% concrete, and the rest is unpaved road.
There are no footpaths and large open drainage ditches on both sides of the road.
People and animals share the roads, and due to regular rainfall there are often sandy areas.
All this, combined with the interesting driving techniques of the many “expats”, makes scooter driving particularly risky here, especially if you have no previous experience.
As a result, Koh Tao has its fair share of accidents, which can cause enormous damage to your vacation enjoyment.
Not only physically and very painful, but also to your wallet, medical bills and damage to the scooters.
Just so you know: and a “Koh Tao tattoo” is the least worst of all.
Accommodation
There are 3 villages on Koh Tao, where you can of course find the most accommodation from budget to high end
- In het westen:
- the busy nightlife of Sairee Village
- the arrival port and the charming old town of Mae Haad
- In the south the somehow bit relaxed Chalok Ban Kao
- And in the east is the somewhat remote Tanote bay, where about 10 resorts can be found.
Of course there are a lot of luxury private accommodations on offer, mainly from expats who themselves add little to the well-being of Koh Tao.
As a business, we prefer to promote the official registered Koh Tao business owners.
Accommodation options
We recommend that you do not stay too far from the diving center when you enroll in a scuba diving course. This saves you time (and extra costs) since you are with us almost all day.
You can book good accommodation through us, often with a nice discount if you come diving with us. We only recommend some resorts, however, we are not responsible for how or what. Cancellation procedures will also have to take place in consultation with the resorts.
If you are not staying within walking distance of our dive center, we will be happy to arrange a pick-up service on the days that you come to dive with us!
However, there are some beaches we do not arrange taxi service such as: Nang Yuan, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Bay and Sai Daeng Bay. Please feel free to contact us for more information about the various conditions and discounts.
Nadapa Resort – Mae Haad
This resort is quietly located on one of the few “free” piece of land that Koh Tao still has. 2min walk from the diving school. Beautiful stretch of beach, restaurants, supermarket, banks, best massage service of Koh Tao and everything else you are looking for during your holiday, just a 5-minute walk from our favorite Mae Haad resort.
Promotion !!
700 Thai baht * per night for a private room with air conditioning, 1 or 2 separate beds.
* when make a booking through Impian Divers
The Miracle Resort – Mae Haad
The Miracle Guest House is 200 m from Impian Dive Center and a 4 minute walk from the beach. Fresh coffee, wine and European meals can be ordered from the adjacent The Miracle House Restaurant & Bar, open from 07:00 AM – 10:00 PM.
24 hour room service
Cable TV
Free wifi / internet access
Free private parking
Nestled in a nice location
Price per night / per room:
850 Thai baht per night for a private air-conditioned room with breakfast!
1,150 Thai baht per night for a private air-conditioned suite with breakfast!
Jom Thong guesthouse – Mae Haad
This resort is located just behind our dive center.
Quiet and rooms with air conditioning rooms are of the street side.
Beautiful stretch of beach, restaurants, and everything else you are looking for during your holiday are just a 5-minute walk from this relaxed guest house.
Promotion !!
500 Thai baht * per night for a private room with air conditioning
350 Thai baht * per night for a private room with ventilator
* when make a booking through Impian Diver
Long-term option:
6,000 Thai baht * per month for a private room with air conditioning
4,000 Thai baht * per month for a private room with ventilator
Water, electric included in these prices!
Montra Resort – Mae Haad
Koh Tao Montra Resort is a 4-star beachfront dive resort on Koh Tao near Mae Haad pier.
Only at 5-8 min wlking distance from our dive center.
Beachfront Villas, Junior suites, Deluxe and Superior rooms.
The large and spacious room and bathroom are most favorite and it is their uniqueness. They offer special free pick up/drop off service for direct booking.
Montra Resort has largest swimming pool on Koh Tao, which makes the resort most popula, also for families with children.
They have a beachfront restaurant, a pool bar and a jacuzzi to enjoy while soaking in the sunshine!
Sairee View Resort
Sairee View resort has a fantastic view, a swimming pool.
Secluded from the Sairee hustle and bustle to relax after a day of diving and watch the sun sink into the sea while making plans for tomorrow’s dive. This resort is not within walking distance of our dive center so scooter hire is recommended as long as you know how such a thing works.
The resort has different types of rooms, all with private bathrooms.
Price room high season 1,400 baht low season1,000 baht
Price bungalow high season 700 baht low season500 baht
Website: http://sairee-view-resort.com
