Thailand Beaches:
Visit Koh Tao
in Southern Thailand

"A personal guide to Koh Tao -- Turtle Island"

"Thailand beaches Koh Tao" was last updated on June 29, 2010
All information below is subject to change

Koh Tao Island beaches in thailand islands
Thailand beaches of Koh Tao

In this article you'll find:



Which beaches in Thailand are the best?

Aside from Ko Phi Phi and Koh Phangan, Koh Tao has probably some of the best beaches in Thailand! I just loved Koh Tao.

I will tell you why:

  • The white, clean beaches in Koh Tao is a sight for sore eyes

    I was just amazed by how clean the beaches were. They've done a great job keeping it free of trash, despite the major tourism flow.

  • Koh Tao is known for its excellent diving, and there's no better place to start than here

    There are dozens of diving centers scattered around the island, offering scuba diving and open-water courses. Or if you already have the PADI license, you can take as many dives as you want for a good price!

How to get to Koh Tao
From Bangkok: This is one of th ways of getting to the Thailand beaches of Koh Tao --

A) Take the bus from Ekamai bus terminal in Bangkok

We used Chokeanan Tour and paid 540 B for the VIP bus to Chumphon. I promise you, for a long-distance ride, this bus was absolutely amazing and worth every baht. The seats were huge and we had loads of leg room. You could move the seat all the way down and it actually felt like a bed.

If it's too pricey for you, you pay 347 B for an ordinary seat with Chokeanan. The bus ride taks 6,5 to 7 hours, and it left at 09.30 pm.

To get to Ekamai, you can take a taxi (160 B from Khao san road) and it takes 15-20 minutes.

B) When you arrive in Chumphon, you take the boat to Koh Tao. There are several ferry companies going to Koh Tao: The most popular one is Lomprayah. Then you have Songserm, Seatran, the Talay sub night boat and Ko Jaroen car ferry.

I'm going to focus on Lomprayah and Songserm in this article because these are the ones I've tried.

Lomprayah from Chumphon leaves at 07.00 am (550 B) and 13.00 (550 B) and takes 1,5 hour.

Songserm from Chumphon leaves at 07.00 am (450 B) and the ferry ride takes approximately 3 hours.

PS! The Lomprayah Catamaran is VERY popular. We didn't buy any boat ticket from Lomprayah in Bangkok, and just thought that we could buy it when we arrived in Chumphon. But guess again, the Catamaran was full, and we had to travel with Songserm.

Songserm was alright, but not comfortable at all.

So if you want to travel with Lomprayah, please buy a ticket in Bangkok. The Lomprayah office is near Khao San road, in Tanao Road.

Website: Lomprayah

By train from Bangkok to Chumphon:

Most travelers going to Koh Tao take the train to Chumphon.

Here's the train schedule for the Bangkok-Southern Thailand route, as well as fares:

You'll be redirected to Seat61.com

If you buy a ticket from Lomprayah in Bangkok and decide to take the train, there's a free bus transfer from the train station to the piers. Lomprayah and Songserm don't share the same pier. They have their own pier at two different locations outside Chumphon. Songserm's pier is called Pak Nam, while the Lomprayah pier is originally called Thung Mahkam Yai.

How to travel around Koh Tao: Songthaew is the most common transportation method on Koh Tao (and other islands in Thailand). For instance; from Ban Kao Beach to Mae Haad it cost 100 B.

After that comes bicycles and motorbikes. Hiring a bike in Koh Tao cost 150-200 B per day.

It's also possible to walk but it's of course slower, and it can be tough in the scorching sun. We walked once from Ban Kao beach to Mae Haad, and it took us about 45 minutes each way.

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Koh Tao and Out

With Lomprayah Catamaran:

From Koh Tao to Chumphon/Hua Hin/Bangkok: 10.15 am and 14.45 pm

From Koh Tao to Koh Phangan (350 B and takes 1 hour) and Koh Samui (550 B and takes 2 hours): 09.30 am and 15.00 pm.

Where to buy a ferry ticket from Lomprayah: Almost every guesthouse and travel agency in Koh Tao sells ferry tickets for Lomprayah. You can also visit Lomprayah's office at their pier in Mae Had Bay.

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Thailand Beaches of Koh Tao:
Let's begin with important places on the island:

  • Police station is located north of Mae Hat
  • For medical service, there are several clinics around the island. There's an international clinic in Sairee village that offers medical care, emergency transports, house calls and a diving doctor.
    Phone nr for international clinic: 077 456 037, 081 737 5544
    Open: 24 hours
  • Pharmacies in Mae Haad Bay
  • ATMs are scattered around Mad Haad Bay, Sairee Village, Baan Kao. Banks/exchange are located in Mae Haad Bay and Sairee.
  • Post office in Mae Had Bay
  • If your accommodation doesn't offer internet access, there are loads of internet cafes in Koh Tao.


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Koh Tao Articles



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Where to sleep

Don't know where to sleep in the Thailand beaches of Koh Tao?

Get some good ideas here!

Thailand Budget Accommodation in Koh Tao Island



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Where to eat and drink

Personal reviews and introduction to food, restaurants and nightlife in the Thailand beaches of Koh Tao, especially Baan Kao and Mae Haad Bay.

The options are endless! ;-)

Click here for restaurants and nightlife in Koh Tao



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Koh Tao Diving

I can say that most people traveling to Koh Tao are there to dive, or at least snorkel!

We didn't dive, but we did snorkel! Here's some tips and prices for how much diving costs, and personal review of the snorkeling trip around Koh Tao.

COMING SOON!



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Nangyuan Island

Here's our personal review of Nangyuan! Is it overrated? Really beautiful?

Can you sleep on Nangyuan? Find out here!

Welcome to Beaches in Thailand 2: Nangyuan Island

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Comment this page:

You're done with Thailand beaches of Koh Tao, where do you want to go next?

Going North? Read about Chiang Mai.

Click here to read about hippy cool Pai.

Heading South? Read my reviews of the beautiful Phi Phi Islands.

Visiting Railey Beach in Krabi?

Want to visit the sister island of Koh Tao? Welcome to Koh Pha Ngan!

Return from Thailand beaches of Koh Tao to Backpacking Tips Asia Homepage.





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Koh Tao --
Chumphon

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