Hopefully the title will get your interest on this one – and believe me, frogs were weirdly abundant during our stay on the island of Koh Tao! The weather was great and we had a chance to relax (after months of, well, relaxing & travels in South East Asia!). We visited Tao after a stay in Kho ... Read review
Location. On a private, white sand beach overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao Coral ... more
Grand Resort is located in Ko Tao, Thailand, on Sairee Beach. Koh Tao, which translates to Turtle Island, is named for the island's turtle shape and is known for scuba diving and snorkeling. Sairee Beach is a popular tourist spot. Hotel Features. Cottages are surrounded by coconut palm trees and colorful vegetation in this tropical setting. The Happy Snapper restaurant, located on site, serves authentic Thai and international cuisine in a beachfront setting. Drinks are available at the hotel's beach bar. The resort includes an outdoor pool. Swimming, snorkeling and kayaking are available along the beach. High speed Internet access is available at the hotel's Internet café. Guestrooms. Guestrooms at the Koh Tao Coral Grand Resort are located in private cottages decorated in tropical yellows and reds. Minibars and refrigerators are included with each room. All cottages are located on the beach side of the resort, 200 meters from the beach. Expert Tip. An on site PADI certified dive school with multilingual instructors offers diving lessons and tours for both beginning and professional divers.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. On a private, white sand beach overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao Coral ... more
Grand Resort is located in Ko Tao, Thailand, on Sairee Beach. Koh Tao, which translates to Turtle Island, is named for the island's turtle shape and is known for scuba diving and snorkeling. Sairee Beach is a popular tourist spot. Hotel Features. Cottages are surrounded by coconut palm trees and colorful vegetation in this tropical setting. The Happy Snapper restaurant, located on site, serves authentic Thai and international cuisine in a beachfront setting. Drinks are available at the hotel's beach bar. The resort includes an outdoor pool. Swimming, snorkeling and kayaking are available along the beach. High speed Internet access is available at the hotel's Internet café. Guestrooms. Guestrooms at the Koh Tao Coral Grand Resort are located in private cottages decorated in tropical yellows and reds. Minibars and refrigerators are included with each room. All cottages are located on the beach side of the resort,200 meters from the beach. Expert Tip. An on site PADI certified dive school with multilingual instructors offers diving lessons and tours for both beginning and professional divers.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
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Advantages: Chilled out, cheap, sunsets, great food Disadvantages: Too quiet for some
...by Kho Pha Ngan, then Ko Samui (Ko Samui is the biggest of the three).
WHY VISIT?
***************
Koh Tao is renowned for it’s diving, and this is indeed the main reason we came here, choosing to dive in the crystal waters of Tao, over Pha Ngan or Samui. It is by far the best of the 3 as there are many different sites you can visit. However, it’s a beautiful place, so if you’re not a diver you’ll get a quiet and ... ...investigating the sea’s underworld.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?
******************************************
We visited in April, just before the monsoon. The peak seasons here are December - April, and then again from July-September. At those times and during Thai holidays such as Songkran (= Thai New Year) in April, Koh Tao will be almost fully booked. Checking availability of your hotel before arrival is ... more
Hopefully the title will get your interest on this one – and believe me, frogs were weirdly abundant during our stay on the island of Koh Tao! The weather was great and we had a chance to relax (after months of, well, relaxing & travels in South East Asia!). We visited Tao after a stay in Kho Pha Ngan, where we went to the Full Moon Party.
WHERE IS KOH TAO? **************************
Koh Tao is a small island in a group of 3, on the south-eastern ‘leg’ of Thailand. It’s the first on your way down, followed by Kho Pha Ngan, then Ko Samui (Ko Samui is the biggest of the three).
WHY VISIT? ***************
Koh Tao is renowned for it’s diving, and this is indeed the main reason we came here, choosing to dive in the crystal waters of Tao, over Pha Ngan or Samui. It is by far the best of the 3 as there are many different sites you can visit. However, it’s a beautiful place, so if you’re not a diver you’ll get a quiet and chilled out paradise during the day whilst the divers are investigating the sea’s underworld.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT? ******************************************
We visited in April, just before the monsoon. The peak seasons here are December - April, and then again from July-September. At those times and during Thai holidays such as Songkran (= Thai New Year) in April, Koh Tao will be almost fully booked. Checking availability of your hotel before arrival is a must if you want somewhere to lay your head.
WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? ************************************
When we visited during the end of April the weather was lovely, around 32°C every day and hardly any rain apart from one night in a week’s stay. The monsoon was on our heels and within 3-4 weeks it would arrive, and it might have been for this reason we found an abundance of little green frogs, everywhere, a-humpin’ & a-jumpin’!
ARRIVING IN KOH TAO ***************************
All boats arrive & depart in Mae Haad, the main port and generally buzzing centre of the island. You’ll find everything and everything here – firstly touts, the moment you leave the boat. Try and have an idea of where you’re going area-wise so you don’t end up living next to a hermit somewhere in the outback of the (ok, tiny) island.
Mae Haad itself offers currency exchange, post office (although a bit hard to find and little more than a place you can buy a stamp and put it in a weary post box!), as well as police etc. Most dive centers have an office in Mae Haad, and you will find these located in the lower shopping streets (where you will also find excellent kebabs, corn on the cob & shakes!). We also found a hairdresser here for Damon’s (ahem, badly) dyed blonde hair, which got chopped off, nothing to do with me I swear… besides, it was dyed for the Full Moon party on Kho Pha Ngan, we went crazy, baby, OK?
After some religious reading of our Rough Guide on the ferry over, on arrival in Hae Haad we headed for Sairee Beach, seemingly the most popular resort on Tao, and we were pleased to find plenty of accommodation there, several dive centers, restaurants, shops, email haunts, etc. To Damon’s delight, there was a 7-11 which he had grown very fond of and had begun to rate each place by how many 7-11’s it had. His face would literally light up with visions of Oreo’s, ice cold beer etc…
WHERE TO STAY *********************
We stayed on Sairee beach, at the Blue Wind resort, although there are plenty on this beach to choose from if you stay here. Blue Wind had several huts to suit all budgets and a fantastic restaurant with low teak tables and Thai cushions, offering the best blueberry lassi you have ever tasted, as well as homemade bread and pasta (Blue Wind is also a Bakery) and a lovely view of the sunset to accompany your meal... The Blue Wave resort close by seemed very popular too, as it is one of the main dive centres on Sairee, and in Tao generally. We went to Blue Wave for a beginner’s dive course at the end of our stay.
WHAT TO DO WHEN IN KOH TAO? ****************************************
EAT – Food-wise we loved the vegetable tempura on the main shopping street in Sairee, best in all of South East Asia and I challenge anyone to say any different! We also loved the fresh pasta offered at our resort, where we had some excellent meat dishes too. Generally the rest of the food here was more touristy overall but you could also enjoy fried pork with noodles, fresh Thai salads, Pad Thai and other delicacies. However, this was our *bad* period… we were oh-so-bad… and committed the heinous crime of movie-watching (the Jakass Movie no less, amongst others) and eating pasta as well as other western dishes… We found an amazing restaurant, called EVERGREEN on the main street in Sairee which starts at the 7-11. This place had no chairs, but low level tables and thai cushions, hence us lying down watching movies! It also had the fattest, laziest black Labrador I have EVER met, lovely but so spoilt with delicious food, that he couldn’t move!
DRINK - We absolutely loved the milkshakes here, you won’t be able to get enough of the fresh fruity shakes, made there and then, healthy (well, apart from when they have coconut milk…) and delicious. Our favourite shake was the Blueberry Lassi at our resort, made with yoghurt and blueberries, fantastic… Best enjoyed in the shade in your hammock or lazing in a restaurant watching a movie, or better still on the beach as the sun is going down, blinking in the sunlight wondering ‘where did the day go?’ You can also partake in very cheap beers (‘Chang’ and ‘Singha’ being the most popular at 50Baht a bottle, 40Baht a can, more or less £0.80-£0.90!)
FROG WATCH – Rainy season was a-coming so frogs were abundant even without the rain. Or maybe they live there all year round? We saw many belly-to-belly and others on piggy-back, so not quite sure what means what…I also almost squished one, as I saw something moving under a bedsheet and thought it was either a) a nasty spider (any spider is nasty) or b) a cockroach so I had sandal in hand and a fearless disposition, and then on puling back the sheet, this gorgeous perfectly formed little frog blinked at me and I melted. I was very careful to check after this!
CUTE-ALERT… Watch puppies. We found a litter of lovely pups, around 8 in all, with poor mummy very tired of feeding and running after them… very loving and we spent 2 hours one evening just playing with them and watching them roll around and fight for milk. Puppy yawns have to be one of theee cutest things! The island has a selection of dogs, all seemed cared for but free and independent spirits so if you like dogs you’ll meet a few characters here.
>>>>SEE BEAUTY SPOTS - Most of the resorts are located on the main beaches Sairee, Mae Haad, and Chalok Baan Kao:
SAIREE BEACH
Sairee beach was our chosen spot, and our hut was around two thirds near the end of the beach (to the north) at Blue Wind. The stunning white sandy beach stretched for nearly 2Km over most of the west part of the island with hardly any breaks in stretching or whiteness. There was a pretty impressive palm tree growing sideways that you had to duck under though shown on several postcards as a result. The water here was not the best we’d seen for swimming, shallow but a bit murky and slightly muddy with a few shells/jagged bits that you had to watch out for.
At the southern end of the beach you will find Jor Por Ror, a huge rock formation, which apparently bears the engraved monogram of King Rama V. The King visited Tao in 1899. Opposite is the Fishery Museum & the Fishery Conservation Unit, where marine life is studied and cultivated (Giant Clam Garden) but we did not visit so can’t comment....
BEACH WITH A VIEW – Sairee offers a beautiful hilltop resort at the north end just past where we were staying. The resort owner bought a huge whale skeleton apparently. The viewpoint is the place where the whale's bones are kept – eugh… but a stunning view at sunset though.
TWO VIEW, the second-highest peak of Tao (313m) is worth a look. You can get there both from Sairee Beach and Tanote Bay to cast your eye over the surrounding panorama (and recover your breath). CHALOK BAAN KAO: At the eastern end you will find stunning viewpoints in every direction. To the east you’ll see Thian Og Bay, to the north you’ll see Chalok and to the south you’ll be able to see both bays together. All of these routes require some hefty and steep walking, but it's worth it if you can handle the arduous work! >>>> DIVING
We went on a beginners course in Mango Bay but apparently Shark Island is one of the most popular for medium and experienced divers so I will mention these 2.
MANGO BAY - We came here on a beginners dive, as it’s accessible only by boat - it’s a nice dive site with depths ranging from 2 to 14 meters. Apart from a scary experience with a mask that was too big for me, we really enjoyed this dive and had a chance to make friends with a very large grey fish who watched US for most of the dive!
SHARK ISLAND - Shark Island for the more experienced diver, is 300m southeast of Koh Tao and this small, uninhabited island is surrounded by a colourful belt of corals. Depth ranges from 10- 22 meters and the main attractions include several kinds of coral such as soft, hard or gorgonian (???). My guide also tells me you might get to see blue-spotted stingrays, filefish, harlequin sweetlips, starry pufferfish, groupers and titan triggerfish but I wouldn’t know one of them if they stopped right in front of me…. The "fish junction" at the northern end of Shark Island provides an excellent spot for photographing. Although Shark Island is suitable for divers of all levels, be careful because the current can apparently be quite strong, especially around full moon time.
DAY TRIP - We also went on a boat day trip round the island which was sweet as it gave us a chance to see what else there was apart from our little haven… some rough-edged rock formations and lovely views to be had, as well as several swimming stops and some scrapes from swimming, but the snorkelling was well worth it as I have never seen so many beautiful fish in my life! Some sunburn but overall a great (and exhausting) day!
GETTING AROUND ***********************
Jeeps and motorcycles (100-300Baht a day - £1.80-£4.50) can be hired but we walked most places or took a 40Baht (£0.80) per person Songthaew/taxi. Driving on the island is not easy anyway as the road goes through rough spots and we did NOT fancy paying out insurance on a moped in this kind of terrain if anything happened (well forget the insurance, we didn’t fancy anything happening either!). With any damages, expect to pay hefty costs even for a slight scratch – believe us, we’ve BEEN here and got the (extortionate) t-shirt.
Songthaews and motorbike taxis can be found at Mae Haad or can be hailed from any main roadside, cheaper and safer than a moped too. BEWARE: Taxi prices are not fixed so check before getting in and the costs can double in the evening, I think it was from 6 onwards.
HOW MUCH DO THINGS COST? **************************************
ROOMS started at around 150 Baht (just over £2.20) for standard huts (shared toilet and no electrics) to several thousand Baht for a luxury villa-type accommodation with all mod cons. Our bungalow had a fan and shower/toilet and cost just 400 Baht a night (£7) for both of us, and you could upgrade to a room with air conditioning for around 700Baht (£10).
MEALS set us back a paltry 200Baht each (£3.50) covering a main meal, a starter between us, and a beer…. Cheap and lovely!
DRINKS were around 50Baht (£0.90) for a beer, 45-60Baht (£0.80) for a fruit shake and around the same for any soft drinks. As we were on a budget we rarely went for any of the hard stuff but you should probably expect to pay around 100Baht+ (£2) for a cocktail or imported mixer/alcopop.
A TAXI / Songthaew ride was around 40Baht (£0.70) per person during the day if my memory serves well and you could also rent mopeds, but as I mentioned, negotiating the roads on this island didn’t incentivate us to rent one. (Note on ‘incentivate’ – I INSIST this has to be an acceptable word, it’s mine, and I think it conveys incentive and motivate all at once… why, oh, why is it not in the dictionary?)
DIVING course (beginners) was more like £40 each, which we did at Blue Wave on Sairee Beach, so not cheap by that point, but something we really wanted to do, so the kitty got raided (the coffers, the safe, the budget - no kittens were harmed in this review…)
DEPARTING KOH TAO ***************************
You leave the way you come in… by boat from Mae Haad – go to Kho Pha Ngan, Samui or back to the mainland. All inclusive Boat&Bus tickets can be bought to save the aggro of buying the bus ticket separately if you’re going back to the mainland.
WHAT I LIKED THE MOST ******************************
- The puppies we met & their cute puppy yawns - The Blueberry yoghurt Lassi shakes - The vegetable tempura - The little green frogs (they were fighting, I think, but then again…) - The gheckos & King Gheckos - Diving & the friendly grey fish that watched us at Mango Bay - Our moonlit midnight swim - Hammock afternoons with a good book & 3 cool Chang beers from the 7-11 - A kitten that adopted us at out hut - The gorgeous views and interesting rock formations - Our round the island trip and snorkelling
We lazed here, did very little, so can’t much comment on other aspects…
NEGATIVE POINTS ***********************
We did little because as it’s a diving island there wasn’t a greeeeeat deal more to do. So alas, we had to lounge.. forced to in fact! We also left a bit sick of Oreos, only ourselves to blame, I know. So, either of those a negative point??? The seashore had a few rough bits too as well as the water being a little murky, resulting in some cuts, but nothing major.
SUMMARY **************
Yes, it's a quieter island with slightly less to do than others, but we’d go back tomorrow if we could for a chilled holiday!
From Tao we got the ferry back to Koh Samui (again, I know!).
I hope you’ve enjoyed & leave a comment if you feel it’s worthy or feel free to ask any questions…
Advantages: Excellent diving Disadvantages: Not much else to do but dive.
...scene is smaller than neighbouring Ko Samui there is still some fun to be had, though the general atmosphere is more low key. If you go to Koh Tao without any interest in diving then you may well feel left out as it often feels the dive centres have a monopoly on the accommodation and you can feel pressured by them to take at least one dive. The island's small size and lack of caves or forest means there is not that much else to do but dive. Motorbikes ...
Pablo_Sevilla 28.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Ko Tao (Thailand)
...serious about going diving on Ko Tao and probably know by now that this is one of the best dive areas in the world. Therefore I wont bore you with 30 metre visability, whale sharks, lack of polution, quiet dive sites.
What you do need to know is dont sign up with the first tout that meets you coming off the ferry or speed boat. It is a good way to get a free taxi to accomodation but taxis cost less than £1 to anywhere. Dont be sucked in by cheap ... ...a few bars in the main town - at the pier. Ask backpackers, not locals for recomendations. Choose the ones that sound best and go to their offices. Look for new equipment, ask about safety standards and remember - prices are fixed, all companies charge the same price, so you can afford to choose the best. ...
howaysali 09.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Ko Tao (Thailand)
Advantages: beautiful scenery, great weather, friendly & experienced divers- amazing island! Disadvantages: boat takes 2.5hours from ko samui- but you can sunbathe and mingle with other travellers, so also good
Arriving on Ko Tao, we were bombarded by guest house employees offering "best price for you!" honestly the one and only place to stay is Bans. It is the biggest dive resort on the island, with great and friendly instructors and really sociable restaurant and bar. We planned to stay for 5days in Ko Tao but ended up staying for 3weeks. I completed my open water padi in 4 days and decided diving really was not for me, so while my friends tackled advanced ... ...trek to get there but in the end worth it! A relaxed place, Ko Tao offers something for everyone but I would recommend it particularly to those who like adventure and having fun! And remember you must buy an "I love Ko Tao" t-shirt, as well as a "Narcosis" one.......... ...
luluob 09.09.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Ko Tao (Thailand)
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If you are planning a trip travelling round Thailand and want to visit the Gulf coast islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phnag Nang & KoTao the most conveinient way to get there is by air with Bangkok Airways.
Flight lasts 1 hour 20 mins compared to an overnight journey by train and then a boat journey. Cost substantially more at 1500 Bahts but that equals out at around £30.
Planes are new and service is excellent. Only one class available.
Flight is comparable to any domestic UK BA flight with more affable staff!
If you are arriving at Bangkok by plane and want to head straight to the islands walk 5 mins to the domestic air terminal and outside Christmas and Easter you will usually be able to buy a ticket to travel that day. ...
howaysali 30.07.2000 (06.03.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Bangkok Airways
their direction. The fish are as colourful as they are numerous and you can literally spend hours watching them as they go about their business. Each morning up to 15 black tipped sharks feed near the shore. These animals are completely harmless and run for cover if you get too close (as if!).
There are many beaches within a few minutes walking distance from the village. The quality of these beaches is not as good as at Long Beach but they make a welcome retreat from the noise of the restaurants and bars. Here you can play volleyball or just watch all the activity that takes place around the pier.
ATTRACTIONS
Ko Phi Phi has many natural attractions that rank among the best in Thailand. The diving runs a close second to KoTao in the Gulf of Thailand and there are numerous sites for snorkelling. The wealth of fish on view is ...
