This paradise island is located on the East coast, almost in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. It’s an small island, little more than 21 km2 and can be reached by boat from Chumphon or Surat Thani on the mainland.

Koh Tao is on of three islands located here. Koh Tao is the island that lies northerly of them. South of Koh Tao and in the middle is Koh Phangan and even more south you will find Koh Samui.

Koh Tao means ”Turtle Island”. Despite the name, it’s not many turtles left, unfortunately. But they can appear sometime every now or then.

As Koh Tao is an tiny island there are no airport here, you can only go to Koh Tao by boat. A little messy perhaps some people think. But this is not a bad thing, the good things that come with this is that the island has no mass tourism and charter tourism as many other places in Thailand. Sure, the tourism has left its mark, for the better and the worse, but both Thais and foreigners ”falang” are more aware and want to preserve this wonderful island.

Be aware & care! Koh Tao, a tropical paradise, shouldn’t we keep it that way? There are over a 100 000 visitors per year, who obviously have a severe impact on the eco-system. Unfortunately there are no garbage disposal facilities, what can’t be burned, has to be taken away. There is no department to clean roads or the open landscape.
So, it is everybody’s responsibility to help keep this problem as small as possible.
Here is what you can do, to make a difference.
Water is scarce, especially during the hot season, don’t waste it, don’t leave it running, especially during a shower.
Electricity, supplied by generators, is very expensive, be economical, switch off the lights and Air-Con when you leaving your room.
Don’t litter, there are rubbish bins for garbage and containers for bottles and cans. Use them!
Try to avoid using the plastic bags that will be given out for any little item you purchase, bring you own bag instead.
Cigarette butts need ages to decompose and the ashes spoil the beach, so use ashtrays or empty cans or such.
Do not flush down paper or other things down the toilet, the pipes are easily clogged, but very difficult to clear.
When you snorkel, dive or swim, please follow these two rule:
Don’t throw anything at all into the sea! Just look -never touch!

Koh Tao offers a wide variety of restaurants and bars, shopping of all kinds, great diving and snorkeling. For the active visitors you can exercise thai-boxing, work-out at the gym, rock climbing, bowling or trapeze jumping. Or just having lazy days in the sun at one of Koh Tao’s beautiful beaches. You can get around the island by foot, by bicycle, rent a motorbike, take a taxi or long-tail boat.
The atmosphere is more quite and laid-back then it is elsewhere, but in the evenings on Sairee Beach could be anything from quiet and cozy to the full party at Ban’s Bar Fishbowl, AC Bar or Lotus Bar!

If you have time, get a few days on the nearby islands of Koh Phangan or Koh Samui. The fastest way is to travel by the Lomprayah Catamaran, it takes about 1.5 hour to Koh Phangan and then a 30 minutes more to Koh Samui.
Koh Phangan is most famous for its Full Moon-partis once a month at Haad Rin Beach. But Koh Phangan is much more than that. A little larger island than Koh Tao to explore by motorbike, waterfalls, Coconut Twin Trees and beautiful beaches.
Koh Samui is the largest of the three islands. There is Samui International Airport. On Koh Samui you will find a wide range of shopping, restaurants and bars. A little more hustle and bustle. Check out the Big Buddha Tempel, or drive Go karts. Every evening at the large beach Chaweng you can have dinner down on the beach while you hear the waves . That is so nice.

But Koh Tao is a Paradise for us and many other people.
Hope you also will like the ”Turtle Island”!

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