Free beach to shark bay

This is the free way into Shark Bay. It's a small public beach and shore access at the western end of the bay on Koh Tao's south coast, about 250 meters from the main beach, where Haad Tien Beach Resort charges around ฿200 to come in. From here you swim round into the bay to snorkel with its green turtles and small blacktip reef sharks.

The catch is the sea. Reviewers call it easy, free access but not an easy swim when the water is choppy, so I'd only do it on a calm morning, which is also when the turtles are closest. Wear water shoes, because the shore around the bay is rock and broken coral, and bring water and sun cover, since there's little here. Koh Tao is driest from February to September, and October to December bring the roughest seas.