Destination guide
Things to Do in Koh Tao
Turtles off the beach, a sandbar islet and a viewpoint above every bay
The best thing to do in Koh Tao is take the first taxi boat to Koh Nang Yuan, climb to the viewpoint over its sandbar and snorkel off the beach before the day boats arrive. After that, swim with the turtles at Shark Bay early in the morning, climb John-Suwan Viewpoint above the southern bays, snorkel off the sand at Aow Leuk and Tanote, and watch the sunset and the fire shows on Sairee.
Most visitors come to learn to dive, and if that's you, an Open Water course runs about ฿11,000–12,500 over three to four days. You don't need a certificate to enjoy the island, though, because the best of it is a mask and fins away. Below are eighteen things to do, ranked, with each one's fees and hours, the snorkeling bays and viewpoints compared, what to do when the monsoon arrives, and what to skip.
Arriving in Koh Tao
Where to stay in Koh Tao
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Key Facts
Carry cash for the gate fees
Koh Nang Yuan charges ฿250 (children ฿120), John-Suwan about ฿100 paid in two parts, Mango Bay about ฿100 by land, Freedom Beach about ฿50, and Love Koh Tao ฿20 unless you buy a drink. ATMs charge ฿250–350 per foreign-card withdrawal.
Snorkel early
The water is calmest and the turtles closest in the early morning, and Shark Bay's reef sharks are most often seen before about 09:00. Later in the day the round-island boats arrive and the best bays fill up.
Boats beat the hill roads
Taxi boats reach the far bays the roads make hard work, about ฿150–200 from Mae Haad to Tanote and ฿100–150 each way from Sairee to Koh Nang Yuan. A snorkeling day trip covers five bays in one go.
Think twice about a scooter
Scooters rent for about ฿200–300 a day, but the roads are steep concrete with sand on the turns, and the tracks to the east-coast bays are rougher still. The island is only about 7.5 km from end to end, so taxis and taxi boats cover everything.
February to September is the season
February is the driest month at the Ko Samui weather station, with 64 mm of rain on about four days. November is the wettest, with 445 mm on about sixteen.
Four nights covers it
That's a day for Koh Nang Yuan and Sairee, a day on a snorkeling boat, a day for the south coast, and a spare day for the weather. Add four days for an Open Water course.
The 18 Best Things to Do in Koh Tao
Ranked by how much I'd prioritize each one on a first visit of four nights, for someone who isn't on a dive course. Divers can slot the boat days in around the same list.
1. Koh Nang Yuan, Off the northwest coast, about 15 minutes by boat
The postcard viewThree small islets joined by a white sandbar, with a short, steep, rocky climb to the viewpoint that's on every Koh Tao postcard. It looks like the photos, and the snorkeling off the sandbar is good enough that you'll want the water straight after the climb.
Entry is ฿250 for adults and ฿120 for children, and staff check bags for plastic bottles, which aren't allowed, so fill a reusable one first. The island is privately run, day visitors have to leave in the afternoon, and the published closing times differ, so ask your boat for its last pickup. Go on the first boat, before the day trips from Samui and Phangan land. The Koh Nang Yuan guide has the boats, the rules, the snorkeling and a night at the resort.
- Getting there
- A taxi boat from Sairee, about ฿100–150 each way (more from Mae Haad pier), or on a snorkeling day trip.
- When to go
- The first boat of the morning.
2. Turtles at Shark Bay, The south coast, between Chalok Baan Kao and Sai Daeng
Turtles and reef sharksAo Thian Og, Shark Bay, is where people snorkel with green turtles grazing in the shallows and small, shy blacktip reef sharks, straight off the beach. Plenty of snorkelers never see a shark, and that's normal. Never chase or touch the turtles.
Most people go in through Haad Tien Beach Resort, which charges about ฿200 a head. The free way is the small public beach about 250 m west, though the swim round is hard work when the sea is choppy. Wear water shoes, because the shore is broken coral and rock.
- Getting there
- About 15 minutes by taxi from Sairee, then the steep road down.
- When to go
- Before about 09:00, on a calm day.
3. Learn to dive, or try it for a day, Dive schools all along the west coast
Why most people comeKoh Tao is one of the world's busiest places to learn to dive. An Open Water course takes three to four days and costs about ฿11,000–12,500, often with a room thrown in, and a try dive is one day with an instructor to a maximum of 12 m.
Certified divers head for Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock, both down to about 45 m, where whale sharks turn up in some years. My diving guide compares the schools and the sites, so I won't repeat it here.
- Getting there
- Every school runs its own boats from Sairee, Mae Haad or Chalok.
- When to go
- February to September for the clearest water.
4. John-Suwan Viewpoint and Freedom Beach, The southern tip
The view over the twin baysA short, sweaty scramble through jungle and over boulders to a rock above the island's southern tip, with Chalok Baan Kao on one side and Shark Bay on the other. It's steep enough that flip-flops are a mistake, but the trail is shaded most of the way.
You pay about ฿50 at the Freedom Beach gate and another ฿50 at the trail. Freedom Beach itself is a small, calm cove with good snorkeling close to shore, so climb first and swim after.
- Getting there
- Walk from Chalok Baan Kao through Freedom Beach.
- When to go
- Early morning or sunset, never midday.
5. A snorkeling day trip around the island, Round the island by boat
Five bays in one dayThe easiest way to see the bays with no road or a bad one. The classic day stops at Koh Nang Yuan, Mango Bay, Hin Wong, Aow Leuk and Shark Bay, with lunch on board and the masks and fins included.
Check whether the Nang Yuan fee is in the price, because some trips add it on the day. Book a day or two ahead in the high season.
- Getting there
- Hotel pickup is included on most trips.
- When to go
- Any calm day from February to September.
6. Sunset and fire shows on Sairee, The west coast
The social eveningKoh Tao's one long beach, about 1.85 km of sand lined with dive schools, bars and restaurants, with calm, shallow water and the sun setting over the sea. Everyone comes out for it, and you can rent a paddleboard on the beach for the last hour of light.
After dark the beach bars light up the fire shows. Lotus Beach Bar, open 15:00 to midnight, is the best known, and Fishbowl stays open until 02:00.
- Getting there
- Walkable from most of the west coast, or a short taxi from Mae Haad pier.
- When to go
- From about an hour before sunset.
7. Aow Leuk, The southeast coast, north of Shark Bay
Coral a minute from the sandA small, sheltered bay where you wade in and you're over coral with reef fish around you within a minute, with no boat needed. The beach is small and the point is the water, so give it half a day.
Entry is about ฿100 with a sunbed and a drink. Bring your own mask if you have one.
- Getting there
- By taxi from Mae Haad. The road down is steep.
- When to go
- Morning, before the snorkeling boats.
8. Tanote Bay and the jump rock, The east coast
Snorkeling and a cliff jumpA sheltered bay ringed by boulders, with coral and fish a few strokes from the beach, and the easiest of the east-coast bays to reach. The rock in the bay is the island's best-known jump, about 5 m into deep water, so check the depth and watch someone else go first.
A handful of restaurants and bungalows keep it low-key, and it's far quieter than the west coast.
- Getting there
- A taxi boat from Mae Haad for about ฿150–200, or the steep road over the hill.
- When to go
- Morning, when the light is on the water.
9. Mango Bay and Mango Viewpoint, The northern tip
Sunset from aboveAo Mamuang is the only beach on the north coast, a short strip of sand with a reef down both sides of the bay and some of the island's best snorkeling. Every round-island boat stops here.
The viewpoint above it is a sunset spot, 40 to 60 minutes uphill from Sairee on foot, and about ฿100 with a drink. By land the bay costs about ฿100 and the road ends in a long staircase, so I'd go to the bay by boat and save the legs for the viewpoint.
- Getting there
- A taxi boat from Sairee for the bay, or walk or ride up for the viewpoint.
- When to go
- Calm mornings for the bay, the last hour of light for the viewpoint.
10. Sunrise at Love Koh Tao, Above Tanote Bay, the east side
SunriseA viewpoint café on the hill above Tanote Bay with two or three photo platforms. It faces east, so it's a sunrise spot, and it opens at 06:00, which is about when you want to be there.
Entry is ฿20 a person unless you buy something, so most people order a drink. The road up is very steep, so park lower down if you're not confident on a scooter.
- Getting there
- By taxi or scooter over the hill toward Tanote.
- When to go
- Sunrise. It closes at 18:30.
11. Haad Sai Nuan and the coast walk, The southwest coast, between Mae Haad and Chalok
A walk with swimsTwo small, quiet coves with calm water and good snorkeling around the boulders, reached on a trail of about 1 km or by taxi boat. It's the beach I'd pick for a quiet afternoon on the west side.
It also sits on the best walk on the island, the coast path from Mae Haad to Chalok Baan Kao, about 5–6 km past Jansom Bay and Sai Nuan, which takes two to four hours with swimming stops.
- Getting there
- On foot from Mae Haad or Chalok, or by taxi boat.
- When to go
- Start early, with water and proper shoes.
12. Muay Thai at Monsoon Gym, Sairee
Training between divesKoh Tao's main Muay Thai gym, in the middle of Sairee, with group classes led by Thai trainers, private sessions and its own fight nights at the on-site ring. Walk-in classes are as normal as monthly packages.
It's open 08:00 to 20:00. Island Muay Thai, north along Sairee, is the other gym, open 08:00 to 19:00 and closed on Sundays. Leave a gap between hard sparring and deep dives, and tell your instructor you're training.
- Getting there
- Walkable from anywhere in Sairee.
- When to go
- A morning class, then the beach.
13. Thai Cooking with Joy, Near Sairee
A rainy afternoonA small-group cooking school teaching proper Thai dishes rather than toned-down versions, starting with choosing the ingredients. It's the obvious thing to do on a day the sea is too rough for the boats.
Classes are small and fill up, so book ahead on the school's website, and set aside a few hours.
- Getting there
- A short taxi from Sairee.
- When to go
- Any day, and best when the weather turns.
14. The hike to Laem Thian, The east coast, below the hill above Sairee
A hike to an empty coveA small cove with no road down, reached through shaded jungle or by kayak, with the shell of an abandoned resort behind the beach and some of the quietest snorkeling on the island.
Allow an hour or more each way, wear proper shoes and carry water. People go for the walk and the empty water, not the sand.
- Getting there
- On foot from the hill above Sairee.
- When to go
- Morning, before the heat.
15. Rock climbing, Mae Haad
A day out of the waterKoh Tao has plenty of climbing on its granite boulders, and Goodtime Adventures runs climbing as well as diving from one desk, which helps when the sea is churned up. A half day fits either side of a dive.
It's open 09:00 to 18:00 every day. Book ahead between November and April.
- Getting there
- Walkable from Mae Haad pier, or a short taxi from Sairee.
- When to go
- Morning or late afternoon, out of the midday sun.
16. A freediving course, Schools around Sairee and Chalok
Diving on one breathThe quieter alternative to scuba, learning to dive on a single breath down a line, and Koh Tao has several dedicated freediving schools. A beginner course takes one to two days and ends with breath-holds of a few minutes and dives to 10–15 m.
- When to go
- February to September, when the water is calm and clear.
17. Sunset at Aow June Juea, The south coast, west of Chalok
A quiet sunset swimA small bay with very clear water, soft sand and snorkeling straight off the beach, and visitors rate it one of the better sunset beaches on the island. A café on the sand rents snorkel gear and kayaks.
The last stretch down is steep, by scooter and on foot, so take it slowly.
- Getting there
- Signposted off the main road west of Chalok.
- When to go
- Late afternoon to sunset.
18. Ao Hin Wong, The east coast, north of Tanote
Rocks and clear waterThe bay of round rocks, a rugged cove with no real beach, a small bar and clear, calm water full of reef fish. It's one of the stops on the round-island snorkeling trips, and there's an entrance fee by land.
- Getting there
- By boat, or a steep, winding road from Mae Haad.
- When to go
- Morning, for the light.
Koh Tao Attractions, Fees and Hours at a Glance
| Place | Open | Cost | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Nang Yuan | Daytime for day visitors, closing times vary | ฿250 (child ฿120), taxi boat about ฿100–150 each way | First boat |
| Shark Bay | Always open | About ฿200 via Haad Tien, free from the public beach | Before 09:00 |
| John-Suwan Viewpoint | Always open | About ฿100 in total (฿50 + ฿50) | Early or sunset |
| Freedom Beach | Always open | About ฿50 | Morning |
| Sairee Beach | Always open | Free | Sunset |
| Aow Leuk | Always open | About ฿100 with a sunbed and a drink | Morning |
| Tanote Bay | Always open | Free, taxi boat ฿150–200 from Mae Haad | Morning |
| Mango Bay | Daylight | About ฿100 by land | Calm morning |
| Mango Viewpoint | Daylight | About ฿100 with a drink | Sunset |
| Love Koh Tao | 06:00–18:30 daily | ฿20, or buy a drink | Sunrise |
| West Coast Viewpoint | 06:00–18:00 daily | No fee listed | Early morning |
| Haad Sai Nuan | Always open | A 1 km trail, or a taxi boat | Afternoon |
| Monsoon Gym | 08:00–20:00 daily | Drop-in classes or packages | Morning class |
| Island Muay Thai | 08:00–19:00, closed Sun | Drop-in classes or packages | Morning class |
| Goodtime Adventures (climbing) | 09:00–18:00 daily | Ask for the half-day rate | Morning |
| Koh Tao Yoga | 07:00–20:00 daily | Check the class schedule | Early class |
| Lotus Beach Bar | 15:00–midnight daily | Free fire show | After dark |
| Queen's Cabaret | Shows 21:30–23:30 nightly | Mid-range | Arrive early |
Hours come from each place's Google listing in our records and can change on Thai public holidays. Gate fees are collected in cash and change without notice, so the figures above are the ones most recently reported.
The Best Snorkeling on Koh Tao, Bay by Bay
Koh Tao's snorkeling is the best in the Gulf, and most of it starts from the sand. For turtles and reef sharks, go to Shark Bay early. For coral straight off a small beach, Aow Leuk and Tanote are the easiest, and Aow June Juea and Haad Sai Nuan are the quiet ones on the west side. Hin Wong and Mango Bay are rockier and clearer, and best reached by boat. Koh Nang Yuan's reef is right off the sandbar.
Sai Daeng Resort rents kayaks for the short paddle out to Shark Island, a small rock off the south coast with coral and plenty of fish. Wear reef-safe sunscreen, keep your feet off the coral, and plan around the calm mornings, because an overcast, drizzly afternoon turns the water murky.
Koh Tao's Viewpoints, Sunrise to Sunset
Koh Tao has a viewpoint above almost every bay, and the trick is matching each one to the light. Love Koh Tao faces east over Tanote and opens at 06:00, so it's the sunrise. John-Suwan works at both ends of the day, with the two southern bays below it. Mango Viewpoint, up from Sairee, is the sunset, and Aow June Juea is the sunset from the sand.
Koh Nang Yuan's viewpoint is the famous one, but it's a daytime climb unless you stay at the island's resort. West Coast Viewpoint, open 06:00 to 18:00, is the quiet one, and the view is clearest early in the morning. Every one of them is a steep climb on rock, so wear shoes with grip and carry water.
Things to Do in Koh Tao When It Rains
Koh Tao is on the Gulf side, so its rainy season runs October to December, the opposite of Phuket's. The Ko Samui weather station, the nearest with long-term records, averages 295 mm of rain in October, 445 mm in November and 263 mm in December, and the boats can be rough or canceled. July, by contrast, gets about 117 mm, and the island is busy with the European summer.
On a wet day I'd book Thai Cooking with Joy, take a morning class at Monsoon Gym or Island Muay Thai, go to a yoga class at Koh Tao Yoga, or book a massage. Dive courses still run through the monsoon, but it's the worst time to plan a trip around the pinnacles, because visibility drops.
Arriving in Koh Tao
Top-Ranked Hotels in Koh Tao
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Koh Tao. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#1Assava Diving Koh Tao | PADI 5* CDC Scuba Diving Centre & Hotel Beach Resort, Thailand4.9 (2,642 reviews)
A dive school with rooms attached, on Koh Tao's quieter southern bay, built for people who came to get certified.
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#6Sunrise Koh Tao4.6 (328 reviews)
A well-regarded resort steps from Maehaad Pier, ideal for divers and island explorers on Koh Tao.
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#9Nomads Koh Tao Hostel4.5 (320 reviews)
A well-rated hostel on Koh Tao offering a sociable base for divers and island explorers.
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Things to Do in Koh Tao at Night
Nights here start on Sairee. Watch the sunset with a drink, then stay for the fire shows, which start after dark at the beach bars, with Lotus Beach Bar the best known. The Koh Tao pub crawl meets at Chopper's Sports Bar in Sairee at about 18:00 on set nights, and Queen's Cabaret puts on a show every night from 21:30.
For something less boozy, catch a fight night at Monsoon Gym, advertised on posters around the island, or book a night dive if you're certified. My Koh Tao nightlife list ranks the bars, from beach lounges to the late clubs.
Things to Do in Koh Tao With Kids
Koh Tao works for families who like the water. Sairee's sea is calm and shallow for most of the year, and Taa Toh lagoon in Chalok Baan Kao Bay is sheltered enough for less confident swimmers. Children can snorkel over coral from the beach at Aow Leuk, and Koh Nang Yuan charges ฿120 for a child.
The cooking class and a paddleboard on Sairee fill a slow afternoon. Skip the scooter with children on the back, because the hills are steep and the turns are sandy, and use taxis and taxi boats instead.
What to Skip
Skip Koh Nang Yuan in the middle of the day, when the boats from Samui and Phangan land and the sandbar is shoulder to shoulder. Go first thing or not at all. And skip the drive down to Mango Bay and Hin Wong unless you're confident on a scooter, because the roads are steep and rough and the boat is easier.
Don't plan a diving trip around October to December, the Gulf monsoon, when visibility drops and boats are canceled. And at Shark Bay, don't chase the turtles or stand on the coral for a photo. The bay works because people leave them alone.
How Many Days, and Where to Stay
Four nights suits most people who aren't diving. One day for Koh Nang Yuan and the sunset on Sairee, one on a snorkeling boat, one for the south coast with Shark Bay, John-Suwan and Freedom Beach, and one spare for the weather or the coast walk. An Open Water course adds four days, and plenty of people who come for one stay for weeks.
Stay on Sairee for the beach, the bars and walking distance to most of the dive schools, in Chalok Baan Kao for quiet with restaurants close by, or on an east-coast bay like Tanote for snorkeling off your doorstep. My Koh Tao travel guide covers the boats from Samui and Bangkok, and my guide to where to stay on Koh Tao has every area and the hotels.
Plan the rest of the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Things to Do in Koh Tao.
Take the first taxi boat to Koh Nang Yuan, climb to the viewpoint over the sandbar and snorkel off the beach before the day trips arrive. Snorkeling with the turtles at Shark Bay in the early morning is a close second.
Plenty. Snorkel off the beach at Shark Bay, Aow Leuk and Tanote, take a round-island snorkeling boat, climb John-Suwan, Mango and Love Koh Tao viewpoints, walk the coast path from Mae Haad to Chalok, and fill the rest with Muay Thai, rock climbing, a cooking class or the fire shows on Sairee.
฿250 for adults and ฿120 for children, plus a taxi boat of about ฿100–150 each way from Sairee, more from Mae Haad pier. Plastic bottles aren't allowed on the island.
At Shark Bay on the south coast, where green turtles graze in the shallows and small blacktip reef sharks are often seen before about 09:00. Enter through Haad Tien Beach Resort for about ฿200, or free from the small public beach at the western end.
Sunset on Sairee and the fire shows after dark, the coast walk to Haad Sai Nuan, Tanote Bay, Shark Bay from the free public beach, and Wat Koh Tao, the island's temple. Most viewpoints charge ฿20–100.
Book a cooking class, a Muay Thai or yoga session, or a massage, and keep the dive course's pool and theory days for the worst weather. The rain falls mostly from October to December, with 445 mm in November at the Ko Samui station.
Watch the sunset and the fire shows on Sairee, join the pub crawl from Chopper's, see the nightly show at Queen's Cabaret, or catch a fight night at Monsoon Gym.
Four nights if you're not diving, for Koh Nang Yuan, a snorkeling trip, the south coast and a spare day. Add four days for an Open Water course.
Where to stay in Koh Tao
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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