8 Great Things to do in Koh Tao

Koh Tao is one of my favorite islands in Thailand.  Though it’s famous for diving, we loved it for so many other reasons too. Of course, we spent most of our time snorkeling and swimming in the crystal clear waters, but we also managed to find beautiful viewpoints around the small island.

Koh Tao is mainly for those of you looking for a place to relax, great swimming, and want to get away from the more touristy areas of Thailand.  Here are some of our favorite things to do in Koh Tao.

1. Go Beach Hopping & Snorkeling

Though Koh Tao is only 21km around, the island boasts perfect white beaches.  In our opinion, it has the most stunning ones in Thailand.  The waters are crystal clear and perfect for snorkeling and swimming.  And although Koh Tao means ‘turtle island,’ we didn’t see any sea turtles as we did once in Cancun.  However, you might be luckier than us and spot one.  Here are a few beaches we visited:

Sairee Beach

This beach has the longest stretch of soft powdery sand in Koh Tao and is one of the clearest waters.  The beach is known for its beautiful sunset, nightlife, and restaurants.

Freedom Beach

Freedom Beach is popular because of its waters. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see it during the day, but we walked along the edge at night and noticed how crystal clear it was.  Near the beach, there are some incredible viewpoints to explore.

Sai Daeng Beach

Sai Daeng feels like a private beach but is open to the public.  It sits in front of Sai Daeng Beach Resort and has a small area of sand.  The water is beautiful, you have a view of shark points, and you have rocks nearby where you can snorkel.  If you swim out far enough, you might get lucky and spot a shark since it’s one of the closest beaches to shark point.

Private Beaches

If you drive around by scooter, you can find random beaches.  We found this one but never found out the name.  It’s by Mol’s Beach Bar.

2. Visit Koh Tao Viewpoints & Hike

We spent a lot of our time checking out the beautiful viewpoints with breathtaking views!  There are quite a few you can visit, and a few charge a small fee to enter.  Some of them require a steep hike, and others, you can arrive by scooter.  Here are some you can find around the island.

John-Suwan Viewpoint

John-Suwan Viewpoint is at the southern tip of Koh Tao. It has views of Chalok Baan Khao Bay and Haad Tien beaches and its hilly interior. We thought the entrance fee was 50 baht, but when we arrived, they charged 100.

Koh Nangyuan

On the northwest coast of the islands sit three tiny and stunning islets.  It is the most photographed place on the island because the sand links all three together.  The price is 200 baht, and you climb the viewpoint and enter the island.  A boat taxi ride there can cost you 300 baht.  Therefore, we recommend going by group or private tour instead and the tour will stop there.  It’s worth the visit and the hoards of crowds.

Sai Deang Viewpoint

If you follow signs to Sai Deang Beach, you will arrive at a final sign pointing to the beach viewpoint.  The viewpoint has a view of the southern tip of the island and the southeast side. The view is quite stunning and free of charge.

Mango Viewpoint

Mango Viewpoint is located in the hills north of the island and has a spectacular view of Mae Haad and Sairee Beach.  The best way to get there is by motorbike, but the streets are rather steep, and you must be careful.

An alternative is to walk a challenging hill past the 7-11 in Sairee Beach.  The price is 100 baht.  We drove a bit past this viewpoint, where a lady was charging 50 baht to another viewpoint.  We chose this one instead and still got a great view.  Just check the signs while driving to find it.

3. Relax with a Massage

When in Thailand, massages are a must!  We got one at each island because this is a luxury that’s too pricey to have back home.  Although you can find them cheaper on other islands in Thailand, in Koh Tao, they start at 300THB, about 9 USD.  My favorite is the foot massage that includes a few minutes on your neck and shoulders.  You can also get a Thai or Thai Oil Massage.

4 . Take a Private Island Tour or Group Island Tour

The most popular activity in Koh Tao is taking an island tour priced at 550- 600 TBH.  The tour takes you to several spots on a boat with many other people.  However, if you can find a local who does private tours, you can get the same tour on a private boat.

We shared our boat with two friends and got the tour for 620 baht each.  The best part was that we started earlier than tour groups and had places to ourselves. So we got to snorkel much longer and got to decide when to leave each spot. Unfortunately, it didn’t come with free lunch, but we packed some sandwiches and headed out.

The official tour includes the following mentioned below, but you can do the same ones on your private tour:

Shark Bay

This bay has much colorful fish and beautiful coral.  You can sometimes run into sharks, but unfortunately, we didn’t spot any.

Hin Wong Bay

Hin Wong Bay is a beautiful cove in Koh Tao with beautiful and colorful coral to explore.

Mango Bay

Mango Bay is full of colorful fish. The beach has soft sand and beautiful clear water.

Aow Leuk

Here, there is clear water and lots of colorful fish too.

Nang Yuan Island: Nang Yan Island is a combination of three islands connected by beautiful sand.   One island has a spectacular viewpoint mentioned earlier for 100 THB, and another has the Japanese Gardens for another 100THB.

5. Go Diving & Get PADI certified

The vibrant coral reefs, crystal clear waters, and colorful sea creatures, including turtles, attract many divers to visit Koh Tao.  It is also known as one of the cheapest places in the world to get PADI certified. As a result, you will see many tourists come here specifically to dive. There are many diving schools to choose from.  If you are afraid to dive, you can go snorkeling instead.

6. Party on the Island of Koh Tao

Koh Tao may not have the same wild nightlife as Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, or Phuket, but Sairee Beach is known for its bar area and fun nightlife on the island.  The party on the beach includes fire shows and house music at the clubs.  The other beaches around Koh Tao don’t have much nightlife, but some will have music at the restaurant bars. Freedom beach will also host parties and concerts occasionally.

7. Play Mini Golf

For only 180 Baht, you can enjoy as many rounds of mini-golf as you’d like at Koh Tao Leisure Park.  The rounds are pretty fun and challenging, but you’re guaranteed a fun night out.  The park also has a sports bar with live sports, pool tables, foosball, pinball machine, foot pool (pool with your feet!), dart boards, and petanque courts.  Lastly, it has a small cinema that screens different movies to enjoy.  We had a great time with our friends here!

8. Visit the Street Night Market

Just across the Koh Tao Leisure Park, there is a  night market.  Though mainly local people go, it’s a great place to check out and try street food.  The market also has other items such as clothes, jewelry, purses, and more that you’ll find at really low prices.  We bought a small camera bag for 100THB (3 USD).

When we visited, the market also had a few games like those you see at the fair.  One night, they had a Thai concert, and we decided to join.  We didn’t understand what they were singing, and we were one of the few tourists around, but it was nice to see the local people having fun.

9. Watch the Koh Tao Sunsets

Koh Tao boasts beautiful sunsets, just like many islands around Thailand.  Most people head to Sairee beach, where the sun puts on a show in the sky. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch it from there, but we did enjoy it from another side of the island at a small beach whose name I don’t remember.

How to Get Around

By far, the best way to get around Koh Tao is by scooter.  Rentals start at 200 THB to 300.  Most places require you to leave a passport or a very high deposit.

The other way to get around is walking, depending on where you stay.  The island is relatively small but steep in some areas.  But if something is within 35 minutes and you don’t mind walking, this is a great option.

Another way is by taxi.  We didn’t see Tuk Tuks here.  Instead, there were pickup trucks that charged 300 THB for a short ride.  There are also the taxi buses you hop on to for a lower price.

Where to Eat

Because Koh Tao has gained more popularity, there is a growing nightlife and more restaurants than before.  We enjoyed the food at:

• JP Resort at the southern end of the island.
• Su Chili-Thai, Seafood, and Northern food.  Our dishes were quite delicious.
• Mania Guesthouse-Had a great breakfast!

Where to Stay

There is a varied selection of hotels that range from hostels to guesthouses, beach bungalows, and a few luxury hotels.  Prices are a little higher on this island than on the others, so booking early helps save.

We stayed at Mania Guesthouse, a 3-minute walk from the pier, a beach, and had many restaurants and other entertainment options near us.  We thought this area was quite convenient.

Our friends stayed at JP Resort, which has a more secluded beach.  The area is a bit quieter but still within walking distance to many places.