Hi Steemit friends,
Last February me and my boyfriend traveled through Thailand and Vietnam together. In this post i want to tell you about one of the Thai islands called Koh Tao and what we did on our four day stay there. Koh Tao, which means 'turtle island', is the best place to go to if you want to snorkel, learn how to dive or just have a really good time. This little tropical island is close to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan and is one of the cheapest places in the world to get your diving certificate.
Because we both traveled to Thailand from another country, we met in Bangkok and booked a combination ticket for the bus and ferry to Koh Tao at Bangkok central station. Our plan was to go by train, but it was fully booked. So if you want to go by train, make sure you book in advance.
Everyone on the bus got a different colored sticker, so the travel agency employees knew on what island we had to get off. The bus ride was really bumpy and I didn’t have any sleep at all. Luckily the boat trip was very nice because we had a beautiful sunrise. When we arrived at Koh Tao the first thing we did was go to our hotel and sleep. We stayed in a village close to Sairee beach, where you can see the best sunsets on the island. Unfortunately we slept through the sunset that evening, so we went for dinner and enjoyed the rest of the evening walking around town.
The next day we rented a scooter and visited some beaches and viewpoints. We drove to Mango bay which is great for snorkeling, but not so great to go to with a scooter. So the last part we dropped our scooter and walked. In my opinion this was the best place to go snorkeling in Koh Tao. There were so many beautiful fishes and the beach wasn’t too crowded. There even was a little bar where you could get some drinks. Because we already really enjoyed the snorkeling, we didn’t get our diving license. If you do want to get your diving license then most diving facilities can be found close to the large beach Hat Sai Ri.
After visiting the beach at Mango bay, we climbed all the way up to Mango viewpoint. This is a great place to see the island and have a drink. The view is really amazing but the climb up is a little dangerous. Make sure to be careful when it has rained, because it can be very slippery.
That day we also went up to the North of the island where you can see the so called twin rocks, Koh Nang Yuan. When it’s low tide you can walk between the islands you see in the picture below. We went for lunch in a restaurant from where you can see the islands and which also had a nice place to snorkel.
The next two days we drove down South of the island and visited the (recommended) John-Suwan Viewpoint. From here you can see the beaches on the left and right of you. After the viewpoint we drove down to visit both beaches. These beaches are a little crowded but still really worth a visit. We also visited shark bay which is a small beach where you can see sharks and even turtles now and then. We didn’t see any, but I did found this beautiful shell (which I left in the sea because there was still some animal living in it).
We stayed for three nights and then went on to Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. I actually regret not staying a little longer on Koh Tao, because in my opinion this was the most laid back and beautiful island of the three islands East of Thailand.
Tips:
- Never give your passport when renting a scooter (give a copy) and always make pictures of the scooter before you leave.
- Don’t forget to take or buy diving glasses. The fish are so colorful and beautiful!
- Use maps.me or another offline map to find out all the ways to beautiful hidden beaches. This way we found many great beaches which aren’t always indicated on the traffic signs.
I hope you enjoyed reading!
Lots of love,
Marleen