The island covers just 21 square kilometres but packs in over 25 recognised dive sites, from the gentle slopes of Japanese Gardens — ideal for beginners — to the deep pinnacles of Chumphon Pinnacle where whale sharks occasionally pass. Learning to dive on Koh Tao is cheap by global standards, and the cluster of dive schools around Mae Haad pier means you can be underwater the same afternoon you arrive.
Above the waterline, Koh Tao rewards those who look beyond the dive scene. The viewpoint hike above Sairee Beach delivers one of the best panoramas in the gulf, and the boulder-strewn hillsides on the south and east of the island feel genuinely remote. Sairee itself is the longest beach on the island — a relaxed strip of sand with a good mix of budget guesthouses, bars, and restaurants. Tanote Bay on the east coast offers excellent snorkelling from the shore without booking a boat.
Getting to Koh Tao
We run a direct ferry service from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. The crossing passes through the waters north of Phangan and takes roughly two to two-and-a-half hours depending on conditions and vessel type. Travellers from Bangkok or Phuket reach the gulf by flight, overnight train, or coach, then connect to the island ferry at Surat Thani or transfer via Koh Samui. Note that sea conditions in the Gulf of Thailand are occasionally rough between November and January — we advise checking conditions before travel in those months.