Mountains, colorful boats and cute houses…The Koh Tao island is everything you ever dreamed of and more. In case you were still hesitating, I’m telling you : you’ll fall in love with this island at first sight. To help you make the most of your stay, here is a complete Koh Tao travel advice guide.
There are so many “must see” on Koh Tao : you can easily stay a week there without getting bored. But first, let’s talk about all the Koh Tao island travel basic information you need : a Koh Tao map, should you go to Koh Tao or Koh Samui, where to take the ferry to Koh Tao, where is the Koh Tao airport, what’s the best Koh Tao accommodation, where are the best Koh Tao activities, like Koh Tao scuba diving…
First things to know
Where is Koh Tao ? This paradise island is located in the Gulf of Thailand, on the east coast of Surat Thani province, nearby Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. How big is Koh Tao ? It’s 21 km² and its population is around 1300 residents, either Thai people or expats who fell in love with Koh Tao Thailand.
What about the weather for Koh Tao ? No risk of cold temperatures there, just a lot of rain during the rainy season in May, October, November and December. May is the warmest month with an average temperature of 33°C while the temperature in January is more around 29°C.
So… if you had to choose, should you go to Koh Tao or Koh Phangan ? I’d personally highly recommend Koh Tao, but it depends what you’re looking for during your Koh Tao holidays. This island is the diving island queen of Thailand, but there’s also a lot of beautiful sightseeing, mountain treks, and parties. Yes, the Koh Tao nightlife has nothing to envy to Koh Phangan, except the famous Full Moon Party !
Getting to Koh Tao
The classic journey of a backpacker is to do a Koh Tao trip from Koh Phangan. You can book a Koh Tao ferry for just 15€ at most harbor or travel offices. I’d not recommend booking online, it’s usually more expensive and it doesn’t always benefit the locals. Olease choose to help the local tourism live better !
If you’re coming from the continent, there are Koh Tao flights from Bangkok, Singapore and other big cities.
Where to stay ?
Mae Haad Depending on your budget and what kind of place you’re looking for, Koh Tao booking will be your best ally to find Koh Tao best hotels. For backpackers travelling on a budget, the Mae Haad area is the best : there are loads of Koh Tao hostels. Sairee Beach is also full of Koh Tao hotels because this is where the hottest nightlife is ! Finally, if you’re looking for tranquilly, you can give a try to one of the many Koh Tao airbnb or resorts on the heavenly Tanote Bay. If you’re doing a longer stay, you can even test different hotels following your Koh Tao tour. For more recommendations, you can check out this Koh Tao travel blog.
Koh Tao things to do
Close your eyes and imagine yourself getting a massage at the Koh Tao beach club, trekking a mountain to the best viewpoint, partying with the locals or snorkeling at a Koh Tao beach. Yes, you can do pretty much everything on this island, so here are my favourite spots.
Koh Tao Viewpoint
Thanks to its mountainous landscapes, this island offers many panoramic views : the Mango Viewpoint, Suwan Viewpoint, Stone Age Viewpoint…
Koh Tao : Love @ Koh Tao restaurant viewpoint 
Koh Tao : Love @ Koh Tao heart viewpoint
The one I’m going to tell you about is the West Coast Viewpoint. It’s not the most touristic one, which made it even funnier because we struggled a bit to find it. It’s a 1h30 walk from Sairee Beach, but you can start at the bar restaurant Love @ Koh Tao, which has a stunning viewpoint too by the way. A little further, you’ll find another restaurant where you can buy tickets to access the view point. It’s very cheap, so worth it, and only a ten minutes walk away from the restaurant. The viewpoint is hidden between two big rocks, open your eyes widely !
Koh Tao Diving
Another absolute must do : Koh Tao snorkeling ! You can either take a Koh Tao diving trip with a diving school, or simply borrow an equipment for very little money, at the bar of the beach for example, and use it all day. Koh Tao snorkelling tour price differs if you do it by yourself or with a school obviously, but it’s very accessible in both cases. You’ll discover the underwater world and its colorful pisces, and with a bit of luck, some turtles and sharks at a beach called Shark Bay.
Koh Tao : Snorkeling at the Shark Bay 
Koh Tao : Stairway to Heaven at Shark Bay Beach 
Koh Tao : Underwater view at the Shark Bay
Koh Nang Yuan : the perfect island near Koh Tao
On your trip, you have to do a day trip to Koh Nang Yuan. It’s literally mind blowing and really close. You really can’t go to Thailand without going there : there’s one of the most famous viewpoints of the country and you can swim in an incredible crystal clear water.
Koh Tao : Koh Nang Yuan Island Viewpoint 
Koh Tao : Koh Nang Yuan Island Snorkeling
A little piece of advice tho : don’t forget to bring your mosquito spray and your suncream. Indeed, you literally have to “run” all the way to the top to avoid being bitten, and one hour underwater is enough to get your back completely sunburnt.
I hope those Koh Tao travel tips help you plan your trip to this idyllic place ! There’s obviously a lot more to do in Koh Tao if you get to spend more time there. Check out this Bangkok One Day Itinerary or those tips to travel to Thailand on a budget to put together the best Thailand holidays.
