Overview
Take a trip to Koh Tao on your Thailand Vacation
Koh Tao is an island situated off the Gulf of Thailand and is known for its excellent scuba diving, some of the best in the gulf on a Thailand vacation. Tourism is its almost exclusive industry. You can see turtles, stingrays, barracuda, lots of small fish, and reef sharks and there is a possibility of seeing a whale shark.
It is less developed than nearby Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan but has become increasingly popular, especially with the younger crowd. The white sand beach north of Ao Tanot is the best place on the island for snorkeling due to its very clear waters. There is a sunken catamaran in the bay. This beach can be reached by a long-tail boat. The most popular resort is Sairee on the west coast, which has a white sand beach with a length of 1.7 kilometres/ 1 mile interrupted only by a few huge boulders and some resort hotels and restaurants. Chalok Baan Khao, to the south of the island, is becoming popular as an alternative for those wishing to escape the crowds.
Nearly any time of the year except November is good diving weather in Koh Tao and visibility can exceed 40 metres/130 feet. Average visibility is around 15 to 20 metres/50 to 65 feet. It is possible and perfectly comfortable to swim and dive without a wetsuit year-round. However, as with most diving, a wetsuit is recommended to help reduce the risk of cuts or injury.
You can rent a bicycle or a scooter and ride around the island. Shark Bay is another good place to go snorkeling Other spots include Koh Nang Yuan, Freedom beach, Laem Thian, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Bay and Tanote Bay. Chumpon Pinnacle, a dive site to the west of the island has a reputation for divers in search of both whale sharks and bull sharks. However, because of warmer water temperatures recently, a great number of bull sharks have migrated to cooler waters. The island is host to over 130 species of hard corals and over 223 species of reef fishes.
Apart from scuba diving and snorkeling on Thailand tours, hiking and rock climbing are popular pastimes for visitors.
You can rent a bicycle or a scooter and ride around the island. Shark Bay is another good place to go snorkeling Other spots include Koh Nang Yuan, Freedom beach, Laem Thian, Mango Bay, Hin Wong Bay and Tanote Bay. Chumpon Pinnacle, a dive site to the west of the island has a reputation for divers in search of both whale sharks and bull sharks. However, because of warmer water temperatures recently, a great number of bull sharks have migrated to cooler waters. The island is host to over 130 species of hard corals and over 223 species of reef fishes.
Apart from scuba diving and snorkeling on Thailand tours, hiking and rock climbing are popular pastimes for visitors.
At a Glance
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Thai Baht (THB)What do the experts say?
Thailand is a friendly destination with fun & warm people, great food, and impressive cultural and beach experiences. Simply wandering neighbourhoods, visiting temples, shops & viewpoints, and eating at local restaurants are what I enjoy most when visiting Thailand. The south of Thailand is a special location with beautiful scenery and a seemingly laid back lifestyle, so visiting this area is always a special and memorable experience.
The experience of travelling from island to island on longtail boats in the south of Thailand is something that still resonates with me after many years.
For families, visiting a sustainable community in Koh Yao Yai can bring the trip to life with local interaction. For honeymooners, personalizing memorable experiences with special menus, in-room dining and more can really elevate the experience for Goway guests.
All the people that I met at the hotel, restaurants, and parks were always smiling at me. I can feel that they are grateful to all international tourists. A Thai smile inspires me most and makes me want to revisit.
Koh Tao
Koh Tao Beach
Koh Tao Reef
Koh Tao
Koh Tao Bay
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ExcellentBased on 5,139 ReviewsOnce again, Goway Travel has provided us with an amazing travel experience, and the customized itinerary prepared by Joanne Palanuik was second to none. She was the main reason that Australia is a "trip of a lifetime" for us. Her attention to detail and recognizing what would make this a special trip for us is noteworthy and much appreciated.WallyI would recommend GoWay for travel anytime. I had a private tour of India built for me, after I was invited to my friend's wedding. I travelled around northern India with my driver for 10 days. I had a new guide most every day, for the trip, as we went from location to location. Absolutely everything was amazing!! I honestly can't say there was a negative moment in any of it. I felt 100% safe travelling alone with GoWay's experts. My lodgings were excellent and someone was always available for support, if need be. This was one of the best experiences of my life!!! Thank you so much GoWay!!Trudy BuelowOur trip was great and your partners in Egypt met and exceeded our expectations.
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The accommodations were excellent, the staff were all very kind and helpful. We have to particularly commend the staff at the Siesta Classic Ma May in Hanoi. Ann at reception was so kind to my husband when I was in the hospital asking him regularly how I was doing and arranging late checkout without being asked. And Suzie our Hanoi tour guide for rearranging a tour time for my husband then dropping him off at the hospital. She also managed to take me to see the Ho Chi Minh property on our way to the airport as I had missed so much of Hanoi. I would also like to thank Aurel Vion, the Goway representative from Paris, who personally called me while I was in the hospital to enquire how I was doing, cancel our Halong cruise and arrange an extra night in the hotel for my husband. It was much appreciated.
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And poor Phil in Bangkok, he tried his best with the culinary tour. Unfortunately after the food poisoning we were being very cautious in what we ate. We did appreciate his tour of Chinatown and the great meal of Pad Thai. He also provided us with excellent directions so we could take the subway, skytrain and ferry by ourselves.
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Also would like to thank our agent Elise for answering all of my questions and concerns. We felt very safe in Egypt. Sue ScarboroughAs a travel agent, it was very easy to work with Goway. They were very responsive, especially Osvaldo Gonzalez, even when the client wanted to make in-destination changes a day or two prior. My clients absolutely enjoyed everything about their trip to Costa Rica - they specifically mentioned that all the drivers and guides they had were excellent, friendly, and knowledgeable. I would not hesitate to use Goway again for a custom trip to Costa Rica. Shawna Woods RoyWe, three couples, all enjoyed our time in Peru, despite the small amount of time we had, and the fact one person had injury while on the cruise prior to arriving in Lima. We did want to experience Machu Picchu without spending as many days as others usually do, since we had been traveling prior to that already. Kajal at Goway was able to tailor a well packed three-day private tour for our small group of six. Every detail, from the moment we got off the cruise ship, to Cusco, to Machu Picchu, and back to Lima airport hotel, was well taken care of. Kajal was very efficient in helping with the requested itinerary, and in staying on desired budget, as well answered all questions in timely fashion. We were able to accomplish what we were not sure if possible, all thanks to Kajal at Goway.
Our experience in Peru was very positive. We felt the tours organized by Goway had enabled us to have great and impressive exposure to Peruvian culture and important historical sights - all 31 hours in 3 days!!! Condor Travel in Peru took care of us every step of the way. Every person we came across was very courteous, willing, and helpful. Help was always there and questions answered quickly via Whatsapp. All in all a great and positive experience we would highly recommend.KMI want to personally thank my Travel Agent Alice Teramoto who organized two spectacular trips for me! One to Australia and most recently Vietnam and Cambodia. She nailed it! I can’t express my gratitude enough! Both trips were flawless and hassle free! Every experience exceeded my expectations!
I spent my 60th Birthday in Vietnam on the Lunar New Year which was a complete thrill!
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