Like its neighbors Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan, Koh Tao has taken full advantage of tourism and is not exactly off the beaten path. But on the east coast you’ll still find yourself a private stretch of sand to live out your castaway fantasies.

How to get to Koh Tao

We travelled for 2 hours from Koh Samui to Koh Tao, another stunning island, on Lomprayah Catamaran. The catamaran was very modern, everyone seated on these huge leather seats. It felt like we were going to take off. Some passengers were dopped off in Koh Phangnan – the party island. We arrived in Mae Haed pier, a busy transfer point full of touts.

Diving in an island paradise

Want to learn to dive or are you already certified? Koh Tao is a diver’s dream. We chose to come to Koh Tao in monsoon season since you can dive here pretty much year-round, while everything shuts down around monsoon season in Ko Lanta and other islands around Phuket.

Since we both dive we decided to stay at Black Tip Diving Resort - accessible only after a bumpy, nail-biting ride where we squeezed in between other passengers and all the luggage.

(Mainly ours mind you. Tip: Pack light! Clothes are cheap here so you really don’t need to bring lots of clothes with you, and you might need some space if you want to buy that silk tapestry you had your eye on).

Ao Tanote Bay

It was worth the ride, though. Ao Tanote Bay is on the east side of island and much quieter. We stayed in a bungalow on the hill with eye-popping views of the beach. Even though the accommodation is quite basic, the view will make you feel like a millionaire. (Bring earplugs, though. Those geckos can get noisy!). The rooms on the hill have mosquito nets, roomy bathrooms and a deck area.

At night, lights of fighing boats dot the calm water, which laps against the shingle. White birds dive into the water – turquoise at the shallows and fading into a denim blue. W signed up for a diving package which reduced costs, and did a refresher since it’s been a while since he dived.

Accommodation in Koh Tao

Black Tip Diving Resort is basic but quite comfortable and you can negotiate rates in low season. It’s named after black tip reef sharks that live in bay. Or used to live here. The owner, an avid scuba diver, recalls how his friends used to dare each other to swim to the nearby rock because there were so many sharks.

Now you’d be lucky to see any. But the resort can arrange ‘sharkelling’ trips to a nearby Black Tip colony. (If you dare). I feel ambiguous about seeing sharks. I think it would be an honor, considering how rare they are now with good ol’ China’s fondness for shark fin soup, but I’m also terrified. Coming from the Cape, the Great White’s hunting ground, it’s hard to shake that primal fear.

What to do in Koh Tao (aside from diving)

Even though the east of Koh Tao is more remote, you can catch a noisy longtail to other parts of island. The restaurant here, aptly named Poseidon, is very chilled with the ubiquitous Bob Marley music and Thai mats with headrests that you can lie on and watch the stars, while nibbling on tempura. It’s impossible to be stressed here. How will I ever adjust to the fast pace of Western life after this?

A surprise

This Thai girl asked if we wanted to buy something. We looked closer and perched on her hand was this tiny squirrel-like creature. Curious, it crawled onto W’s hand and then back up up the girl’s arm and fell asleep. It was only a day old and she hadn’t named him yet so she asked us to do the honor. So we named him Max after our hamster we left at home. Maybe we all exist in parallel dimensions? Perhaps there is a Thai version of me out there?

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