Koh Tao is one of those places in South East Asia that every backpacker raves about! Famous for scuba diving and being one of the cheapest places in the world to get PADI certified, Koh Tao is somewhere everyone should have on their bucket list. Even if you aren’t interested in diving, the laidback atmosphere, the backpacker nightlife and the stunning beaches are reasons enough to add Koh Tao to your itinerary. Koh Tao is one of those places that will feel like a home away from home in Thailand.
How many days to spend in Koh Tao
“I only planned to stay for three days, but I ended up staying for three weeks”- everyone who visits Koh Tao. Similar to Pai, Koh Tao is one of those places where backpackers get stuck (but in the best way). How long you spend in Koh Tao greatly depends on how much diving you plan on doing (if any). If you are not wanting to dive, you could easily tick off the main sights of Koh Tao in 2-3 days. Three days would be my recommendation for Koh Tao for a relaxed pace and to allow for chilled beach days and late nights enjoying the nightlife.
If you are wanting to do your diving certification, courses take a minimum of 2.5 days. I would allow four days at the absolute minimum to get dive certified and to do a bit of sightseeing. Depending on how much you love diving, many people end up doing advanced courses or booking a bunch of fun dives after they’ve finished. It’s not uncommon for backpackers to stay for weeks on Koh Tao!
How to get to Koh Tao
Koh Tao is located in the Gulf of Thailand, next to the islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. There is no airport on the island. So regardless of where you are coming from, you will need to get a ferry. If you did really want or need to fly, the closest airport is on Koh Samui Island. Then, you will need to get a ferry to Koh Tao. As Koh Samui is a luxury holiday/ honeymoon destination, flights are usually pretty expensive coming in and out of the island.
Ferries depart either Chumpon Port or Surat Thani Port, depending on which direction you are coming from. For all ferry, bus and train tickets, 12GOAsia is one of the most popular websites for booking tickets. There is only one place where ferries and speedboats arrive at Koh Tao, and there is easily available onward transport to all hostels from this port. Depending on where you are standing in Koh Tao, you may be able to walk from the pier. But if you’re heading towards Sairee Beach, the walk is uphill in sections with no footpath. There are plenty of taxis or shared private transfer trucks waiting at the pier, so it is not difficult to arrange a car to get to your destination.
How to get to Koh Tao from Koh Phangan
A ferry and several speedboats are operating between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, as it is a popular travel route. The ferry departs at 12:30 pm from Thong Sala Port in Koh Phangan and takes 2 hours. Expect to pay 320 THB Thai Baht ($9.20 USD) for the ferry. This does not include transport to and from the ports on either side. The speedboats depart daily at 8:30 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm from Thong Sala Port in Koh Phangan. The journey takes only 1 hour and will cost 390 THB Thai Baht ($11.20 USD).
How to get to Koh Tao from Koh Samui
A few ferries and speedboats are operating between Koh Tao and Koh Samui. There are four speedboat times daily: 8 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The speedboat takes about 90 minutes and costs around 480 THB Thai Baht ($14 USD). There is also a ferry departing daily at 10:30 am, which takes 4 hours and costs 390 THB Thai Baht ($11 USD). Speedboats will depart from Maenam Pier or Na Thon Pier, and the ferry departs from Na Thon Pier. Regardless of where you depart, you must get a van, taxi or bus from where you stay. If you’re in the Chaweng Beach area, Maenam Pier is about 20 minutes closer than the ferry pier.
How to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok by bus
The cheapest and most common way for a backpacker to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok is a night bus and then a ferry. But beware, the bus ride is pretty uncomfortable and smelly from the toilet on-board. The night bus departs Bangkok at 9 pm from a travel agency near Khao San Road. It arrives at the pier in Koh Tao at 8:45 am after transferring to Surat Thani port. Expect to pay around 800 THB Thai Baht ($23 USD) for the entire journey.
Another popular way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao is by bus and then an overnight ferry. Be warned; the ferry is basically a bunch of thin mattresses all laid down next to each other. There are no curtains or separation between the mattresses, so you’re basically sleeping a few centimetres away from complete stranger. It tends to be pretty warm on the night ferry, so make sure you wear thin, cool clothing. The bus departs Bangkok at 1 pm, transfers at Chumpon Port and arrives at Koh Tao Pier at 5 am. Expect to pay 1000 THB Thai Baht ($29 USD) for the journey.
How to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok by train
The best way for a backpacker to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok, in my opinion, and from my experience, is by night train and ferry. You must book these as two separate tickets on 12GOAsia as a self-transfer, so allow extra time between the ferry arrival and train departure. Firstly, you must book a train ticket from Surat Thani to Bangkok. The train journey takes around 12-13 hours on a sleeper train. Make sure you purchase a “sleeper” seat that converts to a bed instead of a regular seat that will not move. Multiple train times depart Surat Thani Train station regularly from 5 pm to 11:15 pm, bound for Bangkok.
Next, you will need to book a ferry/van combined ticket from Surat Thani Train Station to Koh Tao. The van and ferry transfer takes around 4-5 hours. The entire journey will take you around 17 hours and cost around 1920 THB Thai Baht ($57 USD).
How to get to Koh Tao from Khao Sok National Park
To get from Khao Sok National Park to Koh Tao, you will need to get a van to Surat Thani and then on another van and then a ferry. You can’t book this as a combined ticket on 12GOAsia with guaranteed connections, so you must book it as two separate tickets. You can either do this as a day ferry or a night ferry.
First, you must book a van from Khao Sok to Surat Thani Town. Vans depart from the small terminal at the entrance to Khao Sok Town, which is a short drive or walking distance from most hostels. You can book the earliest van that departs at 6:30 am and gets into Surat Thani Train Station at 9 am. Next, you want to book a ticket on the 11 am van transfer + ferry combined ticket from Surat Thani Train Station to Koh Tao. This will have you arriving at Koh Tao at 4 pm. You can expect to pay 890 THB Thai Baht ($25 USD) for the two vans and ferry.
The other option from Khao Sok to Koh Tao is taking a van and then a night ferry. You will want to make sure you book the 4 pm van from Khao Sok, which will get you into Surat Thani Town at 6:30 pm. You can book an earlier van. However, that means you will be hanging around Surat Thani for longer with all of your luggage. If you get off at the stop in the middle of Surat Thani Town, it is only around a 15-minute walk to where the night ferry picks you up near Sri Tapee Bridge. The night ferry departs at 10 pm and arrives at 5 am. Expect to pay 733 THB Thai Baht ($21 USD) for the van and night ferry.
How to get to Koh Tao from Phuket
Getting from Phuket to Koh Tao is relatively easy as you can purchase a combined bus and ferry ticket on 12GOAsia. The ticket includes pickup from your accommodation in Kata, Karon, Patong, Phuket Town, Phuket Airport or Phuket Ferry Terminal. Pickups are from 7 am-9 am daily, with the exact time being dependent on where they are picking you up from. You will be transferred by van to Surat Thani Port, where you will board a ferry to Koh Tao. The ferry will arrive in Koh Tao at 5 pm on the same day. Expect to pay between 1030-1300 THB Thai Baht ($29.50-$37 USD) for the bus, ferry and free hotel pickup.
How to get to Koh Tao from Phi Phi Island
Getting to Koh Tao from Phi Phi Island is a long journey with many transfers. Luckily you can purchase a combined ticket on 12GOAsia which guarantees all connections. The day will involve a ferry, then a bus/van transfer and then another ferry. The first ferry departs Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Island at 9 am, and you will arrive in Koh Tao at 5 pm. You can expect to pay 1150 THB Thai Baht ($33 USD) for ferries and a van.
There is also a night ferry option to Koh Tao if you don’t want to lose a whole travel day. You will still need to catch a ferry and bus to Surat Thani and then get on a night ferry. Be warned, the night ferry is extremely basic, so it will not be a good night’s sleep for you. The ferry does not have aircon and is thin mattresses on the floor so close together that you’re basically sharing a bed with your neighbour. It is certainly an experience! The ferry departs Phi Phi Island at 1:30 pm from Ton Sai Pier and arrives at Koh Tao at 6 am the next day. Expect to pay around 1070 THB Thai Baht ($30 USD) for all connections when booked on 12GOAsia.
How to get to Koh Tao from Krabi, Ao Nang or Railay Beach
From Krabi and Ao Nang, you can get a van and ferry transfer to Koh Tao, with the journey taking around 6.5 hours. The bus departs Krabi/ Ao Nang between 9 am-9:30 daily from either Krabi Bus Terminal or Ao Nang Pier. From there, you are taken to Surat Thani Port, where you transfer to a ferry and arrive at Koh Tao at 4 pm. The bus and ferry ticket costs 780 THB Thai Baht ($23 USD).
From Railay Beach, you have to catch a local longtail boat from Railay Main Beach to Ao Nang Pier. Then get on the same van/ ferry transfer as outlined above. The local boat doesn’t run on a schedule; it runs whenever there are enough people. Make you get to the beach super early to allow enough time in case you have to wait for the boat to fill up. The boat only takes 10 minutes and costs 90 THB Thai Baht ($2.50 USD). Depending on how far in the tide is, expect to get your feet and maybe legs wet, embarking and disembarking the boat. I had to carry my backpack on my head to avoid my luggage getting wet.
How to get around Koh Tao
Koh Tao is a small island compared to its neighbours Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. The streets are pretty quiet, and there is generally not much traffic. The majority of the traffic is scooters and pedestrians. There is no official public transport in Koh Tao, so most people will get around on foot, by scooter or by taxi.
Getting around Koh Tao on foot
Depending on where you are staying in Koh Tao, it should be possible to get around to many places on foot. The main area where backpackers stay is Sairee Beach, and many are within walking distance. There are many cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs, all within a 5-10 minute walk. You can also walk to Sairee Beach and the shops. You can also walk from the pier, but it will be a 20-30 minute walk with your luggage. Also, some of it may be uphill, depending on where you stay. Other places you could walk to are John Suwan Viewpoint/ Freedom Beach (1 hr walk), Secret Sunset Bar (55-minute walk), West Coast Viewpoint (45-minute walk) and Fraggle Rock (25-minute walk).
Koh Tao, despite it being called Death Island (Google it if you love true crime), feels incredibly safe to walk around. The main area with all the bars and clubs in Sairee Beach is always full of backpackers. So even if you walk back to the hostel alone, you’re never really alone because there are so many people around. There are not many cars and larger vehicles on the road, so even though there are not many footpaths, walking on the road is fairly easy.
Getting around Koh Tao by scooter
This is by far the most popular way to get around! Literally, every second person rents a scooter on Koh Tao, so much so that some scooter rental places will run out of scooters if you go too late in the day. If your hostel does scooter rental, they will usually be pretty reliable to rent from. Otherwise, Oli’s offers a really fair price for rentals. Most scooter rentals cost less than 200 THB Thai Baht daily ($5.50 USD) for a new scooter with two helmets. You can haggle for a lower price if you want an older scooter (not recommended) or if you rent the scooter in advance for multiple days (highly recommend). The roads are fairly quiet, but the island has a few hills. Always make sure you have an international license and that you know how to ride a scooter and feel confident driving one.
Getting around Koh Tao by Taxi
There are taxi services and transfer services available from travel agencies in Koh Tao if you don’t want to walk or rent a scooter. Most people will only use this to get to and from the pier if they don’t want to walk with their luggage. The taxis and transfer companies are not really affordable, and they didn’t seem willing to haggle on the price. We were quoted 800 THB Thai Baht ($24 USD) to go to Freedom Beach and back in a regular car (only a 10-minute drive each way). There is no Grab in Koh Tao, so taxi companies know they can charge much more than the standard price for other places in Thailand.
Where to stay in Koh Tao
Koh Tao is a small island, so there aren’t too many different areas to stay in. The majority of the hostels are either around Sairee Beach or around the pier. Sairee Beach is where most of the good bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs are, so you can easily and safely walk home in the evening. There are also a bunch of hostels close to the pier. Honestly, there is really no benefit to staying near the pier other than not having to walk as far or get a taxi when you arrive and depart the island. There’s not much atmosphere in this part of Koh Tao, particularly at night. Other than these two areas, there are a few other hostels dotted around the island which are more like flashpacker hostels. You can book all accommodation online here.
One thing that may affect where you stay is that many hostels are connected to dive schools. If you are planning on getting certified, you may get a discount if you are staying in the hostel affiliated with the dive school. Also, chances are you will be doing your dive certification with other people also staying at the same hostel, which is good for making friends at the hostel. You don’t have to stay at the hostel connected to the dive school, though it can make it easier. If you’re interested in diving, read my full guide to diving in Koh Tao here.
Taco Shack Hostel– best social hostel
Taco Shack is one of my favourite hostels in South East Asia! It’s a great hostel if you want something that’s social but also a little bit party. The location is just north of Sairee Beach and only about a 7-minute walk to the main nightlife area in Koh Tao. They also have a good dive school in the hostel, which is where I got my dive certification. The hostel has a bar and Mexican restaurant and plenty of common areas to chill in. They run nightly events like Karaoke, beer pong and other games.
There will be people going out every night, but there’s also a lot of people just socialising and chilling because they have a morning dive the next day. The only thing to note, Taco Shack is more of a typical backpackers rather than a flashpacker. The beds don’t have curtains, and bathroom facilities are basic but fine.
Slumber Party Hostel– best party hostel
If you’re looking for a party hostel in Koh Tao, then Slumber Party are a great option! They have one of the best hostel locations on the island. Slumber Party is right on the beach but only a 3-minute walk away from the nightlife in Koh Tao. They are a party hostel, so it can be pretty loud, and most people will drink every night, regardless of whether they have an early morning dive the next day. The beds are basic (no curtains), but they have a bar and restaurant on site. They run nightly events like beer pong competitions and pub crawls, so it’s easy to make friends!
The Dearly Hostel– best flashpacker hostel
If you do not want to experience the nightlife on Koh Tao and want more of a chilled holiday vibe, then The Dearly Hostel would be perfect! They’re the only flashpacker hostel on the island with comfy beds and a daily buffet breakfast. They also have a pool on-site in a stunning and quiet location in the middle of the island. The location is only about a 20-minute walk from Freedom Beach and John Suwan Viewpoint, but they are a 35-minute walk to the nightlife area in Koh Tao. I would personally probably only book this if you rented a scooter for the entire stay or wanted to treat yourself for a few days.
What to do in Koh Tao
When people think of Koh Tao, they generally think of diving and nightlife. And honestly, there is a lot of this on Koh Tao, but there are also many other things to do. Koh Tao is also a nice place to chill out and stick around if you’re tired from constantly travelling and moving about.
Go Scuba Diving
This is one of the main things people do in Koh Tao, and it is well worth it! Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to get open-water certified, and it attracts a lot of experienced dive masters who work here. If you do not have one already (which is the majority of people coming to Koh Tao), you will need to get your open-water certification to dive. It will take a minimum of 2.5 days, depending on which dive school you go with and what their course looks like.
Expect to pay around 8300 THB Thai Baht ($240 USD) for the certification, including all training and between 4-6 dives. Afterwards, you can get your advanced or technical diving certification if you fall in love with scuba diving (many people do). I have a whole post on my experience diving in Koh Tao and tips and tricks here.
John Suwan Viewpoint and Freedom Beach
This is a must-do on Koh Tao! Freedom Beach and John Suwan Viewpoint are both super famous and right next to each other, so they are easy to combine into one afternoon. The beach and the viewpoint are about a 10-minute scooter ride or a 1-hour walk from Sairee Beach but well worth it! Just a pre-warning, the road to the car park is super dicey, so you may want to park your scooter up the hill on the side of the road instead if you’re not that confident. Freedom Beach is free to enter, but John Suwan Viewpoint costs 50 THB Thai Baht ($1.50 USD) to enter.
John Suwan Viewpoint
When you arrive at the carpark, you’ll want to go to John Suwan Viewpoint first to get the hike over and done with (you’ll want to relax afterwards). Take the path to the left for John Suwan Viewpoint and right for Freedom Beach, and follow the signs to begin the hike. The hike to the viewpoint takes around 15-20 minutes and can be a bit tricky. Some areas require you to use ropes to pull yourself up or scramble along the rocks. This would be fine (I’m not much of a hiker, and I managed it), but the humidity means you are slippery with sweat making it a challenge. Once you get up to the top, you’ll find yourself standing on a number of big rocks and looking over at one of the best views in Thailand!
Freedom Beach and Taa Toh Bay Lagoon Beach
After John Suwan Viewpoint, head to Freedom Beach to cool off and relax. The sand is super clean and white, and the water is crystal clear. It is in a bay, so there is not much of a current or any waves, making it an enjoyable and easy swimming spot. It does get pretty crowded at Freedom Beach. My recommendation would be to head along the boardwalk to Taa Toh Bay Lagoon Beach, which is quieter. They have a small beach bar and free loungers, which you can use all day.
Snorkel day trip around the island
If you don’t try scuba diving, then you definitely do a snorkel trip around the island! Even if you get dive-certified, snorkel trips will take you to different spots and beaches around the island. There are heaps of snorkel tours on Koh Tao that you can join. However, the downside is that you are on a set itinerary and only get so often at each spot. Also, it is not very enjoyable snorkelling and crashing into random people from your group or having the boat driver blow a loud whistle constantly to remind everyone the time was up and to get on the boat. Don’t get me wrong; it’ll still be beautiful to see all the coral and sea creatures and visit stunning beaches only accessible by boat.
If you do want to snorkel around the island, the best thing you can do (in my opinion) is get a group together from the hostel and hire a private boat. It sounds expensive, but if you have five people or more, it works out cheaper than joining a tour. You can speak to any boat driver along Sairee Beach, and they will give you a price and a suggested itinerary, or you can create your own itinerary! A boat will cost between 2000-3000 THB Thai Baht ($57- $85 USD). Boats can seat up to 12 people comfortably, so you could pay as little as 166 THB Thai Baht ($6 USD) per person. You can bring your own food, drinks and music on board or stop at beach bars. You have so much flexibility, and it will be a much better experience than joining a big group tour.
Take a yoga class
If you fancy a few chill beach days, why not do yoga? Shambhala Yoga Centre in Sairee Beach runs yoga classes daily at 10 am and 5 pm. You don’t need to bring anything other than yourself and a bottle of water. Each class costs 300 THB Thai Baht ($8.50 USD).
Secret bar for sunset
This a great stop on the way back from Freedom Beach and John Suwan Viewpoint to watch the sunset. It is tucked away and not clearly signed (hence the whole “secret” part of the name). So make sure you follow google maps, as it is easy to get lost. The last part of the road is pretty dicey on scooters, so you may want to take it slow or park lower down the hill. Secret Bar is located on top of a hill with stunning bay views. They have a number of cushions and comfy chairs on their sunset deck. There is no entry charge, but it is expected you purchase a drink on arrival.
Where to eat in Koh Tao
I contemplated making a whole post on where to eat in Koh Tao because I have that many recommendations! Koh Tao may be small, but they have many good restaurants and cafes specialising in various cuisines. These recommendations are within walking distance from Sairee Beach, as this is where most people stay.
Zest Bakery and Coffee House- Sairee Beach
There are actually two cafes with the same name on Koh Tao, this Zest that I’m recommending in the one near Sairee Beach. It’s tucked away down a side street, but they do affordable breakfast options and coffees. Their menu is huge: they do everything from a full English to a smoothie bowl. The prices are also super affordable compared to many other breakfast spots in the main area.
Cafe Culture
Brunch with a view! Cafe Culture is on the beach and has amazing coffee and good brunch food. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but the outdoor seating on the beach tends you fill up faster. Highly recommend!
Factory Cafe
Factory Cafe is (arguably) the best place for smoothie bowls on the island! They are super geared towards sustainability and have many vegan and vegetarian options. They have seating both inside and outside. Pre-warning they are super popular, so you may have to wait a while for a table to become available.
Chu Chu
If you go to only one place for dinner, this should be it! Chu Chu is a pizza restaurant that specialises in Thai-inspired pizza. They have pizzas with the toppings of all your popular Thai dishes like Pad Thai, Penang Curry and Massaman Curry. Having tried a few different pizzas, I would strongly recommend the Penang Curry Pizza. They get pretty busy in the evening, so be prepared to wait 10-20 minutes for a table.
Mama Tam (Mama’s)
Mama’s makes affordable but good-quality Thai food. They do all the popular dishes, and the portion sizes are extremely large for the price. Just a pre-warning, this is a family-run restaurant with a small kitchen, so food does take a while to come out at busier times.
999 Duck
This restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the food is absolutely delicious! 999 Duck, as you probably could have guessed from the name, specialises in duck-based dishes. They have non-duck dishes, but if you come here, you should come for the duck! The food is really affordable and fast. The most popular item is the “number 3 special”- thank me later!
Pork Leg
Another local restaurant specialising in a certain type of meat- Pork Leg. It really doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the pork is so good! Most of the menu is pork-based; I highly recommend the standard pork leg with rice option.
Hippo Burger
Hippo Burger is your typical up-scale American-style burger place. They do all manner of burgers, wings, loaded fries and desserts. Hippo Burger has a really cute beer garden area out front with fairy lights but also indoor seating. They also serve good cocktails, but the pricing is on a higher scale, so more of a treat-yourself meal!
John’s Burgers
This is where you’ll come for drunk food at 3 am when Fishbowl closes! It’s a tiny little pop-up burger shack that only opens late at night. You can find it outside “The Brother” restaurant in Sairee Beach. Usually, you will hear it before you see it, as there’s always a crowd of drunk backpackers having a laugh with John (the owner).
Nightlife in Koh Tao
For such a small island and one where most people get up early to dive, Koh Tao has so many great nightlife options! You could go out every night of the week and end up somewhere different. All of the nightlife in Koh Tao is concentrated around Sairee Beach. So, I recommend staying in this area so you can easily walk home.
The Local
The local is a great backpacker bar right on the main street! They do many event nights like trivia night, music bingo and karaoke night. The Local also have the best happy hour deal on the island. They serve the strongest mojitos known to man for 50 THB Thai Baht ($1.50 USD) until 7 pm every day. It’s a fun place to come for pres or one of their events- always good vibes!
Queen’s Cabaret
Another must-do on Koh Tao! Queen’s Cabaret runs nightly from 9:30 pm in Sairee Beach. It only costs 150 THB Thai Baht ($4.30 USD) to enter, and you get a free drink. It only goes for 1 hour, but it is so much fun. Make sure you get there early to get a good front-row seat. They do a lot of crowd participation and even pick some men out from the crowd to dress in drag!
Fishbowl
An institution on Koh Tao! No matter where you go earlier in the night, somehow everyone ends up at Fishbowl from 12 am. They have DJs, beer pong tables and a massive dance floor. They’re also right on the beach, so the party tends to spill out across the sand.
Leo Evolution Bar
The only place to come for afters when Fishbowl closes! Leo Evolution Bar is in the area near the pier (not Sairee Beach), so it can be a bit tricky and more of a walk to get back from. They are the only place with any atmosphere open until sunrise.
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