Thailand’s Gorgeous Koh Tao Island in Pictures

Thailand is blessed with amazing beach destinations. Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and Koh Phi Phi are possibly on all tour itineraries, but tucked in the gulf of Thailand is a small island called Koh Tao that offers tons of gorgeousness, both on land and inside the water. A popular scuba diving and snorkelling destination, Koh Tao is a fabulous beach holiday in Thailand where you relax, enjoy the spectacular sunsets and the panoramic view points, indulge in some adventure, relish the fresh catch and soak in the other charms of this tropical island. In simple words, it is a full beach package rolled into a small, yet insanely beautiful island. Here are some pictures to show you different shades and glimpses of Thailand’s Koh Tao island.

Above Photo: Overlooking Koh Tao and just a 2 minute boat ride away is Koh Nang Yuan, a set of three islands that are interconnected by tiny, white sandy beaches. Extremely popular with scuba divers for its underwater beauty, Koh Nang Yuan is an absolute treat to the eye. It is a perfect place to read a book, soak in some sunshine and unwind.



Above Photo: The island of Koh Tao is blessed with some absolutely stunning sunsets. As most of the properties are located on the West side of the island, these sunsets are not easy to miss, but do ensure you pick a good spot to enjoy it to the fullest.




Above Photo: One of the things that I really enjoy about Koh Tao are its many beautifully positioned view points that allow you to get an aerial view of the land and the waterscape without actually needing to be airborne. A simple walk to hike takes to such view points. A case in point is the John Suwan view point that is located in the south of the island and that provides a panoramic view of the Chalok Baan Kao Bay, Thian Og Bay and the dense tropical landscape.



Above Photo: The waters around Koh Tao are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. If you like the water, the coral reefs off Koh Tao and its rich marine life is bound to amaze you. This is the famous Japanese Garden snorkelling spot.




Above Photo: Another one of those special Koh Tao sunsets where the entire sky and the ocean decorates itself in many shades of red, orange and yellow. The location is King Rama Rock, a spot near Sairee beach.



Above Photo: A steep trek that offers some amazing views of the Koh Tao landscape. The West Coast Mountain view point is a great way to indulge in some trekking and then enjoying the lovely views of Koh Tao’s west coast.



Above Photo: Another view point and another sunset. The Mango view point offers a panting trek towards the northern side of the island. This trek takes you through some of the the island’s forests, mango farms and rocks to a scintillating viewpoint of the Koh Tao land and ocean scape.



Above Photo: It is not just scuba diving and snorkelling that are popular adventure activities at Koh Tao. The calm waters on the south and west coasts, the jaw dropping cliffs and green coastline ensure make kayaking a very interesting activity here. One can kayak all round the island taking breaks at different beaches or definitely the calmer west coast.



Above Photo: Koh Tao has some really nice properties to stay and they are pretty light on the pocket too. One such place is located in the southern part of the island and on top of cliff overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.



Above Photo: This is the Freedom beach that offers a lot of solitude and plenty of calm waters. A lot of beach villa type properties are located around here. 



Above Photo: Whether you are walking or cycling at Koh Tao, you are never too far away from views such as this. Emerald waters, swaying coconut palms, lush green terrain and nature at its best are some of the top things on offer during such walks or rides.



Above Photo: The last photo in the Koh Tao Photo Essay series is another sunset, this time from the famous Sairee beach, one of the main hangout joints on the island. Like I had mentioned earlier, wherever you are on the West coast of Koh Tao, you are never too far away from seeing a top class sunset.

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Nat Resort, Koh Tao: A great place for budget travellers

I was there at Koh Tao for 6 nights and 7 days and during this time I stayed at the Nat Resort that is just off Sairee Beach. I really liked my stay here and the below points provide details of my overall experience.

1) If you are one who likes to be in the heart of the happening areas, close to the markets and to the beach, then Nat Resort will work for you as you will be just a walk away from all the key places, be it the shopping areas, the restaurants, the bars, the pubs and the diving centers.

2) Nat Resort, that is a part of SBC Cabanas is one of the cheapest on the island and offers private rooms (fan) with shared bathroom, private rooms (fan) with private bathroom, AC rooms with attached bathrooms and larger AC rooms. I took the private fan room with attached bathroom and got 2 beds in a large room with tables and chairs and a private sit-out.

3) Since the place is located between the Sairee beach road and the main road, access to both these roads is very easy. And since the place is located slightly inside, the noise of the nightlife doesn’t bother you during your sleep.

4) The place has wi-fi, though it is available around their reception area or in the AC rooms. This was bit of a problem, but manageable.

5) The place is located within dense tree cover and hence the evenings are prone to mosquito attack. Do carry your insect repellant with you during the evening hours.

6) The folks running Nat Resort are very nice and hardly bother you with anything.

7) The place does not have an in-house restaurant, though all the restaurants of Sairee beach and Sairee village are just a few minutes away.

8) The place allows you to wash your own clothes and hang it dry in front of your room. This is a definite plus for budget travellers who cannot afford laundry services.

I really liked my stay here and more so the island and would like to recommend this place to all backpackers.

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Koh Nang Yuan, Thailand: One of the prettiest islands in the world

Koh Nang Yuan is not one island, but a cluster of 3 islands, and these 3 islands are collectively referred to as Koh Nang Yuan because all 3 of them are interconnected by a common beach stretch. Apart from this beautiful triple beach, the islands are surrounded by emerald waters, rich coral reefs and great snorkeling and diving sites, making this a very special island.


The highlight of a trip to this island is a hike to the view point that offers an aerial view of the triangle beach and the three islands. The hike is a easy walk and short climb (all totaling 15 minutes) to a top of a rock and through lush green terrain. From the top, the view is so beautiful that you will fall in love with the place if you haven’t already.


After the hike, it makes perfect sense to take a swim in its emerald waters and may be check out its colorful fishes. A lot of dive companies use this island to train their beginner students. A sunbath on its white sands is also a great way to relax here. If you need a chair, an umbrella, a drink or anything to eat, all of them are available and through the resort, but be prepared to shell out a premium.


Currently, this island is managed by the Koh Nang Yuan dive resort and hence to stay here one has to stay in this expensive place. But, thankfully, for those who cannot afford much, Koh Nang Yuan can be explored as part of a day trip from either Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao.


Koh Nang Yuan can be seen from the west coast of Koh Tao and it takes about 15 minutes by a long tail boat from the beach to the Nang Yuan main jetty. The cost of this journey is either 120 THB for a one-way trip or 200 THB for a round trip. There is an additional entry fee of 100 THB that is collected by the dive resort to maintain this place. No plastic of any sort is allowed on this island and one has to deposit all plastic at the ticket counter for safekeeping.


You should definitely add this island to your itinerary if you are planning a holiday in the Gulf of Thailand and especially so if you are planning to stay at Koh Tao. A 3-4 hour visit from Koh Tao to Nang Yuan would be ideal. This visit will work for all kinds of travelers and of all age groups.

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Trek to West Coast Mountain View Point, Koh Tao

If you like to explore tropical islands by walk, this is one trek you will really relish. This trek takes you to two view points. One of them is called a twin view rock from where you can see both the west and east coasts of Koh Tao and the second one providing a bird’s eye view of the entire west coast of Koh Tao.


The trek begins from near the Sairee beach road from where you take the steep concrete road to Moonlight Bungalows. Two wheelers can also reach up to this point, though the drivers have to be really skillful. Once the concrete road ends, take the steep dirt track (looks rather like a water path) to your right. Keep climbing on this dirt track through tropical forests till you reach the “Twin Rock’ intersection. At this point, you should be able to see both the west and east coast of Koh Tao.


If you head straight from here, you reach Tanote Bay and if you take the right you will reach the reservoir that leads again to Tanote Bay. For the west coast mountain view point, you have to take the track turning left. About 5 minutes from this left, you will notice two large rocks to your left. It is here that you will have to climb up the small rocks and squeeze in between the 2 large rocks to reach a large flat rock.


The flat rock is fairly large and can support about 10 people, but do exercise caution as there is absolutely no protection and a fall could be disastrous. But, if you take proper caution, you should be able to enjoy the view of the entire west coast of Koh Tao, right from the Nang Yuan islands in the north west to the Sairee beach and the Mae Haad bay. The view is sensational in the morning and during sunset, though morning hours are best for photography. The gravels on the hiking path slip under your feet while climbing down and hence ensure you are wearing foot wear with good grip. Do ensure you are carrying sunglasses, water and a hat during your trek.

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Hike to Mango View Point, Koh Tao, Thailand

The Mango view point is situated at the northern most part of Koh Tao and is on the route that connects to the remote Mango bay. The bay and the view point derive their names from the huge number of Mango trees that you just to grow here a long time back.


Mostly, people take their motorbikes to this view point, but if you feel adventurous like how I did, you should definitely do the steep hike to this stunning view point. A word of caution for those wishing to hike: do not hike in an inebriated state, carry lots of water and be in decent physical condition. This hike is a climb all the way without any flat stretches for a break.


The hike begins at Sairee village from where you turn right and start your gentle ascent. At the intersection turn left. From here the steep climb begins (on the concrete road) and towards Mango bay and Hin Wong Bay. At another intersection turn left as the right track heads to Hin Wong bay. Here the road becomes smaller and the climb gets even steeper. Once you cross Butterfly Garden Resort, you will reach a place called Jim’s bar. Turn left here and you reach Last Bar and the ticket counter for the view point. At the counter, pay 20 THB and walk on the dirt trail to the view point.


The view point is set at a cliff’s edge and hence gives you a commanding view of the entire west coast. The view includes the entire Sairee beach, Mae Haad bay and the Jansom bay. The best time to be here is either before noon or during sunset. I was here at around 3 pm and the light was pretty harsh as you face into the sun and this being a west facing view, the light is very harsh even for your sunglasses. Hence, I had to wait till sunset to see a great sunset amidst this mighty aerial view of the west coast.


The only place you can find water or something to eat is Last Bar and since the climb is really steep, you will need a lot of water. Typical time for the climb from Sairee village is 60 minutes and descent should be about 45 minutes. Take caution while climbing down. A lot of people have been known to roll down due to bad footwear.

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