This compact 21 km² island forms part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the gulf of Thailand.
Whilst this island is small in size, the underwater scenery is grand with coral-encrusted rock pinnacles, vibrant reefs and great shipwrecks. Stingrays and grouper are always lurking with lucky divers catching a glimpse of a whale shark or eagle ray. When you’re not looking out to the blue, you’ll be mesmerized by the plethora of colorful reef fish all around you whilst diving in Koh Tao.
Cruise along the pinnacle with huge schools of chevron barracuda, yellow snapper and big eyed trevally, penetrate the wreck of a military vessel or hang out with the giants groupers - diving in Koh Tao brings delight to all divers.
Koh Tao’s calm, bright waters provide stable conditions throughout the year and with around 300 days of sun and water temperatures never dropping below 84°F/29°C, you can see why it's a diver favourite.
You can appreciate rock and coral formations, as well as titan triggerfish, sea snake, hawksbill and green turtles at any time of year when diving in Koh Tao. Whale sharks cruise into the deeper pinnacles through all seasons, but are most likely to appear in April and May.
July-September sees visibility stretch to 30 meters. Macro lovers will spot critters, nudibranch and three species of shrimp inside crevices and gaps between rocks. Divers with a good eye will also notice them on the artificial reefs.
Koh Tao is a small island part of the Chumphon Archipelago located on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Despite its remote location, travelling to and from Koh Tao is easy. Mae Haad Pier is the main hub with ferries sailing from Chumphon, Surat Thani, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan daily.
The Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran can get you from Koh Samui to Koh Tao in under an hour leaving you more time to enjoy diving in Koh Tao. For a slower-paced crossing, you can take the six-hour sleeper ferry from Chumphon.
With the island just two miles wide and five miles long, renting a motorbike is a great way to explore the island: if you ride to the south of the island, you can see the blacktip reef sharks swimming in the shallow waters close to land.
This page wouldn't be possible without contributions from the following PADI members: Master Divers, Assava Dive Resort. Disclaimer
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