Perfect Day in Ko Tao Thailand

Drifting serenely in the Gulf of Thailand, the palm-fringed island of Ko Tao takes its name from the abundant sea turtles that reside on its shores. White sand beaches sheltered by steep hills – some only accessible with four-wheel drive vehicles – and 300 days of sun per year invite long afternoons of lounging.


Sai Nuan Beach

A gorgeous beach but very busy with long tail boat arrivals, during the day time, which means there is not a lot of space and, as everyone wants to sit in the shade, it means that other people come and sit right on top of you! Swimming is good and snorkelling very good.
If you are staying at the Mae Haad beach area and is just around 30 minutes walk to Sai Nuan Beach. It has Sai Nuan Beach 1 and Beach 2 which is very closed. I like the Beach 2 more, have rocks in the sea with many fishes, best for snorkeling. Have restaurants there so you can relax and enjoy drinks and food for a day there.

For some reason this well-known secret still feels like a secret. I kept going back during my stay on the island and it was always extremely clean (unlike other beaches on Thai islands), with only one or two other couples or wanderers milling around. There is shade to be found as well as plenty of sun, and large rocks to dip behind for some private yoga or a snooze. Getting there is a but tricky on a little scooter as there is gravel and a lot of straining to get uphill. However, if you've been driving in Thailand for a while you should be fine. You could also take a taxi boat. Avoid the hotel near the beach for drinks and snacks - it's very expensive. Rather bring your own.

Ao Tanot

A beautiful and quiet beach on the east side of the island. Great for relaxing, snorkeling or simply enjoying the stunning scenery. You can see a lot of coral and fish here. The water is quite clear and good for snorkelling from about 20m out from shore. This was one of our favorite places in Thailand. The tiny bay is stunning, and you can snorkel right off the beach. Great snorkeling too, although the visibility was a bit low. The journey out to Ao Tanote is at times a bit stressful but it's well worth the trip. The roads down to the bay are really really bad and if you take a scooter it's best to park the bikes by the restaurant and walk down. We had a couple accidents on the way down and ended up scratching the bikes we rented (expensive). The trip would have been way easier on ATVs. Once at the beach though it's SO beautiful. The snorkelling is amazing and you can snorkel out to a large rock out in the water that you can jump off of. Such a great afternoon. There's food (and beer) available at a few restaurants as well.