Koh Tao #Koh Tao Resort #Koh Tao Island: June 2014

Koh Nang Yuan (Popular sights of Kot Tao...Part 4)

Koh Nang Yuan (Popular sights of Kot Tao...Part 4)
Said to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world.
Koh Nang Yuan is actually made up of three small islands connected by a sand bar. It's stunning scenery has made it a popular feature in books and postcards. Visit the hilltop viewpoint there for a breathtaking view. The island has some great snorkelling aites and it's popular for scuba diving., especially at Japanese Gardens.
There is a daily boat service from Koh Tao to Koh Nang Yuan which departs from the Lomprayah pier. You can also hire a lingtail boat from any beach on Koh Tao. All Around island boat trips will also visit here.
Entry rules: No plastic or cans. Vistor fee is 100 Baht per person, Island close at 17:00.

Koh Tao Perfect Blog Comment: A beautiful place on Koh Tao that is not to be missed during your stay here as it offers and amazing view of Kot Nang Yuan. Located on the far north west coast, at the end of the roas. in Dusit Buncha Resort, this is the closest point between the two islands. Wonderful at any time of the day, even more so at sunset. All visitors are welcome and it's free of charge....Koh Tao Perfect blog

Sairee beach (Popular sights of Kot Tao...Part 3)

SAIREE BEACH (Popular sights of Kot Tao...Part 3)
SAIREE BEACH IS THE LONGEST ON THE ISLAND AND STRETCHES 1.85 KM UP THE WEST COAST.
It's the most popular and busiest beach on Koh Tao and the surrounding area offers a wide range and variety of accommodation, dive centres, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and lots of nightlife. It's a great place to spend the day topping up your tan, or, if you are feeling energetic, a game of beach volleyball, frisbee or football. There is also a coral reef just 30 metres from the shore for a spot of snorkelling, and with lots of sand and shallow water, the beach is ideal for famlies with children.
In the evening, relax with a sunset drink and watch the world go by....Koh Tao Perfect blog

Popular Sights Of Koh Tao (2) Leam Jor Por RoR

Popular Sights Of Koh Tao (2) Leam Jor Por RoR
This area is a cape at the south end of Sairee Beach, from where you get a great view of the whole of the beach and Koh Nang Yuan in the background. It is famous for the large boulder inscribed with the intials of His Majesty the King Chulalongkorn - Rama V which were carved during his visit to the island in 1899. There is also a statue of His Majesty.
A quiet spot with lots of half submerged rocks creating a scenic silhouette at sunset...Koh Tao Perfect

Popular sights of Koh Tao

Popular Sights Of Koh Tao

There are many listed viewpoints, although a walk up the nearest hill will probably reward you with stunning views of ocean, coastline and lush green interior all in one scene.

The bays around the island are all perfect for snorkelling with shallow coral reefs only a short distance from the store. Below is a list of Koh Tao's beaches, bays and viewpoints for you to enjoy alng with the sunshine and sea breeze.

BEACHES & BAY

MAE HAAD BAY

Mae haad is the port town where the piers and located. There is still a feel of there local Thai lifestyle here. This is also where the government offices are, the police station, post office, health centre, banks, school and temple can be found. It's a good place for shopping for Thai souvenirs, beachwear, beach games and hand made jewelry. There are also dive equipment stores where you can buy everything from masks and fins for snorkelling to the latest scuba diving gear.

An interesting place to snorkel here, is the shipwreck which sank in 1962, located at the south end of the bay. There are generally lots of fish here, and you may be accompanied by a huge school of fusiliers as well as the blue spotted rays and sweetlips hiding here....Next for Popular sight of koh Tao part 2 at...Koh Tao Perfect blog

People and Culture in Koh Tao island

People and Culture in Koh Tao island

Population : Koh Tao is a fairly recently inhabited island with the first group of people migrating here in 1947 and others arriving mostly from Koh Phangan. The registered population is 1,788 people, recorded in 2010, but the amount of people that actually live here is around 7,000.

Koh Tao is a second home for many non-local Thais and foreigners from around the world with most people coming from Asia and Europe. The majority of people here are from southern Thailand and so use the local southern dialect. Most of the population reside in the three villages of Mae Haad, Sairee and Chalok Baan Kao.

Thai People: Consideration means to thinks of another's fellings and to avoid offending. Hospitality is part of the nature of Thai people who are also friendly, generous and love to help others. Thais are naturally good hosts and at mealtimes will always invite friends or guests that visit or pass by to join them in a meal together.

Andaman Coast and Southern Route away to Koh Tao
If travelling to the Andaman Coast or lower Southern Gulf, the connections are from the mainland out of Chumphon and Surat Thani where you go on by bus, van or train. Check with travel agencies for information. There are now also direct flights between Chumphon and Ranong with Happy Air
The trains from Chumhon to ther south only go to Surat Thani, Nakhon si Thammarat, Trang, Phattalung, Songkhla, Hat Yai, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. Hardly any of the Andaman coast is accessible via train, going by road is the only way to go. Below are the estimated travel times by road from Chumphon to the following destinations :

Khao Sok 4:30 hrs

Krabi 4:00 hrs.

Koh Phi Phi 5:30 hrs.

Koh Lanta 6:30 hrs.

Lhao Lak 6:30 hrs.

Phuket 9:00 hrs.

There are also flights from Koh Samui directly to Phuket and Krabi with Bangkok Airways....Koh Tao Perfect

Best events and popualr festivals in Koh Tao

Best events and Popular festivals in Koh Tao
1st: Koh Tao Underwater World Festival
The island's own annual festival ro celebrate and focus on Koh Tao's environmental and conservation offorts. Held in March or April, the dates aren't fixed, the festival goes on for 2 days and 2 nights. There's usually lots going on, with beach and underwater clean-ups, turtle release, conservation information booths and live performances on stage.

2nd: Songkran Festival
Celebrated on the 13th - 15 th April each year and marks a time of cleansing and renewal with water. It is symbolizes washing all the "bad" away, to start anew. The 13th is the Thai traditional new year, where everyone can join in the throwing of water along the main roads.

3rd :Loi Kratong Day
On the full moon of the twelfth lunar month, in November, this festival celebrates the releasing of misfortune. "Loi Kratong" means to float a "kratong" an object decorated like a lotus bloom which is laid.

Koh Tao Perfect Blog

How to travel to Koh Tao? (Part 2)

How to travel to Koh Tao (Part 2)
From How to travel to Koh Tao (Part 1), and this is next for travel to Koh Tao (part 2), with present by Koh Phangan & Koh Samui route and last Chumphon & Surat Thani route, for full detail Let's go.

Koh Phangan & Koh Samui Route
There are boats which operate between these two neightbuoring island and Koh Tao. They are Lomprayah Catamaran, Seatran Discover and Songserm Express.

Chumphon & Surat Thani Route
Chumphon is the closest part of the mainland to Koh Tao, and so travel time by boat is the quickest and shortest compared with Surat Thani. Two boats offer services between the mainland and Koh Tao, Lomprayah Catamaran and Somgserm Express.
There are also night boats (aka' sleeping boats's) and ferries available that offer varying degrees of bed-like comfort on mattresses. Journey time on these boats is approximately 6 Hrs to /from Chumphon and 9 Hrs. to /from Surat Thani.

If you want to fly, Chumphon has services with Nok Air and Happy Air. Surat Thani offers flights with Thai Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia.....Koh Tao Perfect blog

Coral and Marine Life at Koh Tao

Coral and Marine Life at Koh Tao
Similar to those found in all tropical regions around the world, the marine fauna and flora around Koh Tao, provide a natural aquarium for both snorkellers and divers. The different species of colourful angel-fish, butterflyfish, bannerfish and stingrays are abundant on reefs. Hard corals such as table coral. staghorn coral, mosaic and mushroom corals are predominant within this region of the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Tao provides the perfect opportunity for divers to observe the relationships that make up the marine ecosystem....Koh Tao Perfect blog

Underwater Geography is top destinations in Koh Tao

Underwater Geography is top destinations in Koh Tao
The coral reef esosystem that lies along the island of Koh Tao provides a home to bountiful marine life.
There are great opportunities for snorkelling and many are accessible directly from the beach. The undersea rock formations very from pinnacles stemming from the seabeds, some breaching the surface, to stacked boulder arrangements that provide swim-throughts and caverns for more experienced divers to explore....Koh Tao Perfect blog

Climate of Koh Tao

Climate of Koh Tao
Koh Tao can be visited all year round, There is always somwhere calm should the weather be windy on one of the coasts.
Conditions are changeable throughout the year, with Koh Tao's monsoon usually arriving between the end of November and beginning of December. Heavy rain, strong winds and waves are normal at this time, though it only lasts a few weeks. Boat services usually continue even with waves up to 4 metres high, but they can be interrupted the conditions are too bad. From October through to March, the tide is high , So it's better and easier in places for swimming and snorkelling with the beaches and bays full of water. From April through to September, the tide is low during the day making the beaches wider for sunbathing and beach activities....Koh Tao Perfect blog

How to travel to Koh Tao? (Part 1)

How to travel to Koh Tao? (Part 1)
The only way to get to Koh Tao is by boat. Services run from the mainland leaving Chumphon and Surat Thani, and from the island of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. There is no airport, and no bus or train stations on the island.

Bangkok Route. There are 4 alternative way :

1. Fly to/from Koh Samui airport, There are two airline offering services, Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways, with the former operating more flights to/from Bangkok making it convenient for boat connections. Flights depart every half an hour from 06:00-22:00 , Check the boat timetables to the island and your flight to be sure of the connections (We are working to update the information, When the update the information is complete, e will let you know again.)
2. Fly to/from Chumphon, Chumphon has services with Nok Air and Happy Air. Nok Air offers a good connection when going from Koh Tao to Bangkok by the 14:45 afternoon boat with their flight arriving in Bangkok at 19:10.
3. A combined bus/boat ticket, The cheapest and most popular way, there are two companies who offers this service, Lomprayah Catamaran and Songserm Express. Their air-conditioned buses depart from Khao San Road in Bangkok and arrive in at their own piers at Chumphon. The boat journey to Koh Tao is between 2 and 3 hours depending on the boat.
4. A sleeping train to/from Chumphon railway station, Travelling on the sleeper train is usually more comfortable than the bus. You will almost have a proper bed so you can sleep during the journey. The boat companies provide free transfers between their piers and the train station.

Geography of Koh Tao
Koh Tao is a fairly remote island lying 47 km north of its closest neighbour, Koh Samui, 74 km from Chumphon and 115 km from Baan Don Pier, Surat Thani. The island , with Koh Nang Yuan , forms a small archipelago with a total are of 19.2 square km. At its widest part, Koh Tao measures 3.4 km and is 7.6 km long. The measures 3.4 km and is 7.6 km long. The coastline, which is predominantly steep, rocky shoreline, consists of 11 bays and 10 capes and is 28.6 km long with a surrounding coral reef spanning 8 km. A large percentage of the island is mountainous in varying degrees wiht about 30% of flat land. The island is divided up into three villages, Mea Haad and Sairee on the west coast and Chalok Baan Kao in the south. The eastern part if the island is steep with cliffs. In contrast, the west slopes down gradually to the sea and the flat areas where the villages are. Koh Tao's highest point is at 374 metres above sea level and the island's mountains stretch from north to south.
The island was formed through land subsidence of the surrounding area, which is now the sea floor, making the depth of the sea around Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan at the most 30-40 metres. Koh Tao has a diurnal tide meaning there is only one high and one low water each tidal day.

"Koh Tao" is a small paradise island somewhat isolated in the gulf of Thailand.

"Koh Tao" is a small paradise island somewhat isolated in the gulf of Thailand.
It is lacated on the east side of the Surat Thani coastline with two neighbouring island, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. Koh Tao is officially a subdistrict of Koh Phangan is Surat Thani province and the name in English means "Turtle Inland" as the island used to be inhabited by turtles. The island's shape is also thought to resemble a turtle when viewed from Koh Phangan.
The island's natural beauty both above and below the water, which its stunning coral reefs and abundant marine life in clear, warm water, bring thousands of visitors here each year making it an unforgettable destination for divers, adventures and travellers alike. This, Combined with the relaxed atmosphere and life style, has been attracting people here for ever 35 years and is now a warm second home for many. Koh Tao has developed in many ways and with its thriving diving industry, in now one of the leading centres for dive education in the world...Koh Tao Perfect blog