Phuket Thailand's best scuba diving (+66) 0806 961 461
English German Swedish Danish
About Koh Tao

About Koh Tao

About Koh Tao

Ko Tao or Koh Tao is a small island spanning a meager 21 km2 and is based in the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Her name literally translates to Turtle Island, named after the Hawksbill and Green turtles that reside there. The island is host to over 130 species of hard corals, and over 223 species of reef fishes belonging to 53 families.

The island was for many years uninhabited. It once served as a haven for fishermen in poor weather. In 1933 the island started to be used as a political prison. In 1947 Khuang Abhaiwongse, prime minister at that time, pleaded and received a royal pardon for all prisoners on the island. Everybody was taken to the shore of Surat Thani and Koh Tao was abandoned again.

In the 1980s overseas travellers began to visit Koh Tao and it quickly became a popular destination for all types of travellers. . In the 1990s the island became famous as a serious diving destination.

Getting to Koh Tao

Ko Tao does not have an airport or connection to the mainland so the only way to get to the island is via ferry/boat.

Ferries depart from mainland towns of Chumphon (1.5 hours) and Surat Thani (4 hours) and the nearby islands of Koh Samui (2 hours) and Koh Pha-ngan (1.5 hours). For Bangkok residents, there is a relatively easy drive to the charismatic port town of Chumphon. Lomprayah offers daily ferries from all the above destinations to Koh Tao.

Lomprahya Ferry Koh Tao

Lomprahya Ferry Koh Tao

Food

Ko Tao has a fast range of food options. There is a great blend of local Thai street food and budget restaurants. There is great selection of high quality western restaurants. For better or worse (the writer is in the better camp), you will not find the golden arches here nor will you find any finger licking special herbs and spices chicken.

Getting around

Given that the island is basically only 6 km long, there are not many cars on the island. The island has one main connecting road and the it a very easy island to navigate. The easiest way to get around if to rent one of the many motor scooters available and they will cost you between 100 – 200 baht a day to rent.

Aussie Divers Phuket> Koh Tao / Bangkok> About Koh Tao
Hi, was This Page Helpful?
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...

A Diving Community In Phuket

Here at Aussie Divers we don't just consider ourselves a dive shop, we think of it as more, a big family of like minded individuals coming together to enjoy the marine environment here in Phuket & Thailand. We are always happy to chat with new divers or old, so please drop by the office anytime to see what is going on and if you have dived with us or want to dive with us than feel free to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our community Dive Blog and generally stay in touch & stay informed.

PADI Open Water Touch Scuba Diving Course Aussie Divers Phuket Courses

Free PADI Open Water Course Introduction

Thinking about learning to scuba dive? Don't know where to begin? Take the first step today with this limited time FREE offer from Aussie Divers! Start your PADI Open Water Course for free: Sign up here PADI & Aussie Divers are offering a 100% free online introduction to the PADI Open Water Course. You can now have an insight to the dive theory before committing or paying any money, start your PADI scuba education online today! This online PADI eLearning module covers the steps involved to become a certified diver, how to get the most out of your course & some basic aspects of the full PADI Open Water Course. You can s [...]

Read The Story
Free Pool Try Scuba Diver Aussie Divers Phuket Helpful Diving Info

Do I Need to Know How To Swim to Scuba Dive?

This is a question that I often get asked, and really it is not as simple as YES or NO. If you want to become a certified scuba diver by doing the PADI Open Water Diver Course, the answer is yes. In the PADI Open Water Diver Course it is specified that you have to be able to swim 200 metres. This can be with any stroke. You also have to be able to tread water or float for at least 10 minutes. The reason for this is not for the fact that scuba diving requires you to swim. But rather it is for your and your groups safety. In the unlikely event that your BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) was to falter then there would be no device to kee [...]

Read The Story
PADI Course Director Darren Gaspari Scuba Diving Aussie Divers Phuket Everything Else

What Drives Me

During 2020 I repetitively heard comments to stay positive during these COVID times. These were always done with the best of intentions of the speaker. Often doing their best to keep everyone upbeat during some pretty tough times.As there was no international tourism, the scuba diving industry in Thailand was hit hard. The inner me always found these comments a little frustrating and I didn’t know why. During COVID I had been working hard against the norm, making changes to my business and expanding the company. There have been some good results for us. Oddly though, I don’t think I was positive during this period, it actually felt [...]

Read The Story
Aussie Whale Shark Thailand Everything Else

The Curse of the Whale Shark

Was the curse of the whale shark fact or fiction? My first effort at scuba diving was a PADI Discover Scuba Diving way back in 2006. Back then I had never heard of a Whale Shark. A year later I became a certified diver and I was still none the wiser of the Holy Grail of marine creatures. I am not sure when in the following 3,500 + dives I became aware of them, but as with most underwater creatures that pass by the waters of Thailand, I just assumed a matter of time before I saw one…… or was it? Look for your whale shark with Aussie Divers: Book Here Scuba diving can be a cruel game. Given that marine creatures have a [...]

Read The Story