Koh Tao is one of Thailands most special islands, known for snorkeling, scuba diving and its laid-back island life. Even though Koh Tao is only 8 km long and 3 km wide, there are plenty of things to do.
I’ve lived on Koh Tao on and off for over 2 years and this guide includes my personal favourite experiences, plus updated tips for 2026, costs and how to plan your stay. want to share the top 5 things to do on Koh Tao.
Looking for a nice breakfast spot? Here are my top five breakfast cafes on Koh Tao!
Quick travel info for Koh Tao (2026)
Before diving into the activities, here are a few essentials that help with planning your stay at this beautiful island:
Best time to visit Koh Tao
The overall best time to visit Koh Tao is between February and September. The hottest time and peak season is February til May. This is prime time for good visibility and diving. However, the island can get very crowded and at this time of the year you can expect power cuts. June to September the island is less busy, visibility is still very nice and it’s less hot.
October to December is rainy season. The weather, however, is unpredictable. We’ve had rainy weeks in May, and a beautiful October without any rain. Overall these months are the most quiet with less predictable conditions, cooler water (as in 28-29 instead of 30-31 degrees Celsius) and less visibility.
In this guide you can find out what’s the best way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. Most travelers arrive via ferry from Koh Samui, Surat Thani, or Chumphon.
Average costs:
- Diving courses: 9,000 – 13,000 THB
- Scooter rental: 200 – 300 THB/day
- Meals: 60 – 250 THB
Scuba Diving
Diving is the main reason most people come to Koh Tao. The island is surrounded by dozens of dive sites, offering everything from shallow coral gardens to deeper pinnacles and wreck dives, boasting huge schools of fish and the occasional whale shark visits. There is such a great variety in dive sites and marine life that you’ll never get bored.
Diving courses in Koh Tao
I recommend starting with the Open Water Diver course to learn the basic diving skills. Getting this certification allows you to dive anywhere in the world up to a depth of 18 metres. Personally, I don’t recommend the 1 day discovery scuba courses, as for most people, they are rather putting them off from diving in the future. If you want to feel safe, and understand the whole scuba setup, the Open Water is the better choice.
If you have more time, the Advanced course is a great next step, especially if you want to improve your depth and navigation skills.
For those who want to stay on Koh Tao for at least a couple of months, it’s worth thinking about completing the Dive Master training. In this course you learn more about guiding dives, the science and safety of diving, and you will gain the skills to navigate around the dive sites. It’s an awesome experience and also allows you to work for dive centers around the world. The next step after would be the instructor training, which can also be done on Koh Tao.
The best dive school in Koh Tao
When I first came to Koh Tao in May 2020, I started my Open Water course with Big Blue Diving, immediately followed by the Advanced certification. Many fun dives later, I came back two years later to complete my dive master training. I’ve known the school for a long time and I would recommend everyone to do their courses with them. Not only can you do the basic certifications but also get more involved with deep skills, Nitrox, tech diving and understanding the eco side of diving. They have a very comfortable boat, are setup in the heart of Koh Tao near Sairee Beach and have knowledgeable instructors aboard! If you stop by Big Blue say Hi from me.
Do you have any questions regarding diving on Koh Tao?
Send me a message on Instagram!
Flying Trapeze Adventures
If you’re looking for something different from the ocean activities, the Flying Trapeze Adventures Koh Tao is an amazing alternative. This is perfect for those who love adrenaline and are not scared of heights. You learn how to swing, catch, and even perform simple tricks in the air, guided by experienced instructors.
It’s suitable for beginners and also a great group or couple activity. Dylan and Clara, the owners, are doing an amazing job teaching the class. You can either come only for one session (which is around 1.5 hours long) or come more often and improve your skills. This activity is suitable for kids and adults. Apart from the flying trapeze they also offer aerial classes which look super nice.
The Flying Trapeze Koh Tao is located in Sairee, surrounded by palm trees and green. When you’re standing on the platform you can see the jungly mountains. I took some friends with me and they all loved it. It’s definitely a challenge, especially because of the heights, but so much fun!
Read more about how Koh Tao became my home during Covid.
Hikes & viewpoints
Koh Tao has some of the best viewpoints in the Gulf of Thailand, and most of them are reachable by scooter or short hikes. The best time to visit is early morning or at sunset hours. If you are interested in rock climbing, you should have a look at Good Time Adventures Koh Tao!
John Suwan Viewpoint
One of the most famous viewpoints on the island, offering panoramic views over Shark Bay and Chalok Bay. The hike is short but a bit steep. This is my favourite viewpoint on the island. It gives a breath-taking view over parts of the island as well as Shark and Chalok Bay. The hike there itself is not too hard, it maybe takes around 15-20 minutes. When arriving at the parking lot you’ll be asked to pay an entrance fee of 100 THB. This also includes access to Freedom and Ta Tooh Beach. There’s not really a “best time” to go there as both sunrise and sunset are beautiful and can be seen from this viewpoint.
Fraggle Rock
Another really nice viewpoint for sunset is Fraggle Rock – a large rock viewpoint overlooking Sairee Beach and Koh Nang Yuan. You can drive up to Fraggle Rock by scooter and walk the rest. The path is well signed and the way there can be easily found on Google Maps.
Koh Tao Lighthouse
The most exciting and adventurous hike is to Koh Tao Lighthouse. It’s a hidden place, not on the agenda of most people, located at the northeast tip of the island. You can reach it by hike or boat, and the journey is part of the experience. In this blogpost you can find the whole route.
You want to explore the one and only lighthouse on Koh Tao? Check out this hike!
Kayaking & Stand Up Paddle (SUP)
If you love the ocean but don’t want to snorkel or dive I can recommend to rent a kayak or a stand up paddle board! Sairee Beach has a few rentals (e.g. at Ban’s Diving or Maya Beach Club) and offers the best ocean sunset.
For a more adventurous trip you could rent a kayak from Sai Daeng Beach and paddle all the way to Shark island (aka Ko Kong Sai Daeng). You’ll feel like Chuck from Cast Away – the only difference is that Shark island doesn’t have a beach or much green, it’s a rock island. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and plenty of water for this trip. Also make sure to watch out for boats – depending on the time of the year water ways can get crowded.
Check out one of my favorite cafes on Koh Tao: Coconut Monkey
Visit Koh Nang Yuan
Another activity I always love doing is going to the small neighbour island Koh Nang Yuan. It’s around 15 minutes away from Koh Tao and actually consists of two islands connected by a 800m long white sand beach. There is a resort on Nang Yuan which is perfect for honey moons or those who seek absolute tranquility.
The best way to go to Koh Nang Yuan is by taking a longtail taxi boat. There are drivers available along whole Sairee Beach. Just keep an eye out for signs saying “Taxi Boat”. If you’re staying further up there is also a taxi boat exactly where Coconut Monkey is. In Sairee there are usually lots of drivers around Café Culture. The boat takes you to the island and picks you up whenever you want to go back. It’s around 200-300 THB per person. On top of that comes a 250 THB national park fee (2026) for entering Koh Nang Yuan. You will pay once you arrive on the island.
The island is open until 5pm so it’s best to plan your trip and have at least 2-3 hours to explore. There’s a nice viewpoint on the left island when entering the port. On both sides of the beach you can snorkel really well. There are also two dive sites close by which means that the underwater life is worth seeing.
Volunteer at Koh Koh Pups Dog Rescue
One of the more meaningful things you can do on Koh Tao is spending time volunteering at a local animal rescue. Koh Koh Pups Rescue is a small, community-driven and donation-based dog rescue that cares for abandoned and injured dogs on the island. It’s not a polished tourist attraction, but rather a real, hands-on place where help genuinely makes a difference.
Most of the dogs here have been rescued from difficult situations, and the rescue focuses on providing medical care (with Koh Tao Animal Clinic) food, socialisation, and, finding them new homes around the world. Because resources are limited, volunteers play an important role in keeping daily operations running.
What volunteering looks like
It’s best to check on the Koh Koh Pups Instagram for visiting time and hours. When you help out at the rescue you can expect the following:
- feeding and giving fresh water to the dogs
- cleaning common spaces
- walking and socialising the dogs
- spending time with the puppies to help them get used to people
Read more about how Koh Koh Pups is making my life on the island so much better!
All in one map
Final thoughts
Koh Tao is a little paradise island. These are my favourite activities on the island – of many! The island is mostly famous for diving but it’s worth visiting even if you are not interested in ocean activities.
An important note at this point: Koh Tao is a small island and therefore has limited resources. Please consider your water and electricity usage, as well as being kind and respectful to the local people – as well as marine life. We don’t touch, we are respectful, we leave nothing but footprints. This is the only way we can preserve this little paradise.
If you have any questions about Koh Tao or need help planning your trip, feel free to reach out on Instagram!
