Why KOH TAO is PARADISE

I'm one of hundreds that had no plans to ever move here - this is my story 15 years later!

I never had any plans to stay - but life doesn't work out like that. In hindsight I never stood a chance. I arrived in late 2010 with plans to stay a few months, become a divemaster and eventually make my way back to my winter fortress of solitude (Norway).

My first home on Koh Tao - Chalok Baan Kao

However somewhere between the endless sunshine, warm tropical waters and friendly smiles I started to convince myself that maybe this wasn't a short visit after all. 

Koh Tao is world known for scuba diving but there's plenty of blog posts and articles written on that subject - let's focus on the other things that make Koh Tao so great!

Cafe's & Restaurants

Homemade desserts is the best after a long day out

When I first arrived in Thailand all I wanted was Thai food, and I can recall a time where having anything but rice and noodle dishes seemed unthinkable.

However with time I got to miss some of the foods from home while being introduced to a whole lot of new dishes along the way!

The people that decide to move to Koh Tao comes from all over the world and luckily for us some of them really know how to cook. So in addition to all the excellent Thai food, you get International food from nearly every corner of the world!

As cafe culture is reaching it's optimus maximus there's also never been a wider selection of coffee, baked goods and homemade treats.

The Culture

When you combine the land of smiles and a tiny tropical island you get a special vibe, and that's before you bring in all the different guest workers, dive instructors, yoga teachers or business owners that come from countries all over the world.

I'm reminded of my grandfathers words when he visited back in 2013; "I see people from every corner of the world, living together in peace".

While the early western residents to the island was predominantly scuba divers, today there's a mix of people with all sorts of backgrounds. However caring for the ocean is still the priority amongst the people living here.

Viewpoints & Hiking

Koh Tao is quite small however it's also very hilly, with the tallest mountain peaks at about 300 meters above sea level. Combined with a large selection of hiking trails and viewpoints offering stunning views.

You can explore old coconut plantations, abandoned farm houses in the jungle, or perhaps run into some of the very interesting but (mostly) harmless wildlife that Koh Tao has to offer, more on that later!

While the idea of someone building a viewpoint cafe seemed far fetched to me back in 2010 but now you can find them everywhere.

Beaches

Besides the viewpoints there's also plenty of stunning beaches located all around the island. While most visitors tend to stay at either Sairee beach or Mae Haad beach which are the two largest communities on the island - there's a total of 19 beaches give or take a few for you to head out and explore.

Some of them have excellent road connections like the remote Hin Wong or Tanote Bay, while others require a boat or some hiking / rough roads like Laem Thien or Mango Bay.

And while Shark Bay is famous for it's residential Green Turtles and blacktip sharks, and Tanote bay is famous for it's giant school of fish - I can honestly say there's stunning wildlife to be found wherever you go!

Snorkeling

Now we're getting to my favorite Koh Tao activity (not counting the mini-golf course!) which is getting underwater and seeing what's there!

Koh Tao is full of exotic snorkeling destinations, all with their own distinct features in terms of marine life and coral growth.

Besides the aforementioned Shark Bay and Tanote, you got the beautiful sandy beach of Ao Leuk. Here baby blacktip reef sharks are found each year from about March onwards as it's an excellent place for them to grow up.

There's also incredible marine life in places like Laem Thien, Tao Tong, Sai Daeng and June Juea.

The Wildlife

Koh Tao is home to some really unique animals living both above and below the waves. Whale sharks, turtles and eagle rays can be found in the ocean, but what about on the island itself?

Koh Tao has long been known as an island rich in wildlife, with descriptions going back as early as the 1840's. Today there's impact from the tourism industry, however many animals still remain here.

In the air you might be able to spot the huge white bellied sea eagles, found nesting a top of the very tallest trees in Sairee and Mae Haad. There's also a small population of hornbills and one of the only known populations of nicobar pigeons known in the Gulf of Thailand!

There's plenty of exotic butterflies and moths, along with a huge range of jumping spiders, praying mantis and even stick bugs!

You can also find monitor lizards, burmese pythons and maybe even the shy Koh Tao Caecilian - an amphibian first found on Koh Tao!

So what are you waiting for? Will Koh Tao be on your list for your next Thailand adventure? Let me know in the comments!