Koh Tao is a tiny diving heaven located on the far east coast of South Thailand. If you think Phuket is full of westerners, Koh Tao is no exception, with the difference that could be far more young backpackers who come here for the sole purpose of learning diving, instead of partying.
It is told that Koh Tao has one of the world's cheapest diving lesson spots. A discovery diving lesson is Koh Tao could cost only as much as USD300? If you are not into diving as myself, fret not. There are vantage point places to explore.
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Mae Haat Pier
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Upon reaching the jetty early in the morning at 5am after a sleepy boat ride, I checked into my hostel. The town is centered around the jetty. One can rent a motorbike to explore. I explored on foot instead. I walked from the jetty toward the south to the viewpoint called John Suwan viewpoint. It is a short hike from the bottom. What a beautiful sandy beach and blue sea down under!
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John Suwan Viewpoint
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Later, I explored the nearby Freedom Beach and Taa Toh Beach connected via a narrow concrete footpath. The beaches here are less popular but more relaxing with less crowd.
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Freedom Beach
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| Cement footpath connecting Freedom and Taa Toh Beach |
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Taa Toh Beach
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| Taa Toh Beach Viewpoint |
On 2nd day, I joined a day of snorkeling and island hopping trip. The most impressive island is Koh Nang Yuan, an island consists of 3 tiny islands joined by 2 white sandy strips. We could hike to the lookout point to have an awesome island view across.
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Koh Nang Yuan
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| Vantage viewpoint |
The the last day, I walked from the pier along the narrow lane flanked by restaurants and shops on both sides to the popular Sairee Beach. The beach is behind the shops on the left. Sitting at one of the seaside restaurants, enjoying Pad Thai (Thai style fried noodle) and coke under the breeze overlooking the vast sea was a blessing. Strolling and resting along the beaches is a luxury experience.
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| Sairee Beach |
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View from restaurant
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Best drink to chill out on a hot day
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| Beautiful sunset |
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Red cloud
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The most memorable experience was seeing a red cloud over the sunset as I was walking back to the hostel. It was the first time I have ever seen a beautiful sunset sky. Then, it was time to say good bye as I was preparing to board the slow boat trip back to Surat Thani at 10pm.
It is a long boat journey from the mainland port of Surat Thani and vice versa. The speedboat takes 4 hours while the overnight slow boat will take 7 hours. The advantage of overnight boat is we can sleep on the dormitory style double decker bed. It also saves the travelling time. The boat is a giant 3 story boat with toilet facilities.
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| Luxury boat to Koh Tao from Surat Thani |
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| Dormitory style bed on the boat |
Besides the sightseeing, it was a memorable trip where I had a chance to chat with fellow travelers from other parts of the world, at the hostel and on the boat as we were leaving the charming island..
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