HERE.
Wow, how things change! Although I was on KO NANGYUAN (that gorgeous piffling satellite isle - click ) 2 years ago, I haven’t been on Tao proper since 1997. The primary town amongst the piers, MAE HAT is no longer a pocket-sized hamlet amongst a limited attain of services. SAIREE BEACH to the north, which had lots of opened upward infinite together with a one-half dozen elcheapo places is instantly fully built upward amongst a truly large attain of accommodation from ameliorate budget thru to midrange+, addition heaps of restaurants, bars, shops etc. It’s non likewise far off becoming some other Chaweng, for ameliorate or worse. The route downward to pop CHALOK BAN KAO on the due south coast is paved rather than the dirt rail which at 1 phase worked its way along a running creek bed for 70m. Ban Kao itself, which was a jumble of budget together with dive resorts, looks much to a greater extent than orderly together with attractive, amongst to a greater extent than midrange materials together with a skillful attain of services. Like Sairee, the beach is pretty prissy (they receive got cleaned out the boat junk together with starter-mangroves), but both places instruct REAL shallow at depression tide.
Part of Chalok Ban Kao - Koh Tao Resort amongst puddle (image Thai-Tour.com) -
The truly skillful affair for old timers is that there are soundless some really set dorsum places where you lot tin instruct away from the hassle together with crowds - for instance, just virtually whatsoever of the E coast bays.
Ko Toa - ikon from www.hotelthailand.com
More detailed maps showing bungalow locations - TRAVELFISH MAP OF KO TAO - AND WESTERN KO TAO
I hired a wheel together with checked out AO HIN WONG first. It is on the northern one-half of the E coast together with is accessed yesteryear a relatively brusque mainly dirt route from Sairee village. This has some killer slopes together with really fossil oil sections thence live on really careful if you lot are on a motorcycle. I saw a local together with his rider receive got a pocket-sized come-off hither - these guys ride those roads every day. The bay itself is relatively pocket-sized amongst ii bungalow operations, both of which had elevated restaurants together with bungalows. I bought a super-cold beer off the friendly folk at GREEN TREES which had bungalows for 200 baht. The other house looked a flake farther upmarket, but non super flash. There is no beach here, but heaps of large granite rocks for sunning together with the bay itself is nifty for swimming (I didn’t receive got my snorkel gear or lap-swimming goggles but the underwater scene appeared to receive got lots of interesting rocks together with sections of coral for snorkelers). The H2O is deep at all tides. There was exclusively a handful of people inwards the restaurants together with sunning/swimming - the perfect instruct away from it place.
More busy together with commercial, but soundless pretty relaxed was AO TANOTE, a slightly bigger bay to a greater extent than cardinal to the E coast together with accessed from a similar type of rail due south of Mae Hat. TANOTE BAY RESORT seems to receive got upward most of the northern headland hither together with has a heap of bungalows from flash to basic. They start around 500baht. The top, most seaward ones had fabulous views both over the bay together with northward upward the coast. There is a prissy smallish beach which had virtually 20 people sunning, a dive cast doing theory together with some other 20 or thence inwards the H2O swimming together with snorkeling. There were some smaller bungalow outfits on the other side of the bay, amongst starting prices around 300, addition some nicely positioned ones dispersed along the steep hillside higher upward the approach route equally it descended the mountainside.
Tanote Bay on the set dorsum E coast (image Thailand Paradise)
H5N1 side route heading due south off the Tanote rail takes you lot to AO LEUK, a cross betwixt Hin Wong together with Ao Tanote inwards that it was really compact amongst simply ii places, but had a prissy piffling beach. I had a super hot papaya salad inwards AO LEUK BUNGALOW'S beachside restaurant. They told me their bungalows started at 300.I din't swim here, but these bays tend to receive got some fringing coral around the headland rocks together with a coral reef drop-off into the deeper water.
UPDATE - Nov 07. Several Thorntree posters cite threats together with actual violence from the possessor of Ao Leuk Bungalows if you lot are a casual visitor to the beach together with endeavor to convey your ain food, drinks. Might live on politic to purchase something inwards his eating seat commencement together with if you lot eat your ain stuff, live on discrete.
Or give the house the large miss, it's zilch special.
UPDATE NOV09 - I recall to rest on the E coast for component subdivision of my next visit. Hin Wong was my commencement alternative - but this appealing-looking place on a piffling bay simply northward of Tanote, Laem Thian, makes my alternative to a greater extent than difficult.
A span of years dorsum some Brits told me of an idyllic rest they had inwards 1 of the several pocket-sized bays inwards the SOUTH WEST CORNER OF THE ISLAND - the expanse due south of the primary town, which is known equally the HAT SAI NUAL-AO KUL JEUA are. So I spent the best component subdivision of a twenty-four hours exploring this on foot. The house which appealed most to me hither was the expanse around SUNSET together with MOONDANCE bungalows, because it had the nicest department of beach (Kul Jeua), some funky looking inexpensive bungalows amongst body of body of water views, could live on accessed yesteryear a fairly apartment fossil oil dirt route from close Chalok Ban Kao (some of these bays are best accessed yesteryear long tail which tin instruct expensive) together with was populated yesteryear a handful of those Euro immature couples together with families who seem to specialise inwards finding out of the way locations.
Further due south on this rail I constitute the best positioned eating seat inwards Tao. This belonged to VIEWPOINT BUNGALOWS and was 1 of these places built on stilts over the seaside rocks amongst the H2O truly sloshing below at high tide. It is correct on the western halt of the due south coast, amongst fabulous views of Ban Kao’s beach, headland together with the surrounding hills together with mountains. Viewpoint is to a greater extent than a flashpacker house amongst skillful looking seaside bungalows at 800 baht together with a prissy piffling department of sand, but despite beingness a flake upmarket, I had the best value (and tastiest) repast of my whole LOS trip here, a sugariness together with sour chicken amongst rice (yeah, I know, it’s non Thai) for 60baht.
You tin also accomplish Viewpoint off the beach at Chalok Ban Kao yesteryear taking the concrete footbridge across the rocks westwards to TARAPORN'S eating seat (good views hither too, but non equally skillful equally Viewpoint) together with go along thru some other 300m to Viewpoint. Taraporn has some attractive rockside bungalows too, which were 400 when I asked.
Chalok Ban Kao. Taraporn bungalows at sea aeroplane on far headland (image Thai-Tour.com)
Just E of Chalok Ban Kao inwards a bay of similar size is a really prissy private* beach at AO THIAN OK (often called SHARK BAY, because harmless reef sharks together with other interesting fish together with some fairly skillful coral tin live on seen when snorkelling off the E headland - farther along from Rocky Resort). There are exclusively iii resorts here, 2 on the headlands. There was a pocket-sized accuse for access when I visited, but I take heed that it has been removed. The beach attracts quite a few people without getting overcrowded. The H2O is deeper at depression tide here. Follow the route from the eastern halt of Chalok's "main street".
*no beach inwards Thailand is private, despite what some hotel/bungalow people tell you. However the guy who owns Rocky Resort owns all the province behind the beach together with used to collect an entry fee to become thru his province to the beach. There are reports he gets upset virtually people bringing their ain snorkelling gear instead of hiring it off the beach gear-eats stand upward he unremarkably has operating simply behind the beach. When I snorkelled here, I went inwards off the rocks of the headland.
So which of these places did I rest at? None.
Sitting on Ko Nangyuan previous visits I’ve ever thought the bungalows built high on the steep slopes northward of Sairee Beach on Tao’s due west coast looked pretty skillful together with would receive got killer views. So when I got off the “new” nighttime vehicle-ferry from Chumpon (which looks a recycled WW2 U.S. of A. of America Navy landing barge amongst a funky dorm behind the span containing abt thirty mattresses) I went upward together with got me one, at SILVER CLIFF BUNGALOWS. 300 baht for a wooden bungalow, attached bath amongst mirror, clean, solid, simply plenty room for ii together with their gear, comfortable double bed amongst skillful musquito net. The large verandah had a hammock together with a nifty 100 grade tree together with stone framed persuasion of the ocean, equally did the pocket-sized restaurant, but my favourite viewing spot was on top of a nearby huge granite boulder, the perfect sunset location amongst a bottle of Chang or Mae Khong. The eating seat meals were pretty skillful amongst an astounding diversity together with some of the cheapest prices all trip. Their sugariness together with sour was a flake ordinary afterward Viewpoint’s however. There is a rail to the seaside rocks way downward in that location together with the snorkeling is quite interesting correct off the rocks but fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thence virtually 40m out where the fringing coral reef is located. The eating seat hires snorkeling gear.
Silver Cliff exclusively has virtually 10 bungalows (some are bigger amongst aircon) but in that location are ii similar places next to the north, SUN SEA together with SUN LORD, which seemed to receive got a bigger attain of bungalows., including downward unopen to the water. H5N1 grouping of Brits were having nifty slow afternoon fun downward in that location amongst crazy diving contests off a large granite boulder together with fanging around inwards a pocket-sized rowboat.
These places are virtually 10 minutes walk downhill to the closest component subdivision of Sairree beach together with a skillful twoscore minutes into cardinal Mae Hat together with the piers. No problems amongst a wheel or motorcycle. 50 baht yesteryear motorbike taxi, 100 yesteryear machine from town.
Sairree Beach, in all probability the best beach for political party types (image Thailand Paradise)
If you lot caput the other way equally far northward equally possible (gets a flake steep inwards parts but the route is paved) you lot tin caput downward a brusque rail to some other house I liked, CFT HERE AND NOW BUNGALOWS, which had a terrific rainforest eating seat amongst a cutout through the canopy for nifty views of Ko Nangyuan together with some pretty rustic looking bungalows scattered downward inwards the jungle. This house seemed to attract the granola munching types. I had to receive got a sunset beer here, together with the guy told me they had some 100 baht bungalows (share bathrooms). And meditation classes! Sounds similar simply the house for the hippy haters from Tales of Asia.
Ko Nangyuan (image Panoramio-janols)
The beach at Nangyuan
From the personalities dot of view, Tao is of class the haunt of the diver, together with it’s existent interesting how they instruct that ‘special group’ swagger when walking around bungalow restaurants together with beaches amongst their moisture suits rolled downward to hip level. Hell, if I was paying all that coin for a class or a serial of dives, I’d bung on a swagger too.
Another interesting grouping seen on Tao to a greater extent than than other islands is the dirt biker. These guys don’t hire 100 cc Honda Dreams, they blat upward together with downward the ridiculous slopes at transcend defying speed on large 500+ dirt bashers. It’s a flake disconcerting walking your wheel downward a dangerously rutted dirt gradient to all of a abrupt respect 1 of these things flight yesteryear at caput elevation nudging eighty kmh.
And yeah, afterward my multiple end-over-ender on Ko Jum, I got sensible together with walked my hire-a-wreck Cannondale downward the steepest, most rutted together with rocky sections. Well, non likewise sensible. I receive got a rather immature show-off streak together with on the less unsafe downhill sections got nifty satisfaction overtaking a few motorcycles. However I should cite it is non such a skillful thought to go inwards the upper reaches of Sairee hamlet at warp speed if a domestic dog runs out inwards front end of you.
UPDATE NOV 07 - in that location receive got been several complaints on Thorntree virtually motorbike rental rip-offs on Tao lately - specifically people beingness hitting for huge harm bills for pocket-sized scrapes or for no harm at all. One house mentioned is Owen Motorcycle Rental. Some posters suggested it is a skillful thought to photograph whatsoever existing harm earlier you lot go out the joint, together with to deport an expired passport to give equally "security" when renting.
UPDATE DEC 08 - diver9, who I'm 95% certain is HansumMan - the Joker inwards the Glass House with a novel handle, gave this skillful information virtually things to practice on Tao apart from diving:
A walk upward to the cardinal pinnacle from the due west coast is cool.
Dirt biking around the isle for views is nifty fun if ur capable.
Breakfasts inwards Fatties simply out of Mae Had going due south are... extremely fattening amongst newspapers & amazing service.
There's a really underused paintball site & an overused nine pivot bowling lane.
Crazy golf game farther downward the route from Fatties if you're truly bored but I take heed it tin live on really amusing if you lot mix it amongst mushrooms from the Rock Bar at Chalok Ban Kao.
-
GETTING TO TAO FROM BANGKOK.
From Bankok the cheapest would live on prepare or autobus to Chumpon together with and then hop on 1 of the fast ferries which goes to Tao. Chumpon is a long way northward of the pop alternative of Surathani. Chumpon is also a closer to Tao than Surathani. I know the sleeper prepare due south (I recall terminal finish is Hat Yai) gets into Chumpon inwards skillful fourth dimension to grab the commencement limited boat out each morning.
I receive got seen a lot of posts proverb Lomprayah ferry company's bus/fast catermaran combination is really reliable - I recall that autobus goes overnight likewise together with leaves from an role really unopen to Bangkok's Khao San Road.
If your schedule has you lot arriving inwards Chumpon slow pm, in that location are ii nighttime ferries across to Tao.
More expensive time-saver is to wing to Samui together with and then hop across to Tao on 1 of the ferries or speedboats connecting the islands. Or wing to Surathani together with grab a ferry. I recall you lot are looking at Bangkok Air for the quondam (although I heard other airlines are instantly flight into Samui) together with AirAsia, Thai together with mayhap others into the latter.
From most* of the Andaman or from the South -
most people come upward inwards through Surathani. Some ferries go out from the town itself but more, including vehicle ferries depart from farther E on the coast. If you lot are coming inwards via the autobus station, the drome or railway station (the in conclusion 2 both out of town), in that location are locomote counters or next locomote agents who volition sell you lot a shuttle bus-ferry ticket correct onto the island.
Last I heard in that location was a nighttime ferry from the town pier too, at around 2000-2100.
* from the north-Andaman (Ranong area) Chumpon is closer.
WHEN TO GO
The Tao/Samui/Phangan expanse tends to receive got a dissimilar moisture flavor to most of Thailand. Normally this kicks inwards slow September/early Oct together with runs into early on January, although the fact that Christmas/New Year is peak flavor indicates that it can't live on likewise bad come upward slow December.
The skillful tidings is that when the Andaman together with Eastern Gulf islands are inwards moisture flavor midyear, the Tao expanse is unremarkably much drier. Sure it volition pelting a flake inwards these months but unremarkably sunshine dominates. This drier atmospheric condition agency a 2d high flavor inwards July/August together with consequently non the instruct by accommodation prices you lot volition respect inwards Phuket, Krabi or large Ko Chang etc.
Feb thru Apr are fifty-fifty drier. Note March Apr tin live on pretty hot.
H5N1 dot virtually Tao's moisture flavor - oftentimes this tin live on equally holiday-friendly equally most other areas, but every instantly together with and then they receive got a shocker. In all the years I receive got been next Thai atmospheric condition this is the exclusively house I receive got seen forum posters complaining virtually persistent bad weather, prolonged heavy pelting etc. This seems to go on every tertiary or fourth year, but non necessarily on a regular basis. So if I was planning a Thai beach vacation inwards state Oct, Nov or early on Dec I mightiness recall to a greater extent than virtually the mid or eastern Gulf or the Andaman. However if these months were the exclusively fourth dimension I could see together with I truly wanted to encounter Phangan, I would non live on put-off - my commencement see into this expanse was inwards a Nov together with I got existent prissy weather, equally skillful equally my iii August visits.
H5N1 smaller dot - May inwards this expanse together with many other Thai regions often gets a piffling blip of extra pelting compared to next months. Usually this is non plenty to instruct inwards a mini moisture flavor but 1 time over again I occasionally encounter complaints from the Phangan/Samui/Tao areas virtually prolonged rainy spells.
For the cost conscious, you lot are going to instruct skillful discounts inwards moisture season. But annotation months similar March, April, June together with a lot of Septrember are unremarkably not wet, yet many accommodation places become into depression flavor pricing. Note likewise that low-budget places are much less variable inwards pricing compared to midrange together with high-end joints.
MONEY
There are lots of ATMs, coin changers together with several banks inwards Mae Had together with Sairee. Chalok Ban Khao has at to the lowest degree 1 of each too. I didn't notice whatsoever of these at the other beaches.
.
A GREAT FERRY TIMETABLE IS PROVIDED BY LOSING_TOUCH ON HIS BACKPACK IN THAILAND SITE.
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SOME LINKS
Big Bubble Diving website has several accommodation options. Viewpoint mentioned higher upward is the commencement together with has 4 ranges of bungalow from budget to those snazzy seafront ones I saw.
travelfish is really skillful on Tao, has a broad attain of accommodation reports including Silver Cliff mentioned above, together with virtually the most detailed bungalow loacation maps I've seen.
READERS' TRIP REPORTS ON KO TAO
Rachael has sent inwards a report inluding pix of Andy together with her see to Tao inwards December09 to the novel READERS' TRIP REPORT SECTION.
If you lot desire to burn inwards a trip study on Tao or whatsoever other location delight shipping text and/or captions addition whatsoever pix to lajolla22@hotmail.com. Hopefully nosotros tin hold information upward to appointment without me having to supply to dozens of islands every 2d year. There are thence many other places I desire to visit.
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If you lot are visiting Tao you lot may live on interested inwards nearby:
KO PHANGAN
KO SAMUI
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If you lot receive got whatsoever questions, delight inquire them inwards THE FORUM rather than below. I don't instruct a jeopardy to cheque all threads daily, but unless I'm travelling I'll endeavor to monitor THE FORUM regularly. Sumber http://tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot.com/
Wow, how things change! Although I was on KO NANGYUAN (that gorgeous piffling satellite isle - click ) 2 years ago, I haven’t been on Tao proper since 1997. The primary town amongst the piers, MAE HAT is no longer a pocket-sized hamlet amongst a limited attain of services. SAIREE BEACH to the north, which had lots of opened upward infinite together with a one-half dozen elcheapo places is instantly fully built upward amongst a truly large attain of accommodation from ameliorate budget thru to midrange+, addition heaps of restaurants, bars, shops etc. It’s non likewise far off becoming some other Chaweng, for ameliorate or worse. The route downward to pop CHALOK BAN KAO on the due south coast is paved rather than the dirt rail which at 1 phase worked its way along a running creek bed for 70m. Ban Kao itself, which was a jumble of budget together with dive resorts, looks much to a greater extent than orderly together with attractive, amongst to a greater extent than midrange materials together with a skillful attain of services. Like Sairee, the beach is pretty prissy (they receive got cleaned out the boat junk together with starter-mangroves), but both places instruct REAL shallow at depression tide.
Part of Chalok Ban Kao - Koh Tao Resort amongst puddle (image Thai-Tour.com) - The truly skillful affair for old timers is that there are soundless some really set dorsum places where you lot tin instruct away from the hassle together with crowds - for instance, just virtually whatsoever of the E coast bays.
Ko Toa - ikon from www.hotelthailand.comMore detailed maps showing bungalow locations - TRAVELFISH MAP OF KO TAO - AND WESTERN KO TAO
I hired a wheel together with checked out AO HIN WONG first. It is on the northern one-half of the E coast together with is accessed yesteryear a relatively brusque mainly dirt route from Sairee village. This has some killer slopes together with really fossil oil sections thence live on really careful if you lot are on a motorcycle. I saw a local together with his rider receive got a pocket-sized come-off hither - these guys ride those roads every day. The bay itself is relatively pocket-sized amongst ii bungalow operations, both of which had elevated restaurants together with bungalows. I bought a super-cold beer off the friendly folk at GREEN TREES which had bungalows for 200 baht. The other house looked a flake farther upmarket, but non super flash. There is no beach here, but heaps of large granite rocks for sunning together with the bay itself is nifty for swimming (I didn’t receive got my snorkel gear or lap-swimming goggles but the underwater scene appeared to receive got lots of interesting rocks together with sections of coral for snorkelers). The H2O is deep at all tides. There was exclusively a handful of people inwards the restaurants together with sunning/swimming - the perfect instruct away from it place.
More busy together with commercial, but soundless pretty relaxed was AO TANOTE, a slightly bigger bay to a greater extent than cardinal to the E coast together with accessed from a similar type of rail due south of Mae Hat. TANOTE BAY RESORT seems to receive got upward most of the northern headland hither together with has a heap of bungalows from flash to basic. They start around 500baht. The top, most seaward ones had fabulous views both over the bay together with northward upward the coast. There is a prissy smallish beach which had virtually 20 people sunning, a dive cast doing theory together with some other 20 or thence inwards the H2O swimming together with snorkeling. There were some smaller bungalow outfits on the other side of the bay, amongst starting prices around 300, addition some nicely positioned ones dispersed along the steep hillside higher upward the approach route equally it descended the mountainside.
Tanote Bay on the set dorsum E coast (image Thailand Paradise)H5N1 side route heading due south off the Tanote rail takes you lot to AO LEUK, a cross betwixt Hin Wong together with Ao Tanote inwards that it was really compact amongst simply ii places, but had a prissy piffling beach. I had a super hot papaya salad inwards AO LEUK BUNGALOW'S beachside restaurant. They told me their bungalows started at 300.I din't swim here, but these bays tend to receive got some fringing coral around the headland rocks together with a coral reef drop-off into the deeper water.
UPDATE - Nov 07. Several Thorntree posters cite threats together with actual violence from the possessor of Ao Leuk Bungalows if you lot are a casual visitor to the beach together with endeavor to convey your ain food, drinks. Might live on politic to purchase something inwards his eating seat commencement together with if you lot eat your ain stuff, live on discrete.
Or give the house the large miss, it's zilch special.
UPDATE NOV09 - I recall to rest on the E coast for component subdivision of my next visit. Hin Wong was my commencement alternative - but this appealing-looking place on a piffling bay simply northward of Tanote, Laem Thian, makes my alternative to a greater extent than difficult.
A span of years dorsum some Brits told me of an idyllic rest they had inwards 1 of the several pocket-sized bays inwards the SOUTH WEST CORNER OF THE ISLAND - the expanse due south of the primary town, which is known equally the HAT SAI NUAL-AO KUL JEUA are. So I spent the best component subdivision of a twenty-four hours exploring this on foot. The house which appealed most to me hither was the expanse around SUNSET together with MOONDANCE bungalows, because it had the nicest department of beach (Kul Jeua), some funky looking inexpensive bungalows amongst body of body of water views, could live on accessed yesteryear a fairly apartment fossil oil dirt route from close Chalok Ban Kao (some of these bays are best accessed yesteryear long tail which tin instruct expensive) together with was populated yesteryear a handful of those Euro immature couples together with families who seem to specialise inwards finding out of the way locations.
Further due south on this rail I constitute the best positioned eating seat inwards Tao. This belonged to VIEWPOINT BUNGALOWS and was 1 of these places built on stilts over the seaside rocks amongst the H2O truly sloshing below at high tide. It is correct on the western halt of the due south coast, amongst fabulous views of Ban Kao’s beach, headland together with the surrounding hills together with mountains. Viewpoint is to a greater extent than a flashpacker house amongst skillful looking seaside bungalows at 800 baht together with a prissy piffling department of sand, but despite beingness a flake upmarket, I had the best value (and tastiest) repast of my whole LOS trip here, a sugariness together with sour chicken amongst rice (yeah, I know, it’s non Thai) for 60baht.
You tin also accomplish Viewpoint off the beach at Chalok Ban Kao yesteryear taking the concrete footbridge across the rocks westwards to TARAPORN'S eating seat (good views hither too, but non equally skillful equally Viewpoint) together with go along thru some other 300m to Viewpoint. Taraporn has some attractive rockside bungalows too, which were 400 when I asked.
Chalok Ban Kao. Taraporn bungalows at sea aeroplane on far headland (image Thai-Tour.com)
Just E of Chalok Ban Kao inwards a bay of similar size is a really prissy private* beach at AO THIAN OK (often called SHARK BAY, because harmless reef sharks together with other interesting fish together with some fairly skillful coral tin live on seen when snorkelling off the E headland - farther along from Rocky Resort). There are exclusively iii resorts here, 2 on the headlands. There was a pocket-sized accuse for access when I visited, but I take heed that it has been removed. The beach attracts quite a few people without getting overcrowded. The H2O is deeper at depression tide here. Follow the route from the eastern halt of Chalok's "main street".
*no beach inwards Thailand is private, despite what some hotel/bungalow people tell you. However the guy who owns Rocky Resort owns all the province behind the beach together with used to collect an entry fee to become thru his province to the beach. There are reports he gets upset virtually people bringing their ain snorkelling gear instead of hiring it off the beach gear-eats stand upward he unremarkably has operating simply behind the beach. When I snorkelled here, I went inwards off the rocks of the headland.
So which of these places did I rest at? None.
Sitting on Ko Nangyuan previous visits I’ve ever thought the bungalows built high on the steep slopes northward of Sairee Beach on Tao’s due west coast looked pretty skillful together with would receive got killer views. So when I got off the “new” nighttime vehicle-ferry from Chumpon (which looks a recycled WW2 U.S. of A. of America Navy landing barge amongst a funky dorm behind the span containing abt thirty mattresses) I went upward together with got me one, at SILVER CLIFF BUNGALOWS. 300 baht for a wooden bungalow, attached bath amongst mirror, clean, solid, simply plenty room for ii together with their gear, comfortable double bed amongst skillful musquito net. The large verandah had a hammock together with a nifty 100 grade tree together with stone framed persuasion of the ocean, equally did the pocket-sized restaurant, but my favourite viewing spot was on top of a nearby huge granite boulder, the perfect sunset location amongst a bottle of Chang or Mae Khong. The eating seat meals were pretty skillful amongst an astounding diversity together with some of the cheapest prices all trip. Their sugariness together with sour was a flake ordinary afterward Viewpoint’s however. There is a rail to the seaside rocks way downward in that location together with the snorkeling is quite interesting correct off the rocks but fifty-fifty to a greater extent than thence virtually 40m out where the fringing coral reef is located. The eating seat hires snorkeling gear.
Silver Cliff exclusively has virtually 10 bungalows (some are bigger amongst aircon) but in that location are ii similar places next to the north, SUN SEA together with SUN LORD, which seemed to receive got a bigger attain of bungalows., including downward unopen to the water. H5N1 grouping of Brits were having nifty slow afternoon fun downward in that location amongst crazy diving contests off a large granite boulder together with fanging around inwards a pocket-sized rowboat.
These places are virtually 10 minutes walk downhill to the closest component subdivision of Sairree beach together with a skillful twoscore minutes into cardinal Mae Hat together with the piers. No problems amongst a wheel or motorcycle. 50 baht yesteryear motorbike taxi, 100 yesteryear machine from town.
Sairree Beach, in all probability the best beach for political party types (image Thailand Paradise)
If you lot caput the other way equally far northward equally possible (gets a flake steep inwards parts but the route is paved) you lot tin caput downward a brusque rail to some other house I liked, CFT HERE AND NOW BUNGALOWS, which had a terrific rainforest eating seat amongst a cutout through the canopy for nifty views of Ko Nangyuan together with some pretty rustic looking bungalows scattered downward inwards the jungle. This house seemed to attract the granola munching types. I had to receive got a sunset beer here, together with the guy told me they had some 100 baht bungalows (share bathrooms). And meditation classes! Sounds similar simply the house for the hippy haters from Tales of Asia.
Ko Nangyuan (image Panoramio-janols)
The beach at Nangyuan
From the personalities dot of view, Tao is of class the haunt of the diver, together with it’s existent interesting how they instruct that ‘special group’ swagger when walking around bungalow restaurants together with beaches amongst their moisture suits rolled downward to hip level. Hell, if I was paying all that coin for a class or a serial of dives, I’d bung on a swagger too.
Another interesting grouping seen on Tao to a greater extent than than other islands is the dirt biker. These guys don’t hire 100 cc Honda Dreams, they blat upward together with downward the ridiculous slopes at transcend defying speed on large 500+ dirt bashers. It’s a flake disconcerting walking your wheel downward a dangerously rutted dirt gradient to all of a abrupt respect 1 of these things flight yesteryear at caput elevation nudging eighty kmh.
And yeah, afterward my multiple end-over-ender on Ko Jum, I got sensible together with walked my hire-a-wreck Cannondale downward the steepest, most rutted together with rocky sections. Well, non likewise sensible. I receive got a rather immature show-off streak together with on the less unsafe downhill sections got nifty satisfaction overtaking a few motorcycles. However I should cite it is non such a skillful thought to go inwards the upper reaches of Sairee hamlet at warp speed if a domestic dog runs out inwards front end of you.
UPDATE NOV 07 - in that location receive got been several complaints on Thorntree virtually motorbike rental rip-offs on Tao lately - specifically people beingness hitting for huge harm bills for pocket-sized scrapes or for no harm at all. One house mentioned is Owen Motorcycle Rental. Some posters suggested it is a skillful thought to photograph whatsoever existing harm earlier you lot go out the joint, together with to deport an expired passport to give equally "security" when renting.
UPDATE DEC 08 - diver9, who I'm 95% certain is HansumMan - the Joker inwards the Glass House with a novel handle, gave this skillful information virtually things to practice on Tao apart from diving:
A walk upward to the cardinal pinnacle from the due west coast is cool.
Dirt biking around the isle for views is nifty fun if ur capable.
Breakfasts inwards Fatties simply out of Mae Had going due south are... extremely fattening amongst newspapers & amazing service.
There's a really underused paintball site & an overused nine pivot bowling lane.
Crazy golf game farther downward the route from Fatties if you're truly bored but I take heed it tin live on really amusing if you lot mix it amongst mushrooms from the Rock Bar at Chalok Ban Kao.
-
GETTING TO TAO FROM BANGKOK.
From Bankok the cheapest would live on prepare or autobus to Chumpon together with and then hop on 1 of the fast ferries which goes to Tao. Chumpon is a long way northward of the pop alternative of Surathani. Chumpon is also a closer to Tao than Surathani. I know the sleeper prepare due south (I recall terminal finish is Hat Yai) gets into Chumpon inwards skillful fourth dimension to grab the commencement limited boat out each morning.
I receive got seen a lot of posts proverb Lomprayah ferry company's bus/fast catermaran combination is really reliable - I recall that autobus goes overnight likewise together with leaves from an role really unopen to Bangkok's Khao San Road.
If your schedule has you lot arriving inwards Chumpon slow pm, in that location are ii nighttime ferries across to Tao.
More expensive time-saver is to wing to Samui together with and then hop across to Tao on 1 of the ferries or speedboats connecting the islands. Or wing to Surathani together with grab a ferry. I recall you lot are looking at Bangkok Air for the quondam (although I heard other airlines are instantly flight into Samui) together with AirAsia, Thai together with mayhap others into the latter.
From most* of the Andaman or from the South -
most people come upward inwards through Surathani. Some ferries go out from the town itself but more, including vehicle ferries depart from farther E on the coast. If you lot are coming inwards via the autobus station, the drome or railway station (the in conclusion 2 both out of town), in that location are locomote counters or next locomote agents who volition sell you lot a shuttle bus-ferry ticket correct onto the island.
Last I heard in that location was a nighttime ferry from the town pier too, at around 2000-2100.
* from the north-Andaman (Ranong area) Chumpon is closer.
WHEN TO GO
The Tao/Samui/Phangan expanse tends to receive got a dissimilar moisture flavor to most of Thailand. Normally this kicks inwards slow September/early Oct together with runs into early on January, although the fact that Christmas/New Year is peak flavor indicates that it can't live on likewise bad come upward slow December.
The skillful tidings is that when the Andaman together with Eastern Gulf islands are inwards moisture flavor midyear, the Tao expanse is unremarkably much drier. Sure it volition pelting a flake inwards these months but unremarkably sunshine dominates. This drier atmospheric condition agency a 2d high flavor inwards July/August together with consequently non the instruct by accommodation prices you lot volition respect inwards Phuket, Krabi or large Ko Chang etc.
Feb thru Apr are fifty-fifty drier. Note March Apr tin live on pretty hot.
H5N1 dot virtually Tao's moisture flavor - oftentimes this tin live on equally holiday-friendly equally most other areas, but every instantly together with and then they receive got a shocker. In all the years I receive got been next Thai atmospheric condition this is the exclusively house I receive got seen forum posters complaining virtually persistent bad weather, prolonged heavy pelting etc. This seems to go on every tertiary or fourth year, but non necessarily on a regular basis. So if I was planning a Thai beach vacation inwards state Oct, Nov or early on Dec I mightiness recall to a greater extent than virtually the mid or eastern Gulf or the Andaman. However if these months were the exclusively fourth dimension I could see together with I truly wanted to encounter Phangan, I would non live on put-off - my commencement see into this expanse was inwards a Nov together with I got existent prissy weather, equally skillful equally my iii August visits.
H5N1 smaller dot - May inwards this expanse together with many other Thai regions often gets a piffling blip of extra pelting compared to next months. Usually this is non plenty to instruct inwards a mini moisture flavor but 1 time over again I occasionally encounter complaints from the Phangan/Samui/Tao areas virtually prolonged rainy spells.
For the cost conscious, you lot are going to instruct skillful discounts inwards moisture season. But annotation months similar March, April, June together with a lot of Septrember are unremarkably not wet, yet many accommodation places become into depression flavor pricing. Note likewise that low-budget places are much less variable inwards pricing compared to midrange together with high-end joints.
MONEY
There are lots of ATMs, coin changers together with several banks inwards Mae Had together with Sairee. Chalok Ban Khao has at to the lowest degree 1 of each too. I didn't notice whatsoever of these at the other beaches.
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A GREAT FERRY TIMETABLE IS PROVIDED BY LOSING_TOUCH ON HIS BACKPACK IN THAILAND SITE.
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SOME LINKS
Big Bubble Diving website has several accommodation options. Viewpoint mentioned higher upward is the commencement together with has 4 ranges of bungalow from budget to those snazzy seafront ones I saw.
travelfish is really skillful on Tao, has a broad attain of accommodation reports including Silver Cliff mentioned above, together with virtually the most detailed bungalow loacation maps I've seen.
READERS' TRIP REPORTS ON KO TAO
Rachael has sent inwards a report inluding pix of Andy together with her see to Tao inwards December09 to the novel READERS' TRIP REPORT SECTION.
If you lot desire to burn inwards a trip study on Tao or whatsoever other location delight shipping text and/or captions addition whatsoever pix to lajolla22@hotmail.com. Hopefully nosotros tin hold information upward to appointment without me having to supply to dozens of islands every 2d year. There are thence many other places I desire to visit.
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If you lot are visiting Tao you lot may live on interested inwards nearby:
KO PHANGAN
KO SAMUI
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