Koh TAO island trip

[THAJEC]

I start make plan for trip to Koh Tao island my next holiday.

Can somebody give to me any information about this Island?

 

1. Transport from BKG especially (price, time, companies)

2. Can find some bars on this island?

3. Your useful experience from visit.

4. Can you recommend to me some travel company for booking air ticket in Patts. (I would like fly together with some low-cost (Air Asia, Nok air, etc.)

I found many infos about hotels, maps already, but I am looking for personal experience particularly.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Micky2]

It is a while since I went to Koh Tao, but i have been several times, and have always enjoyed it. I did PAD Advanced and Rescue Diver there. Just go with the flow as far as getting there, and being there goes; it is a route well travelled.

 

When going from Bangkok I have taken the overnight train to Chumporn (2nd class AC sleeper; bottom berth is a little more expensive, but more spacious; as I recall about 600 baht). It is easy to make arrangements at Hualampong Station in Bangkok, even on the day of travel. It is quite farang friendly, with a special counter for tourists.

 

I cannot remember the time the train left; there are several each evening. It was supposed to get in to Chumporn just after 4.00 AM but it was usually about 5.00.

 

There are the usual motorcycles willing to take you to the ferry to the island, but they are not too pushy, I prefer wander into town, just a couple of hundred metres. There are places selling Kao Tom (rice porridge) Pah Tong Kho (donuts) and coffee. Have some breakfast and watch the town wake up. Then find a place that sells tickets for the boat to Koh Tao. They will also arrange transport to the pier.

 

You have a choice of a high speed ferry (long and narrow, with a couple of big diesel motors down below), or a speed boat (with 3 or 4 V6 outboards on the transom). They leave about 9.00 or 9.30. It takes about 4 hours to the island by ferry, and 3 hours by speed boat.

 

Alternatively, you can fly to Koh Samui, and get a boat from there. Quite a number of boats ply the Samui, Phangagn, Tao and mainland route.

 

On the island I just wandered around until I found some accommodation that took my fancy. Prices used to range from about 400 for a simple fan room (own bathroom) to maybe a couple of thousand for something a bit fancy. Haad Sairee is where all the action is. About 15 minutes walk to the south it is a little quieter. If you want to get away from it all, go over to the east coast. 4X4 pick ups provide the transport.

 

I rented a motorcycle to explore, but with some roads being steep, and unpaved for the most part I would not recommend it for a novice rider (I grew up with motorcycles on a farm). Any damage to a bike and you will be hit with a big repair bill. I have also rented a bicycle, which was fun.

 

There is quite an active social scene on the island, with parties of some description going on at different venues on different nights, and various types of bars, though not many of the girly beer bar variety. Still, with tourists around, there are Thai girls available one way or another.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Micky2

[THAJEC]

It is a while since I went to Koh Tao, but i have been several times, and have always enjoyed it. I did PAD Advanced and Rescue Diver there. Just go with the flow as far as getting there, and being there goes; it is a route well travelled.

 

When going from Bangkok I have taken the overnight train to Chumporn (2nd class AC sleeper; bottom berth is a little more expensive, but more spacious; as I recall about 600 baht). It is easy to make arrangements at Hualampong Station in Bangkok, even on the day of travel. It is quite farang friendly, with a special counter for tourists.

 

I cannot remember the time the train left; there are several each evening. It was supposed to get in to Chumporn just after 4.00 AM but it was usually about 5.00.

 

There are the usual motorcycles willing to take you to the ferry to the island, but they are not too pushy, I prefer wander into town, just a couple of hundred metres. There are places selling Kao Tom (rice porridge) Pah Tong Kho (donuts) and coffee. Have some breakfast and watch the town wake up. Then find a place that sells tickets for the boat to Koh Tao. They will also arrange transport to the pier.

 

You have a choice of a high speed ferry (long and narrow, with a couple of big diesel motors down below), or a speed boat (with 3 or 4 V6 outboards on the transom). They leave about 9.00 or 9.30. It takes about 4 hours to the island by ferry, and 3 hours by speed boat.

 

Alternatively, you can fly to Koh Samui, and get a boat from there. Quite a number of boats ply the Samui, Phangagn, Tao and mainland route.

 

On the island I just wandered around until I found some accommodation that took my fancy. Prices used to range from about 400 for a simple fan room (own bathroom) to maybe a couple of thousand for something a bit fancy. Haad Sairee is where all the action is. About 15 minutes walk to the south it is a little quieter. If you want to get away from it all, go over to the east coast. 4X4 pick ups provide the transport.

 

I rented a motorcycle to explore, but with some roads being steep, and unpaved for the most part I would not recommend it for a novice rider (I grew up with motorcycles on a farm). Any damage to a bike and you will be hit with a big repair bill. I have also rented a bicycle, which was fun.

 

There is quite an active social scene on the island, with parties of some description going on at different venues on different nights, and various types of bars, though not many of the girly beer bar variety. Still, with tourists around, there are Thai girls available one way or another.

Thank you very much Micky2 for your time and information for me. I think I will choose flight to Koh Samui and next trip by boat to Koh Tao. I saw price for return ticket about 4.5 K Bth. All another infos which you gave me agree with infos which I found on yahoo already. I am not sure I will take TG from Patts together or start looking for some original in TAO island .I saw island has some disco and popular pubs and restaurants.Yes, Haad Sairee beach on the west is according map of Tao is near some willage.

Last question for you please if you remember it. Where is port for boat to island? South or west part of island.

 

One more time thanks for your time

[Micky2]

The pier is on the west coast of the island, on Haad Mae Hard, which is to the south of Haad Sairee. There is just a small point separating the beaches. You go over a ridge that separates the two settlements, but they effectively run into one another. It is less than five minutes walk from the pier to where Haad Sairee starts.

 

The pier is effectively an extension of the main drag, which has a variety of shops and services now (very little when I first went there).

 

There are pubs, discos and restaurants scattered all over the place, on the beach, up the hill, and downtown. I used to like a fairly humble restaurant called Flower on Haad Sairee, not far from AC Resort. It was (is?) owned and run by a woman who is the daughter of one of the original settlers. She was born on the island.

 

If you have agreeable company, it could be the way to go. If not, it is pretty much the luck of the draw from a fairly small pool. With the island, and its community being quite small, chopping and changing is not as easily done as in some other parts of the LoS.

 

It seems you have decided on flying to Samui and taking the boat, and there should be no problem with that. You can sort it as you go; the route is well served.

 

However, for the sake of anyone else who may want to go by rail; you can get a boat ticket along with your rail ticket at Hualampong Railway Station in Bangkok. Ye olde Thai Rail is a bit slow, but it is a far more pleasant travel experience than by bus.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Micky2