Koh Tao
Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, is much smaller than Koh Samui and sits on a large rocky outcropping, which means the waters around its shores are often crystal clear. The island is ideal for both diving and snorkeling and its many protected bays attract large numbers of tourists who come to explore the underwater world.
The island was uninhabited until the 1930s, when it was used for a short period as a penal colony. Later, families from nearby islands moved to Koh Tao to farm and fish, then, in the 1980s the tourists began to arrive. The diving boom began in the nineties with the island quickly becoming one of the most popular places for cheap dive courses in Thailand. Unfortunately, this also caused a lot of damage to the inshore reef, and both the local government and the island’s residents are becoming more environmentally aware. Find a hotel or resort on Koh Tao.
A full range of courses is available from introduction dives to professional level qualifications. The most popular course is the three to four day ‘Open water certificate’, which costs from around 10 000 baht and is the first level of dive training that qualifies people to dive to depths eighteen metres. After the open water course divers progress to more advanced certificates and rescue training. Those who are interested in pursuing a career in diving then continue to Dive Master level, which involves several months of practice and theory. Some schools on the island also offer a number of specialty options such as underwater photography and nitrox diving.
Koh Tao has no less than 25 dive sites. The average depth is 14 to 18 metres, with deeper offshore sites reaching around 30 metres. Beginners are generally taken to shallow inshore reefs like Mango bay and Japanese Gardens. These sites average 10 metres in depth and offer the chance to see a good variety of small reef fish. Open water divers drop into places like Twins and Green Rock where divers can spot angelfish, clownfish and different types of rays at a depth of 12–20 metres. More advanced divers head for sites like South West Pinnacle, which has a maximum depth of 33 metres and provides opportunities to see giant grouper, schools of barracuda and even whale sharks.
Koh Tao also has plenty of accommodation, food and nightlife options, particularly around the port town of Mae Had and the long sandy beach known as Sairee. Prices range from 400 baht for basic bungalows up to 4000 baht for luxury accommodation in a private bay. Many of the dive operators such as Coral Grand divers also offer packages that include accommodation in their own dive resort. These can be booked in advance on the web, on Koh Samui before departure or on arrival in Koh Tao. Some people prefer to dive Koh Tao with the Samui based Dive schools. Operators like Captain Caveman for example offer fast, comfortable day trips in speedboats with small numbers of divers per instructor.
