Where to stay
Sleep well.
From ฿300 beach bungalows to cliff-top villas with private pools. Here's how to choose.
Where to stay
From ฿300 beach bungalows to cliff-top villas with private pools. Here's how to choose.
Where to sleep
For a small island, Koh Tao gives you a surprising amount of choice in where to lay your head. The whole west coast is a ribbon of beaches, and almost every bed on it is a short barefoot walk from the sea, whether that's a ฿300 fan bungalow behind a dive school or a cliff-top villa with its own pool.
Where you stay shapes your trip more than what you pay for it. Base yourself in Sairee for nightlife, dive schools and sunset bars on your doorstep; in Mae Haad for the pier, the restaurants and a central, walkable base; or head south to Chalok for calm water, slower mornings and better value. None is more than a ten-minute scooter ride from the others.
At the top end, the island hides a quiet luxury side most visitors never find, places like Jamahkiri Dive Resort & Spa, folded into the jungle above Shark Bay with private villas, a spa and an in-house dive club. Whatever your budget, the trick is booking early in high season (December to April), and picking somewhere with a covered restaurant if you come during the green-season rains.
Budgets
Wooden fan bungalows on the sand and social hostels in Sairee. Basic, breezy, and often bundled free with a dive course.
Air-con rooms, pools and breakfast, usually a short barefoot walk from the beach. The sweet spot for most trips.
Private pools, cliff-top views and spa mornings. Koh Tao's quiet luxury side that most visitors never discover.
Location, location
Tip: November and December bring the monsoon. Book somewhere with a covered restaurant and let the rain do its thing.
While you're here
Boat days sell out first in high season. Lock in your trip, then go find a hammock.
On Instagram
The island's best places to stay, in pictures.
