Travelling to a new place can sometimes be a bit confusing and overwhelming, especially when that place is an island. But there’s no reason why travelling to Koh Tao should stress you out! Let’s run down our Top Tips for enjoying paradise island.
Make sure you’re travelling light to Koh Tao.
Really give some thought to what you pack in your suitcase. Do you really need the hair dryer, curling tongs and 8 pairs of tights for a tropical country? The fewer bags to have with you, and the lighter those bags are, the easier you’ll find transferring through bus stations and ferry piers.
You don’t always have to book ahead.
Depending on the time of year and type of accommodation you’re looking for, you many not always have to book in advance. In busy season it’s recommended that you book ahead, especially if you’re looking to stay in any kind of luxury villa. But in low season you can almost always find a place to stay just by walking down the street and asking as you go along.
English is fine.
English is widely spoken on the islands Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, and in Bangkok. All the travel companies are used to dealing with tourists and will always understand enough English to make things easy for you. So don’t panic if you haven’t become fluent in Thai in the last few days before your holiday!
Eat local.
Try the local food! Nobody comes all the way to Thailand just to eat pizza and hamburgers. Koh Tao has incredible local food absolutely everywhere and the fact is you won’t have time to try it all. But do your best! And don’t be afraid to try the local street food. It’s amazing.
Stick to bottled drinking water.
The ice in your drinks is made in local factories from filtered water, so it won’t hurt you. But think twice about drinking tap water. Water sources on the island are often large water tanks and reservoirs where the water sits and can become a bit stagnant. It can become a breeding ground for things that can really upset your stomach. Best to stick to bottled drinking water to quench your thirst. When you can, avoid plastic bottles by using your own reusable water bottle.
Relax a bit when you’re travelling to and from Koh Tao.
When you’re travelling to Koh Tao from Bangkok, or anywhere else, relax a bit! You’re not in Kansas anymore. Trains and buses are often late and there’s just nothing you can do to change that. So take a breath and remind yourself that no matter the struggles on the road, a destination like this one is always worth it.
Be respectful.
You’re a visitor in Thailand so please remember to take off your shoes before going into shops, speak calmly to others, and cover up before going into a temple. Speedos shouldn’t even be considered acceptable in Europe, so why Southeast Asia!?
Be careful with motorbikes.
Think twice about renting a motorbike. Even taking pictures of it before you drive away is not a guarantee that they won’t try and charge you for damage you didn’t do. And as easy as they look to drive, most motorbike accidents on the island involve tourists. Don’t become a statistic on your holiday. Everywhere on Koh Tao is generally within walking distance, but if you do want to explore further parts of the Island, take a taxi or rent a kayak.
Go scuba diving on Koh Tao!
Why else did you go through the trouble of travelling to Koh Tao!? Learning to scuba dive is amazingly satisfying and fun. If you don’t have the time, do a try-dive. If you’re already qualified, you can see the best dive sites we have such as Chumphon Pinnacle and Sail Rock.
