Koh Tao is situated in a sub-tropical climate like the rest of Thailand. The island is affected both by NE- and SW- Monsoons. The NE- Monsoon dominates from the end of October to the beginning of December, where you can expect heavy rainfall. The SW- Monsoon (June to Sept.) is mild since Koh Tao is sheltered both by the mainland and the surrounding islets.
Koh Tao is unique since it offers a 10 month high season for travelers to visit and enjoy the beauty of the Island. Peak seasons are from February to April, and again from July to September.
Bellow is described a rough description of the weather you can expect during the different months of the year. Although as we know weather patterns are disturbed around the world, so at best this is only a guide line. Sometimes the best weather comes in the middle of the monsoon, while at others times we have seen the peak season full of rain. You can contact us to get an update on the weather at any time.
January & February …. Tropical spring time
Perfect months of full sunshine and comfortable air temperature (average for sea and air temp.28-30 degrees) At this time of year we have high tides allowing easy access to prime snorkeling sites straight off the beach. The water on the west coast of the island is completely flat calm but visibility can be a little temperamental with the knock on effects of monsoon seas especially in early Jan. As the sea calms down during this period the visibility improves making February one of the best months to visit koh Tao , especially when most of the western world is in the middle of the depressing winter months.
March, April & May……Dry season
During this time the temperature warms up, great for sun lovers. The water is flat and calm, & everyday is guaranteed sunshine and gorgeous sunsets! As the days are dry and humid sometimes leading to some good tropical style thunderstorms especially at dusk but they’re usually on the mainland, watch the amazing light show over the sea while you sip on your après dive beer sitting on the beach. Water clarity is best at this time of year & your chances of seeing Whale sharks are much higher than at any other time of year.
June, July & August….. Indian summer
The wind turns at this time of year blowing all the way across the Indian Ocean so by the time the wind hits the west coast of thailandthe waves are big and powerful. fortunately koh tao is on the east coast of Thailand so the wind slows down as it passes over the mainland. However at this time we do get a fresh cooling breeze & occasional days of relatively big waves. If the monsoon is heavy on the west coast, it can rain at this time, afternoon storms can be very typical especially in August but they don’t last long & weather is still generally pretty sunny throughout the day. Diving is best on the East side of the island where the sea is flat and calm, crystal clear & teeming with marine life. A good season for turtles too.
September & October….. Tropical autumn
Very beautiful warm sunny days, calm flat seas and superb diving conditions. Water & Air temperature drops a little as we enter the ‘winter’ months but it’s still tropical. This is my favorite time of the year on the island, good visibility, low humidity and of course sunsets to die for. Average daytime air & water temperature is around 28 degrees. Fish life is abundant at this time of year, the famous whale shark often comes to give us a visit, especially during October, and there are not so many divers.
November & December …..Monsoon Season
Koh Tao doesn’t suffer from relentless rain for days on end. A typical monsoon usually consists of a couple of weeks on & off of impressively hard rain & quite a lot of wind. The visibility gets stirred up & the swell can be rather unpleasant. When the weather clears up the island looks fresh and green. The journey to Koh Tao at this time of the year is mostly going to be bouncy, now days there are good boat companies that can get you safely to the island even in big swells. The island is very quite at this time and you can experience the koh Tao of old, with few people on the beaches and uncrowded dive boats, of course we like that. |
Koh Tao, little more than 21 square km, is located about 70 km east of the coastline between Suratthani and Chumphon, in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Tao translates as Turtle Island, this is because the shape of the island as you approach it from the south resembles a giant turtle swimming above the blue waters. In the past the waters also teemed with sea turtles. Today
In the beginning, only the occasional fisherman from neighboring islands would come to stop over and rest or to seek shelter from storms. From 1933 the island was used as a political prison because of its distance from the mainland. In 1947, Khun A -Paiwong, Prime Minister at that time, pleaded and received a royal pardon for all prisoners on the island and everybody was removed.
In the same year Khun Ueam and his twin brother Khun Oh reached Koh Tao from the neighboring island Koh Phangan. At that time, crossing over with a traditional sailboat was long and dangerous. The first generation of today's community had settled! They lived a very simple and tough life harvesting coconuts, fishing and growing vegetables, which were traded with Koh Phangan. Despite the many difficulties in reaching the island, the population grew steadily.
About 25 years ago, the first backpackers arrived from the more populous sister islands of koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Rumors spread quickly about the islands unspoiled beauty, especially it's marine life and coral reefs .Due to its natural beauty above and below the water, Koh Tao was hailed as a paradise.
At the present time, Koh Tao has evolved into a haven for divers, adventurers, travelers and holidaymakers from around the world. Local businesses have done well to cater to the ever-changing needs of the new arrivals in Koh Tao, catering for all budgets, styles and taste of living. The island's unique blend of coral reefs, natural & unspoiled beauty, and relaxed life-style make it an amazing location a 'must-have-seen-it' place. However the increase in tourism and population on the island has a diverse effect on the natural resources, to counter these effect the locals have established a conservation group called Save Koh Tao, which New Heaven dive shop supports and assist this local community effort to preserve paradise, check out the link to save koh tao and read more to get involved. |
Save Koh Tao is a community group which has been created over the last few years by Local residents who wish to address the environmental and social problems being faced on the Island. The group is built of members who wish strongly to preserve our local culture, coral Reefs, and land resources while at the same time ensuring the long term sustainability of the Island economy.
Many members of the group have lived on Koh Tao for a long time and have seen drastic changes on the island, both positive and negative. We believe that through education, conservation, and careful planning the beauty and health of the island can be preserved for ourselves and future generations to enjoy.
The Save Koh Tao group is divided into three branches; Education, Land Conservation, and Marine Conservation. Each are all equally important and function together to address the various issues being faced around the island.
In the future, we hope to increase the amount of scientific or university collaborations and professional involvement with the various b ranches of the group. By increasing the involvement and developing research programs we hope to not only preserve our island, but act as a role model for island communities around the world.
“Save Koh Tao, to preserve the paradise where we live and work by increasing awareness and involvement in activities and programs which support or enrich the natural environment and local community.”To find out more information and how you can get involved please look up our link to the Save Koh Tao web sites... www.marineconservationkohtao.com & www.savekohtao.com |
Koh Tao lies in The Gulf of Thailand, on the eastern coast of the country. Approx. 600km from Bangkok, Koh Tao is easily accessible from all parts of the country. Thailand is well known for its ease of travel. Generally you can leave yourselves in the hands of travel agents who will organize every aspect of your travel needs in an honest and affordable manner. Depending on your start point we can give you some of the best options to reach the island.
Traveling From BangkokThere are several ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. Because it is an island you will need to take several forms of transport and there is a choice of routes. There are several options available, including the following, starting with the most expensive through to the cheapest.
Flying
You can fly fromBangkok to Koh Samui with only one airline company, Bangkok Airways. Once you arrive on koh Samui you need to take a boat to Koh Tao. Both Lomprayah Catamaran and Seatran ferry run twice daily ferry trips to Koh Tao, the first trip is at 8.00am and the last the last departure is at 13.30 pm so if your flights arrives later than this time you will need to spend the night on Koh Samui. Bangkok Airways has 11-13 flights daily so it should be possible to book a flight that arrives before 13.00 pm.
Train
In Thailand travel by train is slow but comfortable. You can catch the train from all major towns, the best place to get off for koh Tao is Chumporn. The trip from Bangkok (Central Station) to Chumporn is approximately 10 hours. From Chumporn you can catch the early morning boat which departs at 7.30 am. Both the Lomprayah and Seatran ferry companies have a morning boat out from Chumporn, and the Lomprayah has a second boat departing at 1 pm .
Tourist Buses
These are probably the most widely used for tourist and are sometimes the simplest. Most start from Khao San Road in Bangkok and will connect directly with boats to Koh Tao (Joint Tickets).The major companies traveling to Koh Tao are Lomprayah and Seatran who run comfortable boats and buses. Seatran and Lomprayah buses leave daily at 21.00 pm from Khao San to Koh Tao, Lomprayah also has a trip leaving at 6.00 am to Koh Tao from Bangkok.Tickets can be bought easily in any travel agency in Bangkok.
Traveling from Chumporn If you find yourself already in Chumporn and would like to get over to koh Tao you have three ferry companies making morning and afternoon trips and another two making night trips to the island.
Chumphon has offices for Lomprayah, Seatran and Songserm who can all arrange pick-ups and transit to Koh Tao. For those who didn’t buy their boat ticket yet, this can be done in the train station as well. All three companies have ferries leaving at 7.00 am (arrival 9.15 – 10.00 am), Lomprayah also has an afternoon ferry leaving at 13.00 pm and arriving around 15.00 pm. Your ferry trip from here to Koh Tao will only take 2 hours (3 with Songserm).For anyone who misses the day boats, there is a night boat which departs at 23.00pm arriving at Koh Tao at 6am. Tickets can be bought from the numerous cheap guesthouses where you can also check your emails, get food and a shower.
More comfortable hotels in Chumphon are also an option, you can also buy your boat tickets here and the ferry company will even come and pick you up from your hotel. Room occupation is never a problem in this sleepy provincial town, so no need to pre book your hotel.
Traveling from Koh Samui and Koh Phangan Koh Samui is the most developed tourism island in the Gulf of Thailand with prices to match. If you crave western style fast food, MacDonald’s and Burger King can be found on Koh Samui. There are numerous boats from Koh Samui to Koh Tao all of which pass via Koh Phangan.
Three companies run daily trips to Koh Tao. If you like comfort, speed and safety we recommend Lomprayah Catamaran or Seatran Discovery. Both leave daily at 8am to arrive 10am, Lomprayah’s second departure is at 12.30 and Seatran’s second trip leaves at 13.30pm.SeaTran leaves from the Bangrak pier, which is very close to the airport (5-10 min by taxi), Lomprayah leaves from their private pier in Maenam, 30-40 min by taxi from the airport.
Both companies have representatives on Samui airport where you can buy your boat tickets.
There is another option if you are more on a budget; Songserm is your cheaper option. However the small price difference doesn’t compensate for the lack of comfort compared to the other 2 alternatives.
Songserm leaves from Nathon every day at 11.00 am arriving 14.45 pm.
Traveling from Suratthani Suratthani is the other main port to come to Koh Tao. However, if you don’t like traveling with the night boat; be prepared for a 6 hour day boat journey.Only one company, Songserm, offers this trip daily leaving Surat Thani at 8 am, arriving on Koh Tao around 14 pm. It is a roundabout trip as you have to pass though koh Samui and koh Phangan before arriving on koh Tao. If you want a shorter day boat trip, leaving from Chumphon will bring you to Koh Tao in less than 2 hours.
The other option from Suratthani is the night boat. It leaves daily around 23.00 pm and arrives on Koh Tao the next day around 6.30 am. The boat has sleeping facilities but this doesn’t involve much more than a small pillow and a thin mattress. The night boat has its charm and is a convenient way to travel, even comfortable if you are prepared to accepts its limitations. Occasional the seas are too big and the night boat doesn’t run.
Tickets for Songserm and night boat to Koh Tao can be bought in one of the numerous travel agency you will find in Suratthani.
Travelling from Hua HinYou may find yourself in Hua Hin, another famous tourist destination for both foreign tourist and locals. Although the beaches are beautiful here you may wish to see something more island style. Only a short 3 hour drive on good roads to Chumporn you can connect with the boats there to get to koh Tao. Lomprayah is the best company to make this trip as they have a joint ticket bus and boat trip to koh Tao departing from Hua Hin at 8.30 am. This trip brings you onto the island at 3 pm. Tickets can be bought at any Lomprayah office or any travel agency in Hua Hin. |
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