Major city · Thailand
Ko Taoเกาะเต่า
Give Ko Tao 3 nights if you dive, 2 if you don't: the island is small, the reefs are close to shore, and most people come to get certified.
Ko Tao is a 21 km² island in the Gulf of Thailand, about 3 h by catamaran from Surat Thani or 90 min from Chumphon. It is the cheapest place in Thailand to learn to scuba dive, with reefs a short boat ride from the pier. There is little to do beyond diving, snorkelling and viewpoints, so most trips run 2–4 nights.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- THB
- Best months
- Mar–Sep
- avoid Nov (choppy seas, visibility down to about 5 m); Dec–Mar and Jul–Aug are peak and can book out
- Airports
- URT · CJM · USM
- Nights
- 3
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Thailand ↗Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
- Thailand ↗Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
- Thailand ↗Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
- Thailand ↗E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Ko Tao191 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Ko Tao, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿).Thailand-wide
- SIM or eSIMAIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.Thailand-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Thailand-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 (≈ US$1–4) or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.Thailand-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B/C/O. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Thailand-wide
- SafetyKo Tao is a small island with a good safety record for divers, but the real risks are motorbike crashes on steep wet roads…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops.Thailand-wide
- Emergency numbers191 police · 1669 ambulance · 1155 tourist police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany Bangkok street-food vendors stay off the main roads on Mondays (street-cleaning day in several districts)…Thailand-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportURT Surat Thani (Bus to Don Sak or Surat Thani pier, then catamaran about 3 h).
- Getting aroundOne main road links Sairee, Mae Haad and Chalok; side roads over the island spine are dirt and can be impassable after rain.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealThai rice or noodle dish฿80–180 (≈ US$3–6)
- Beerdraught in a bar / can at a shop฿90–150 (≈ US$3–5)฿40–60 (≈ US$2)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi, short hopfrom ฿300 (≈ US$10), or ฿100 (≈ US$4) per person
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week฿300–600 (≈ US$10–19)
- Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person฿350 (≈ US$11)
- Mid-range bedFan bungalow, double, a night, per room฿1,100 (≈ US$35)
- High-end bedFan bungalow, double, a night, per room฿1,800 (≈ US$60)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ฿1,200 (≈ US$40) · Mid ฿2,200 (≈ US$70) · High ฿4,000 (≈ US$130)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- URT Surat Thani (Bus to Don Sak or Surat Thani pier, then catamaran about 3 h) · CJM Chumphon (Closest airport; transfer to pier then ferry about 90 min) · USM Ko Samui (Bangrak or Maenam pier, catamaran about 1.5–2 h; Bangkok Airways fares are high)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Feb
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Mar
Care
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Apr
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
May
Best
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Jun
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Jul
Care
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Aug
Care
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Sep
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Oct
not flagged
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Nov
Avoid
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Dec
Avoid
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Best: Apr–Jun, Sep. Mixed: Mar, Jul–Aug. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Apr (33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)), coolest Jan (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C) low), wettest Oct (18 rain days), driest Feb (3). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Ko Tao: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
6 rd
Feb
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
3 rd
Mar
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
4 rd
Apr
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
6 rd
May
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
14 rd
Jun
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
13 rd
Jul
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
14 rd
Aug
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
15 rd
Sep
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
16 rd
Oct
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
18 rd
Nov
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
16 rd
Dec
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
10 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
One main road links Sairee, Mae Haad and Chalok; side roads over the island spine are dirt and can be impassable after rain. Scooters rent for about ฿200–300/day, but rental scams are common: photograph every scratch and dent before you ride. Taxis start around ฿300 or ฿100 per person in a group. Longtails reach beaches with no road, from about ฿100–200 for short hops to ฿2,000 for a full circuit.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Ko Nang Yuan
goDoor to door: About 30 min
Longtail or taxi boat from Sairee or Mae Haad, about 15 min
Three linked islets with a sandbar; day visitors pay an entry fee and no plastic is allowed on the island.
Shark Bay (Ao Thian Ok)
goDoor to door: About 20 min from Sairee
Scooter or taxi to the south coast, then a short walk down
Snorkel with small black-tip reef sharks in shallow water; harmless if you keep your distance.
Hin Wong Bay
cautionDoor to door: 20–30 min
Scooter over the east-coast track, or longtail from Sairee
The road is rough and steep; a boat is easier and safer in the wet season.
Ko Pha Ngan
overnightDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Lomprayah or Seatran catamaran from Mae Haad pier
Possible as a day trip but the boats leave you little time; sleep a night instead.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Sairee
Longest beach, most dive shops, bars and restaurants; walkable along the Brick Road to Mae Haad.
Mae Haad
Ferry pier and main village; convenient for early boats and dive shops, less beach.
Chalok Baan Kao
Quieter southern bay, good for families and longer stays; 10–15 min by taxi from Mae Haad.
Tanote Bay
East-coast bay with a house reef; few shops, so stock up before you arrive.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ฿1,200–2,000 (≈ US$40–65) excl. bed
- Mid
- ฿2,000–3,500 (≈ US$65–110) excl. bed
- High
- ฿3,500 (≈ US$110)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Air-conditioned double room1 × 3 nights × ฿2,000 | ฿6,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ฿2,200 | ฿13,200 |
| Catamaran from Surat Thani, both ways2 × ฿1,200 · check | ฿2,400 |
| Catamaran from Chumphon, both ways2 × ฿1,500 · check | ฿3,000 |
| Scooter rental, one day2 × ฿250 · check | ฿500 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ฿350 | ฿700 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ฿2,580 |
| Trip total≈ ฿4,730 per person per day, bed included | ฿28,380≈ US$900 |
2026 estimate in baht; flights and dive courses excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| PADI Open Water courseSSI courses run about ฿9,000 | about ฿9,800 (≈ US$350) |
| Fun dive, two tanks with equipment | ฿1,800–2,500 (≈ US$60–80) |
| Thai rice or noodle dish | ฿80–180 (≈ US$3–6) |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop | ฿90–150 (≈ US$3–5) / ฿40–60 (≈ US$2) |
| Scooter rental, 125 ccShops charging under ฿200 often make it up on damage claims | ฿200–300 (≈ US$7–10) per day |
| Taxi, short hop | from ฿300 (≈ US$10), or ฿100 (≈ US$4) per person |
| Longtail to a nearby bay | ฿100–200 (≈ US$4–7) per person |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ฿300–600 (≈ US$10–19) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Motorbike rental shops near the Mae Haad pier and the Sairee 7-Eleven have a record of holding passports and charging for pre-existing damage: photograph the bike, including the underside, and ask for a cash deposit instead of your passport.
- Roads are steep, concrete or dirt and often wet: only ride if you are confident, and wear a helmet.
- The island has no proper waste or water system. Tap water is not drinkable and plastic waste is a real problem: refill and carry your rubbish out.
- November brings choppy seas and poor visibility; ferries can be cancelled.
- Thai holidays can fill every room on the island: book ahead.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 191
- Ambulance
- 1669
- Tourist police
- 1155
Pocket card
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Ko Taoเกาะเต่า
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ไปที่ที่อยู่นี้To this address, please
Emergency
- Police191
- Ambulance1669
- Tourist police1155
Embassy
No embassies on the island; the nearest consulates and embassies are in Bangkok. Your dive shop and hotel are the fastest route to help.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Surat Thani → Ko Tao, catamaran: about ฿600–700 (≈ US$19–25) one way, about 3 h
- Chumphon → Ko Tao, Lomprayah: about ฿750 (≈ US$25) one way, about 90 min
- Ko Samui → Ko Tao, catamaran: about ฿600–700 (≈ US$19–25) one way, 1.5–2 h
- Taxi Mae Haad → Sairee: from ฿300 (≈ US$10), or ฿100 (≈ US$4) per person
Say or show
- สวัสดี — Hello (sawatdee)
- ขอบคุณ — Thank you (khop khun)
- เท่าไหร่ — How much is it? (tao rai)
- ไม่เผ็ด — Not spicy, please (mai phet)
- ท่าเรืออยู่ที่ไหน — Where is the pier? (tha rua yu thi nai)
- ไม่เอา — I don't want it (mai ao)
Keep a photo of your passport and your insurance policy on your phone.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ko Tao. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Mar–Sep · avoid Nov (choppy seas, visibility down to about 5 m); Dec–Mar and Jul–Aug are peak and can book out · month by month →
- 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for URT, CJM and USM: last catamaran departures, pier transfer times and a fallback night on the mainland.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Sairee, Mae Haad, Chalok Baan Kao and Tanote Bay.
- Dive-shop pages with verified course prices, group sizes and language of instruction.
- Wet-season and cancelled-ferry fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialTourism Authority of Thailand
- officialLomprayah High Speed Ferries
- officialSeatran Discovery
- secondaryWikivoyage: Ko Tao, revision 5293166 (CC BY-SA 4.0)