This is the fifth stop on our Thailand 20 day itinerary! If you missed the first four stops, start with Bangkok. From Koh Samui, we took another Grab to the pier to catch another ferry to Koh Tao. Koh Tao is a smaller island than both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. It is most well known for the most popular and most affordable place to get scuba certified. We already have our Open Dive certification and wanted to do a “fun dive” during our visit.
We booked a three-night stay at Simple Life Cliff View Resort and reached out beforehand to arrange transportation. True to their word, a driver was waiting for us at the pier and quickly whisked us to the resort in a songthaew (an open-air truck taxi). The location was fantastic and our ocean view was absolutely stunning. However, the property itself was in serious need of TLC. From obvious deferred maintenance to lukewarm-at-best showers, the resort definitely required some long-overdue updates.
Our resort was conveniently situated right at the end of Sairee Walking Street. We loved being within easy walking distance of the restaurants, bars, and beachside fire shows, yet far enough removed to escape the late-night noise. Almost every evening, performers light up the shoreline with impressive fire shows. You can catch them for free right from the sand or grab a table at a beachfront restaurant to enjoy the performance over drinks and dinner.
It is worth noting that on our first evening, the power went out on the entire island. Apparently, this is a frequent part of island life. The power was restored in about an hour, so we didn’t have to suffer from a lack of air conditioning in our room for too long.
Day 1: Scuba Diving with Simple Life Diving.
Koh Tao is home to more than 80 dive centers, so I spent time before our trip researching options to find a top-tier operator. We settled on Simple Life Diving (PADI), which happened to be right next to our hotel. Beyond the convenience, they boasted excellent safety reviews and small group sizes (low instructor-to-student ratio). Our first dive was at Japanese Gardens and our second was at White Rock. Both dives were incredible, filled with colorful coral and active sea life.
Day 2: Chill day
Easy day chilling at the pool, wandering through shops, and another Thai Massage.
Sairee Beach
Simple Life Diving
Sairee Beach Walkway
Endless sunsets
Our adventure is growing closer to a close. Head to our next couple quick stops!
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