Koh Tao was once only a destination for diver and although many travelers still come for the underwater activities, there is now lots of accommodation for non-divers. A few years back it was also difficult to find more than a handful of resorts with airconditioning, swimming pool and so on. Times have changed and Koh Tao now offers everything from super cheap beach huts to luxurious 5 star resort and private pool villas.
Choosing where to stay
It is often difficult to know just where to stay when visiting an island for the first time. Koh Tao is actually a very small island and regardless of which beach you stay by, you can easily get to the other beaches in less than 15 minutes. Generally speaking, most of the higher end resorts are located by Sairee Beach, Chalok Baan Kao Beach and Mae Haad Beach. This is not surprising as these are also regarded as the main beaches of the island.
Where to book?
There are certainly many choices out with regards to choosing a booking website or travel agent. Here on our website we have teamed up with Thailand Hotels 24/7 as we feel they offer the best rates and largest selection of accommodation. They are reputable and offer fast service and the ability to check availability without leaving your credit card details. If you decide to book then a deposit or possibly full payment is required, but that is the norm nowadays with internet bookings.
It is of course also possible to go through the resorts directly but in many cases you spend more money and often cancellation policies, payment methods etc. are more cumbersome.
Recommended Resorts
It is a hard choice because there are so many great places to stay! However, we have decided on a number of resorts to recommend above others and have categorized them into:
Luxury Resorts
We recommend the following resorts as luxury resort, however, please note that we based that on standard of other Koh Tao resorts.
Which Beach to choose?
It's difficult to decide on which beach is the best place to stay by as all have their all individual charms. Mae Haad Beach and Sairee Beach are both on the West side and will enjoy the best sunset view. Some travelers prefer Chalok Baan Kao as it may have a slightly less developed feel to us. Certainly Sairee Beach as the best snorkeling and clearest water of the three.
In a nutshell it is safe to say that Sairee Beach certainly is the main beach: it is larger, has more resort and more dining and night life.
