The time that this little island was solely a diving paradise is long gone! Just like any other tourist destinations in Thailand, Koh Tao is getting more popular each year. Many tourists and travelers finding its way to this tiny little nirvana in the Gulf of Thailand. Traveling to Koh Tao is popular than ever before and there are numerous things to do besides diving. Hiking in Koh Tao is fabulous and with so many cool viewpoints it is one of the reasons to travel to Koh Tao in 2023.

Who is not dreaming about diving in Maldives? Or what about a liveaboard in Raja Ampat or diving in Sipadan, Malysia. These are just some of the most amazing scuba diving destinations in the world that I have been to. However I haven't been diving since 2014 now. Why not? Long lasting ear problems are keeping me out of the water, despite an eardrum surgery.

Scuba diving will always be the main tourist attraction in Koh Tao, but there are more things to do in Koh Tao besides scuba diving. Traveltomtom lived in Koh Tao, did my Scuba Dive Master Training course on the island and visited Koh Tao more than 10 times.

Here is my list of the coolest Koh Tao things to do according to 'locals' and with the help of my friends who are still living in Koh Tao this article is completely up to date for your Koh Tao trip in 2024.

Planning your trip to Thailand for 2 weeks? Unfortunately there are too many cool places to visit in Thailand so you will have to make choices. Ideally I would suggest a 4 weeks itinerary around Thailand, but it is understandable that not everyone has the time and money to travel to Thailand for 4 weeks.

It is hard to come up with the ultimate 14 days itinerary for Thailand and therefore I created 4 different itineraries so you can choose the one you prefer most!

Looking for the perfect route to visit the islands in Thailand in 2024? I got you covered with 5 different island hopping itineraries to make the most of your trip to Thailand.

In this Thailand travel blog you will find itineraries from Phuket, island hopping itineraries around Krabi and of course island hopping from Koh Samui. You can choose from 1-week itineraries as well as complete itineraries for 2 weeks island hopping in Thailand.

Last but not least I have a special itinerary for you... island hopping from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok and see some of the most remote, but also most pristine islands in Thailand.

My best Thailand travel tip when island hopping in Thailand is either Koh Kut or Koh Lipe.

You only have a couple days on the island and don't know where to go out in Koh Tao? With this complete restaurant and bar guide for Koh Tao I will give you some insider tips for when you travel to Thailand. I have lived on Koh Tao for 6 months and visited 5 times, and I know most places by now. You are spoilt for choice with upscale dining, local Thai cuisine, party places, live music and of course beach lounge bars, most of them all clustered around Sairee Beach.

Looking for amazing places to stay in Koh Tao? Somewhere to fully enjoy your holiday and relax with your partner? Want to unwind from stressful corporate life on one of the best islands to visit in Thailand? Then Bamboo Huts Koh Tao might be something for you! The isolated Bamboo Huts Resort is one of the best places to stay in Koh Tao. Start your stress free holiday here. Located on the rocks of the southwest coast of the island all bungalows have a prima oceanfront location with magnificent ocean views. Because every bungalow is facing west great sunsets are guaranteed. 

Island hopping Thailand is probably one of the most popular holiday packages in Asia for young people. Everyone once heard stories about the Full Moon party, crazy nights in Koh Phi Phi or the early mornings in Phuket. But it is not only about partying, there are way more things to do in Thailand than just getting drunk. Let me show you the best islands in to travel in this amazing country. Im sure you will find the right one in this list.

Things are changing! Where the island has always been a divers paradise, more and more travelers make the trip to Koh Tao just to enjoy their Thailand holiday and indulge on island vibes. Diving still is big business and the main thing to do in Koh Tao and pre pandemic there were almost 100 dive schools in Koh Tao.

An increasing amount of people island hopping in Thailand come to experience the laid-back vibe, to snorkel in the stunning remote bays, drive a scooter around and Koh Tao, party on the beach for sunset, experience the amazing hiking trails in Koh Tao or just chill out and watch incredible sunsets from Sairee Beach.

Thinking about traveling to Koh Tao? Despite its very bad reputation, I have always enjoyed visiting Koh Tao and it is one of the most visited places in Thailand for me. Therefore you can also find loads of Koh Tao travel tips on my website. So I am more than happy to help you enjoying this beautiful island as much as I always do.

Let me show you the best ways how to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok. in the most convenient way. There is no airport on Koh Tao the tiny hilly island so it's actually it is pretty straightforward since there is only one way: taking a boat to Koh Tao. But of course there are many routes to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. When traveling to Thailand make sure you include this little paradise to your island hopping itinerary.

Bangkok was the most visited city in the world before the global pandemic, yet still everyone is having doubts about the safety situation in Thailand. With so many happy tourists telling their friends about island hopping in Thailand and their jungle trekking and motorbike tours in Chiang Mai and crazy nights in Bangkok I would suggest word of mouth would do its job, right?

Well apparently there are still a lot of doubts if it is safe to travel to Thailand.

The vast majority of Thailand tourists leave the country with great memories, but on the flipside there are also some horror stories like the Koh Tao murders and disappearing people in Bangkok. So how safe is Thailand actually in 2024?

Unfortunately more tragic news from the so called Death Island of Koh Tao occurred when on June 4th 2021 the 2 lifeless bodies of a Thai/Indian billionaire couple were found dead in the Jamahkhiri Resort & Spa hotel pool. There was no evidence of a misdemeanour, but the bodies were sent to the police hospital for autopsy. Sadly another case of tourists deaths on Koh Tao.

In January 2018 a British traveler was found death in a hotel pool along Sairee Beach. There were at that time a lot of rumors going around but no one really knows what happened. In the end it was stated by the police that it was a tragic accident. Fact is that they found another dead body in Koh Tao under suspicious circumstances. One of the many tourist deaths in Thailand per year.

Although I just had 5 amazing days in Koh Samui I can’t wait to go home! Yes, this is how I feel when I am boarding a boat to Koh Tao. Right now I am on the Lompraya high-speed ferry that takes me from Koh Samui to Koh Tao in 2 hours. Price? $17! It was my 6th time visiting Koh Samui, I really like it, but what I learned in 3 days Samui? I really adore Koh Tao, by far my favorite island to visit in Thailand. 

Why do you think people on Tripadvisor chose this as the most romantic hotel in the world 2015? No explanation needed, right? This picture above says it all! I was looking for the best Koh Tao hotels and I wanted to find some spots on the island that were not really well known to the big audience. At least that is what I thought. But winning a Tripadvisor award made me think I was too late. Still The Place Koh Tao is not a mass tourism destination and II was happy I got the chance to review this Koh Tao Boutique hotel. 

Island hopping Thailand is probably the most popular first big trip for young travelers and I can totally understand why! Traveling to Thailand is hot again after the global pandemic! Some may say the islands are overcrowded and the authentic Thai lifestyle is gone. I am the last one to deny this as Thailand tourism changed a lot over the years. But hey... I am just as much guilty as I have visited Thailand almost 20 times.

Island hopping in Thailand never gets boring and is always something to look forward to. The uncomplicated and laid-back vibe is something hard to explain, but it makes me book a Thailand holiday over and over.

Renting a motorbike in Koh Tao is a must if you want to the best tourist spots on Koh Tao. Though at the same time this island is very infamous for its motorbike scams. So what to do? Miss the cool spots? Or take a leap of faith and go for it? In this Thailand travel blog I will point you out to a motorbike rental in Koh Tao with scratch insurance and explain why it is hard to drive around the island. For more general tips for renting a motorbike in Thailand click on this link.