Koh Tao, or the turtle island (its literal meaning), is a place of exotic beaches, and one such jewel in its crown is the Ao Tanot beach. Ao Tanot is hands down amongst the top beaches on this island with its picturesque vistas. Ao Tanot is a horseshoe-shaped beach lying on the east coast where one can escape to avoid the fast pace of city life. The uniqueness and appeal of this beach lie in its inaccessibility as this is still quite a secluded beach. The beach is full of white sand and stones, which add more charm to it.
The highlight of this beach is the large stone in the middle of the bay, about 10 meters in height. It can be used as a diving spot as well as a great place to click pictures. Ao Tanot is also one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spots in the Gulf of Thailand. You could get your snorkeling gears or rent from restaurants nearby.
If you want to get certified in scuba diving, then this is the perfect place to do that with a diving school close by. If you do indulge in diving or snorkeling, then be on a lookout for a multitude of fishes like coral trout, bannerfish, and angelfish. If you are lucky, then you could also spot a reef shark in the bay. There are 5 or 6 good restaurants around the beach that serve authentic Thai food. Even though this beach has an impressive infrastructure and a lot of fun activities to boast of, it is not usually crowded. The boat traffic is also very less here. Hence it is a perfect spot for those who love fun and warmth along with a quiet and relaxing time.
The nearest Airport to the Ao Tanot bay is Koh Samui Airport (USM), sharing a distance of 70 kilometers approximately. There are two ways to travel to the beach from the Airport
By Bus and Taxi: You could take a bus to Koh Tao, which is 64.8 kilometers away, and then a taxi to the beach covering a distance of 4.3 kilometers. The total cost for this journey would be approximately 1000 to 1050 Baht and take you 2 hours 37 minutes
By Ferry: Take Bus L-8312 from Airport to Bangrak, which is 2 kilometers away. You can then catch a ferry from Bangrak pier to Koh Tao, which is at a distance of 66.1 kilometers. From there, a taxi to the beach can be taken, which is 4.3 kilometers away. The total time taken for this journey would be 3 hours, 11 minutes, and cost you around 940 to 1140 Baht.
Sunday: Open 24 hours
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Waiting Time
No
Entrance Fee
Time you can spend
up to 3 hours or overnight
Weather
Be the first one to start a thread.
