Where should I stay on Koh Tao for a diving course?

Sairee Beach. Most dive schools are based there, many bundle accommodation with courses, and being able to roll from bed to briefing to boat is exactly the convenience you want mid-course.

Which part of Koh Tao is best for non-divers?

Chalok and the southern bays for calm swimming and an easy pace, or an east-coast cove like Tanote if snorkelling is your thing — some of the island's best reef sits within fin-kick of the beach.

Is Koh Tao good for families?

Yes, with the right base. Chalok Baan Kao and Shark Bay offer sheltered, shallow water and a quieter scene than Sairee. Just note the island is hilly and taxis are pricey, so pick a bay you're happy to mostly stay in.

Do I need a scooter on Koh Tao?

Not if you stay on the west side — Sairee and Mae Haad connect by an easy flat walk. For the east and south coasts you'll want wheels or boat rides, but be honest about your riding: Koh Tao's hills are steep and its roads unforgiving for beginners.

Where to Stay on Koh Kood: Which Bay Suits You

The island with no centre

Koh Kood is the fourth-largest island in Thailand and one of the least developed. There is no resort town, no strip of bars, no ring road full of shops — just one hilly concrete road down the west side, a few small villages, and resorts spread thinly along the bays between them.

The wooden pier at a fishing village on Koh Kood

That has a practical consequence people miss when booking. On most islands you pick a beach and then wander out for dinner. Here, on quiet stretches, your resort's restaurant may be the only one within walking distance, so it is worth checking what is nearby before you book — and worth renting a scooter if you want a choice.

Transport

Tickets & connections

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Tours

Tours & activities

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Quick guide

Which bay

Ao Klong Chao — the main bay, most choice, waterfall behind it
Ao Tapao and Ao Ngamkho — small, quiet, good mid-range resorts
Ao Phrao and the north — long empty sand, very few places
Ao Bang Bao — one of the prettiest bays, almost nothing on it
Ao Yai — the stilt fishing village on the east side, no beach

The main bays: Klong Chao and its neighbours

Ao Klong Chao is the closest Koh Kood gets to a centre: a wide beach with a river running out behind it, a handful of restaurants and shops, and enough places to stay at different prices. You can take a longtail or a kayak up the klong to the waterfall, which is the island's set-piece excursion.

Ao Tapao and Ao Ngamkho just south are smaller and quieter versions of the same, with a few good mid-range resorts. Together with Klong Chao they hold most of the island's affordable rooms, and they are the sensible base for a first visit.

Good to know

Before you book

Check what restaurants are within walking distance. On some bays there is only your resort.
A scooter turns the island from one bay into all of it — but the road is hilly.
Bring cash. Card payment and cash machines are limited outside the main bays.
Boats leave from Laem Sok pier near Trat and take roughly an hour.

The far ends: quiet, and further

North of Klong Chao the coast opens into long, near-empty beaches, and south past Ao Phrao the road climbs and the bays get smaller and more remote. Ao Bang Bao in the south is one of the prettiest on the island, with only a couple of places on it.

Over on the east side, Ao Yai is not a beach resort at all but a fishing village of wooden houses on stilts over the water, with seafood restaurants and boats. It is worth an afternoon even if you sleep elsewhere. Everywhere at these ends, distances are real and eating out means driving.

Frequently asked questions

Which bay is best on Koh Kood?

Klong Chao for a first visit: it has the widest choice of rooms and restaurants and the waterfall behind it. For quiet, go north or to Ao Bang Bao in the south.

Is Koh Kood good for families?

Yes — calm, shallow water and no traffic to speak of. Choose a bay with more than one restaurant unless you are happy eating in every night.

Is there nightlife on Koh Kood?

Essentially none. A handful of beach bars close early. This is the island people choose precisely because nothing happens on it.

How do you get to Koh Kood?

By speedboat or ferry from Laem Sok pier near Trat, around an hour. Trat has a small airport with flights from Bangkok.

Where to stay on Koh Kood