Thailand's complete scuba diving information source: dive centres, dive courses, dive equipment, dive sites
The nearest hospitals and recompression chambers are those located on Koh Samui. Click here for details.
Although hospitals do not exist on Koh Tao, there’s a physicians clinic on Sairee Beach which is affiliated with the Bangkok Hospital Samui on Koh Samui.
The clinic’s resident doctor is proficient in diving medicine and regularly consults with the Badalveda Diving Medicine Network.
The clinic has a number of beds and there's an evacuation procedure to the recompression chamber at Bangkok Hospital Samui, which can be contacted via the Diving Medicine Hotlines
+66 (0)81 989 9482
Facilities in and around Koh Tao
How to get there
Koh Tao can be reached indirectly by air, rail and road and directly by sea. Read more...
Where to eat
The majority of the dive resorts are self-contained with their own restaurants. If they're not... Read more...
Dive facilities
Many operators display high certifications of merit from their various affiliated training agencies for... Read more...
Dive trips
Most of the diving facilities have their own dive boats. Some trips include fruit and soft beverages... Read more...
Dive courses
This is a great place to indulge in diver training; the facilities are good, the accommodation.... Read more...
How to get there
Koh Tao can be reached directly by sea and indirectly by air, rail and road.
By air: There are no airports on Koh Tao, but flights to neighbouring Koh Samui provide relatively easy access to the island. Flight routes are as follows:
Bangkok Airways: Daily flights from (domestic) Krabi, Phuket and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport and from (international) Hong Kong and Singapore to Koh Samui. Contact: Within Thailand, Tel. 1771; from outside Thailand,
Tel. +66 (0)2 265 5555.
Thai Airways International: Daily flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Koh Samui and Surat Thani (on the mainland). Contact: Tel. +66 (0)2 356 1111.
Nok Air: Daily flights from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Surat Thani. Contact: Within Thailand, Tel. 1318; from outside Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)2 900 9955.
Transfer to connecting boat services is by air-conditioned minibus. Two high speed catamarans depart twice daily (weather permitting). Both boats stop off at Koh Phangan to pick up and drop off passengers. The overall trip takes around two hours and is the preferred way to reach Koh Tao from the neighbouring islands. The catamarans also sail between Chumphon and Koh Tao on a daily basis. For further information contact Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran: Tel. +66(0)77 247401 or Seatran Discovery: Tel. +66 (0)77 246086-8.
By bus and boat: All-in packages from Bangkok to Koh
Tao are available daily. They generally depart Khao San Road early evening and travel overnight to arrive on Koh Tao the following morning. Packages include both bus and boat. For more information contact Seatran Discovery: Tel. +66 (0)77 246086-8.
Alternatively, VIP air-conditioned buses travel from Bangkok daily. The journey breaks in Chumphon Town; the passenger ferry pier on the Thapao River is 30 minutes by local bus or taxi. For more information on bus services contact Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: Tel. +66 (0)2 435 1199,
02 435 1200.
By train and boat: Express and Sprinter trains depart Bangkok Hua Lumphong Railway Station daily. For further information regarding train services contact Hua Lumphong Railway Station:
Tel. +66 (0)2 223 7010.
Where to eat
The majority of the dive resorts are self-contained with their own restaurants. If they’re not, it’s a short walk to the nearest eatery – and it’s not all local fare! If you fancy sampling a delicious meal of international favourites, including Indian, Italian and Mexican, drop into one of the many restaurants in Mae Haad and on Sairee Beach.
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For more information and insight on where and what to eat, see Pocket Guide FOOD Thailand − launching first quarter of 2011 − and its online version, www.foodguidethailand.com |
Dive facilities
Many operators display high certifications of merit from their various affiliated training agencies for all-round service, and rightly so; the average standards found throughout the island’s diving community are impressive. All operators have their own, or are associated to a nearby source of, accommodation. The larger resorts all have their own restaurants. If they don’t there’s one close by. Internet services are also becoming more commonplace in the island’s dive centres.
Dive trips
Most of the diving facilities have their own dive boats. Some trips include fruit and soft beverages whereas others provide only drinking water. Weather permitting, local dive sites are visited twice daily, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Day trips to Sail Rock and the Samran Pinnacles leave only in the morning and include lunch. All trips offer two dives and include equipment.
Dive courses
This is a great place to indulge in diver training; the facilities are good, the accommodation comfortable and the courses are both enjoyable and economical. Instruction on the island follows BSAC, CMAS, PADI and SSI training structures. It’s possible to become certified to all levels of recreational and technical training, including instructor.
For more information on Koh Tao, contact Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tel. +66 (0)77 281828.
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