Ko Tao East Coast

Ko Tao's east coast holds some of the most terrific spots on the island. If you're keen to get away from the crowd, have a stash of good books, a penchant for all-day hammock-swinging punctuated with spots of snorkelling, then the east coast has your name written all over it. Across June, July and August in particular, the waters on this side of the island are calm and the snorkelling is nothing short of tremendous.

Idyllic it is, but it comes with a price -- the roads over to the eastern bays are some of the worst on Ko Tao, and if you're planning on spending many an evening over in the Sairee bars and restaurants, then you may want to reconsider, or simply plan a night out at the beginning or end of your stay on Ko Tao somewhere closer to the action. These roads are bad -- in wet season even worse! All resorts offer some sort of daily transfers into town for you to stock up on munchies though, so you are not completely stuck, and in some areas you can easily kayak to the next closest beach to explore and have a change of scenery.

Running from north to south, the main bays are Hin Wong, Laem Thian, Ao Tanote, Ao Lang Khaay and Ao Leuk. All can be accessed by road, though some may also run longtails from Mae Haad.

Ao Hin Wong
Hin Wong Bay remains one of our all-time favourite spots in Thailand. If you happen to find yourself on Ko Tao when the prevailing winds are coming from the southwest (June, July and August) this can be a very special place as the waters are dead calm and ideal for snorkelling. The bay is home to two huge groups of fusiliers too which will send you dizzy watching them.

One of the most isolated bays on the island, Hin Wong has just a few very basic bungalow resorts, so even when it isn't calm, you can easily swing the days away in your hammock and just enjoy the peace and quiet.

Hin Wong attracts a few dive trips from elsewhere on the island who come to dive at Hin Wong Pinnacle -- a tabletop formation that sits in the middle of the bay. Given its distance from most dive centres there is never a lot of traffic. The pinnacle, with an average dive depth of just under 20 metres is known for its soft corals and ample sealife, including the occasional hawksbill turtle.

Laem Thian
This very small beach at the end of a nasty road has some great snorkelling and as there's just the one resort on the bay, it never gets too crowded. If you'd like to visit on a daytrip, negotiate it as part of a boat trip around the island, as the taxis in Mae Haad charge exorbitant prices to get here. The road varies according to the weather, but after heavy rain it is a shocker.

The bay here is one of the best places around the island to see turtles and sharks. The beach is a mix of sand, boulders and dead coral in roughly equal proportions. And if you're having trouble getting started in the mornings, just across the rocks from the resort is an eight-metre high pinnacle from which you can jump off into the water below.

Ao Tanote
This attractive bay has an outcrop of rocks at its centre and bungalows littered right around its edge. It's a reasonably low-key spot suited to a stay of a few days or a month if you're in for some serious hammock swinging.

Out of season the bay can be too rough for safe swimming, but when the water is calm the snorkelling is excellent. Some people say the diving over this side of the island is better in the low season because the tide doesn't go out as much. It's one of the only places on the island where you can dive directly from the shore.

The road here is particularly bad and deteriorates even further in wet season.

Ao Lang Khaay
This quiet, isolated bay just to the south of Ao Tanote has no beach to speak of, but great snorkelling, lots of big fish and, when the weather is calm, a multitude of rocks to jump off.

Just one resort remains on this peaceful bay. No worries here besides deciding how to spend your days: swimming, snorkelling or just kicking back in the tropical seclusion. During the off season, strong winds make swimming here rather difficult.

Ao Leuk
It's easy to see why Ao Leuk is frequently cited as the most beautiful beach on Ko Tao, with its sweeping whitesand beach dotted by just two very basic bungalow operations. .

The beach backs onto a coconut plantation and there's ample space for lying around and taking it easy. This really is a beautiful spot and even if you're not planning on staying here, Ao Leuk is at least worth a day trip.

Ao Leuk Bay sits at the end of a long and bumpy unsealed road that runs off to the east from the main road to Ao Tanote. While you could walk to Ao Leuk, it is a very long and pretty hilly walk -- we don't recommend it.