I’m just going to say it: Koh Tao was my favourite place on my entire Southeast Asia backpacking trip. Aside from the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam, which I’m counting as an experience rather than a place and that too is up there as one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever experienced in my life.

That’s how good Koh Tao is.

I also got norovirus there. There was an outbreak — we knew about it before we arrived, we’d been warned — and we went anyway. And it was still the best. That tells you everything you need to know about this island.

Here’s my honest review.

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Where is Koh Tao?

Koh Tao is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, sitting between Koh Samui and the mainland. It’s part of the classic southern Thailand island hopping route and most backpackers arrive by ferry from either Koh Phangan or Koh Samui. It’s known as one of the best places in the world to learn to dive, but even if you’re not a diver — I wasn’t — the snorkelling alone is absolutely next level.

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Getting There — and a Very Important Warning

The ferry to Koh Tao made me horrifically seasick. I cannot stress this enough: take travel sickness tablets before you board. I didn’t, and I absolutely regretted it. The crossing can be choppy and the ferries are fast — it’s often not a gentle cruise. Stick some tablets in your day bag before you even leave for the pier and thank yourself later.

You can book ferry tickets in advance through local travel agents or 12Go Asia — I’d recommend booking ahead especially in peak season as the ferries do fill up.

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What Koh Tao is Actually Like

The island has this magic to it that’s hard to explain until you’re there. It’s busy — especially in peak season around New Year, more on that in a moment — but it’s busy in a good way. It’s the kind of place where everyone around you is a backpacker, everyone is in the same situation as you, and friendships form incredibly quickly.

My boyfriend Alex got invited to join a completely spontaneous football match with a group of other backpackers. That kind of thing just happens on Koh Tao. It has that community feeling where you turn up as a stranger and leave feeling like you’ve found your people.

The beaches are beautiful, the water is incredibly clear, and the snorkelling is genuinely some of the best I’ve ever done. People often say they swam with sharks on Koh Tao. I can’t say I did, but at Shark Bay you can almost guarantee a sighting.

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Things to Do on Koh Tao

Snorkelling and A boat tour

Even if you’re not a diver, do not skip the water activities on Koh Tao. We did a boat tour which took us around the island stopping at multiple snorkelling spots and it was absolutely brilliant. The coral is colourful, the fish are everywhere, and Shark Bay lives up to its name in the best possible way. It also stopped at Koh Nang Yuan.

You can book snorkelling tours and boat trips through GetYourGuide. This was the tour we did – Koh Tao: Islands Snorkeling Highlights Day Tour & Lunch. I’d recommend booking in advance in peak season as the good tours fill up fast.

Koh Nang Yuan

You cannot go to Koh Tao without visiting Koh Nang Yuan. It’s a tiny cluster of three islands just off the coast connected by a sandbar, and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen anywhere in the world. The viewpoint hike is worth every step of it. Take water, wear sunscreen, and go early before it gets busy.

The cabaret show

This is a must. I loved the cabaret show on Koh Tao — it was fun, it was brilliant, it was one of those evenings where you just sat there thinking how lucky you were to be there. If you’re on Koh Tao and you skip this, you’ve made a mistake. Ask your hostel for the best current show — it does move around but your accommodation will know where it is.

Beach bars and cafe culture

The beach bar scene on Koh Tao is genuinely one of the best on any Thai island. Relaxed, social, not overly expensive, and the kind of place where a sundowner turns into a full evening without you even noticing. The restaurant and cafe scene is also great — there are some brilliant spots for food and coffee that make it easy to spend a full day just eating, swimming and repeating.

Renting a moped

I’ll be honest — a moped would be useful on Koh Tao. The island is hilly and some of the best spots are a trek without one. But I don’t ride and the risks of renting a moped without knowing how to ride — something I’ve seen backpackers learn the hard way — wasn’t something I was willing to take on. If you can ride, it’ll make getting around easier. If you can’t, taxis and songthaews are available and you’ll still see everything you want to see. I wrote about navigating this exact situation in Pai too if you want to read my thoughts on getting around without a moped.

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Where I Stayed: CK Hostel

I stayed at CK Hostel, booked through Hostelworld, and we had a private room. The location was genuinely perfect — right in the heart of things, easy walk to the beach and bars. The wifi was sketchy which is worth knowing if you need to be connected, but for a budget backpacker stay it was absolutely fine and the price was right.

If you’re visiting in peak season, book early. We were there over New Year and the island gets so incredibly busy that accommodation at a reasonable price disappears fast. We wanted to stay longer but by that point there was nothing left that didn’t cost a small fortune. It’s genuinely one of my only regrets from the whole trip — wish we’d booked extra nights in advance.

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About the Norovirus Outbreak

I want to be honest about this because I think it’s useful. When we were on Koh Tao there was a norovirus outbreak on the island. We knew about it before we went — we’d been warned — and we chose to go anyway. I did get ill. It wasn’t pleasant.

But here’s the thing: it was still the best. Koh Tao is that good that even getting norovirus there couldn’t dampen how much I loved it. I would go back in a heartbeat.

My advice: be sensible about food hygiene, stick to busy food stalls where there’s high turnover, drink bottled water, and wash your hands constantly. Norovirus isn’t a virus that is food related but it is hygiene related. Outbreaks like this come and go on busy backpacker islands, and they don’t make the island any less worth visiting — just be aware and be careful.

Travel Insurance I Always Recommend
Backpacking is full of surprises—sometimes the best adventures come with unexpected hiccups. That’s why I never travel without comprehensive travel insurance. On my trips across Southeast Asia, I relied on True Traveller for peace of mind, whether it was lost luggage, sudden illness, or unexpected flight changes. It’s easy to set up, and I love knowing I’m covered no matter where the journey takes me.

If you’re planning a trip, check out True Traveller here — it’s what I personally use and recommend for fellow backpackers.

Is Koh Tao Worth It?

Absolutely, unequivocally yes. Koh Tao is worth it.

It’s the kind of place that gets under your skin. The water, the community, the snorkelling, the spontaneous football matches and beach bars and cabaret shows and the sunsets. It is genuinely one of the most special places I’ve ever been and I think about it more than I probably should.

My only advice: don’t underestimate how busy it gets in peak season. Go in shoulder season if you can, book your accommodation well in advance if you’re going over New Year or a full moon party period, and take the travel sickness tablets on the ferry. Do all of that and Koh Tao will very likely become your favourite place too.

Enjoy your travels!

Em x

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