Koh Tao: Why It’s One of the Best Islands in Thailand

Last updated on September 12th, 2026

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Small, beautiful, and far from the party islands, Koh Tao is one of the best islands in Thailand for a perfect, relaxing beach holiday.

Koh Tao is the tiniest island off of Koh Samui, the most popular big sister, where lots of people escape to for an island-vibe kind of holiday, but also one that I’ve heard can get quite overcrowded.

For my first trip to Thailand, I knew I wanted a chill, easygoing beach holiday, and my boyfriend wanted to get his diving license, so we needed a mix of a peaceful location with options for adventure activities. Luckily, through some friends, we learned about the small island of Koh Tao.

After spending a whole week living that slow island life, having coffee by the water, eating amazing local food, and booking massages almost every evening, I’m convinced there’s no better place in Thailand than Koh Tao for a relaxing beach getaway.

So, if you too are looking for slow mornings by the water, snorkeling next to sea turtles, delicious food, and a dreamy island getaway, then here’s why I think Koh Tao is the place for you.

Koh Tao: Why It’s One of the Best Islands in Thailand

Is Koh Tao worth visiting?

First things first, is Koh Tao worth visiting? Koh Tao is one of the best islands in Thailand if you’re looking for a smaller, laid-back island with great food, diving, and snorkeling opportunities, and beautiful beaches without the party crowds that other islands might have.

We spent a week living slowly in Koh Tao as part of our Thailand trip, and it quickly became one of my favorite places in the world. It seriously has everything I’ve ever wanted in a beach holiday.

And here are the reasons why I think you’ll love it too:

The Koh Tao vibe:

A small island with a relaxed vibe

Yes, Thailand has many beautiful islands to choose from, but I believe that the point of visiting an island is to feel that you are on an island.

For me, that means having that proximity to everything you need, living that slow life, being able to walk to the beach and then grab a “cab”—which means hopping in the back of a pickup truck—to get to the other side of the island in 10 min to lay on a different beach for the day.

Koh Tao’s size is just perfect for that.

It wouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes by scooter to drive from the top of the island to the bottom—the island is small, cozy, and perfect for leisurely exploring all its different beaches.

Nightlife without the mega-party scene

While I specifically didn’t want to end up on a party island, I was happy to see that there is a party street in Koh Tao lined with casual bars.

So even on a small island, you don’t have to sacrifice all the fun. The street doesn’t seem to have a name on Google Maps, but just look for Diza Bar, and you’ll find a lot of bars in that area.

Here you can mingle with other island visitors over beer pong tournaments or karaoke nights.

The party area is not as big and rowdy as I have heard it can be in Koh Samui, but there are a handful of options to grab drinks and dance the night away if that’s what you are after.

Beautiful beaches without huge crowds

One of the main reasons I think Koh Tao is one of the best islands in Thailand is because it has everything I could want out of a Thai beach holiday, with a fraction of the crowds you would find anywhere else.

At the beginning of our Thailand trip, we spent a few days at Kata Beach in Phuket, which was meant to be a quieter beach in the city; however, we still found ourselves a bit overwhelmed by the amount of people there—and Koh Tao felt nothing like that.

There are some people around, of course, but not as many, and the vibe is different as well. It feels like everyone is calmer, more on the slow/island vibe, less on the rushing tourist vibe. I can’t explain it, but it just feels different and so much more relaxing.

Beaches, diving & outdoor activities

Multiple stunning beaches around the island

One of the most important factors when looking for a Thai island to visit is the beaches, and this tiny but mighty island has plenty of beautiful beaches to explore.

A small number that allows you to get a sense of familiarity with each, but enough that you can switch it up whenever you feel like it.

I spent most of my days on the popular Sairee beach, right on the island’s main street, where you can lounge on the beach and then take five steps to the closest cafe for a fresh coconut.

Trust me, it doesn’t get old.

Sadly, I’m not the diving kind of person. I would love to, but it’s just not for me, so while my boyfriend was up bright and early to get on a boat for a diving excursion, I’d make my way to a morning yoga class.

Koh Tao has a handful of yoga studios, with two popular ones: Living Juices & Yoga and Shambhala Yoga, being very well located in the middle of the main street.

The proximity to the yoga studios is so convenient because when the only thing you have to do all day is eat delicious food and chill by the beach, having the yoga studio so close by makes it easier to push yourself to go move your body for a little bit.

Besides, who wouldn’t want to do a little stretch session with the sound of the ocean nearby?

Great diving and snorkeling spots

While being the smaller island of the group, Koh Tao still has plenty to offer activity-wise, such as some amazing diving and snorkeling spots.

You can even get your diving license on the island if that is something you’re interested in.

My intention for this holiday was to simply relax, but my boyfriend is more the active vacationer kind of guy, so this island was the perfect balance for us. I would chill by the beach and read my book during the day while he went off to get his diving license in some beautiful waters around the island.

I did go snorkeling once, though, and ended up swimming next to a massive sea turtle. That was pretty epic! Maybe I should get in the water more often.

Food & wellness

Great food, coffee and brunch

One thing that I find really hard to give up whenever traveling somewhere new is good brunch, and luckily in Koh Tao, you don’t have to.

Koh Tao has a variety of amazing brunch spots where you can have a delicious breakfast right on the water, start your day slowly, and fuel up before spending all your energy lounging in the sun or snorkeling with sea turtles.

I know, it’s a tough life!

It was honestly such a joy to wake up every day, put my bikini on, cover up, and head to one of the many breakfast spots to start my day with a delicious brunch—good breakfast food just makes me so happy!

Casual, affordable waterfront restaurants

One of my favorite things about Koh Tao and its size is the fact that a lot of businesses here are built right on the water, not out of luxury, but simply out of necessity.

This means that you can enjoy a coffee or a great dinner every day right on the beach without the extra “beach view” price tag.

For me, this is the epitome of a beach holiday: being able to be on the beach at all times, and I love that in Koh Tao this is possible without having to go to an expensive all-inclusive resort.

Amazing Thai spas

This is a no-brainer no matter where you visit in Thailand; wherever you find yourself in this beautiful country, you must visit the spas.

However, I wanted to add this one here to assure you that even though Koh Tao is a very small island, it is not short on spas providing incredible massages for a fraction of the price that you would pay anywhere else in the world.

I’ve never been as relaxed as I was after this Thai holiday: days of lounging by the water and getting massages at night before dinner on the beach—this is what holiday dreams are made of.

Incredible local cuisine

Another reason to visit Thailand, in general, is for its incredibly delicious local cuisine—its curries, Pad Thais, spring rolls, and their mouth-watering mango sticky rice, just to name a few—but something that stood out to me in Koh Tao was the local island cuisine.

While in Koh Tao, I tried this small restaurant that specializes in local island home-cooking style, and I was blown away!

Cattago! specializes in dry-aged, locally caught fish served with a variety of sauces, depending on what you choose, and it quickly became one of my favorite meals I ate during the trip.

The food in Thailand is already a great reason to visit, but this tiny island had some of the best food I had during my trip.

Best island in Thailand for couples

After visiting Koh Tao as a couple with different interests, it’s easy for me to say that Koh Tao might be one of the best islands in Thailand for couples, and a lot of this, I believe, has to do with its diversity and size.

In Koh Tao, you can have a relaxing, easy beach holiday like myself, doing yoga in the morning, brunching the day away, and spending all day on the sand with a book, or you can also go all out and do 6 am diving excursions, like my boyfriend.

The beauty of it is that two people can either share all those things or do separate activities and still spend a holiday together due to the size of the island.

Firstly, I felt very safe being alone while my partner was off diving. Secondly, when he came back from diving, the island was so small that we could immediately meet for lunch and keep lounging together on the beach before booking a couples massage for the evening.

Everything is possible, and the compact size of the island makes it easier to go with the flow since you don’t have to commute anywhere.

Plus, the quietness and slow vibe of the island are perfect for spending quality time with your loved one.

Is Koh Tao right for you?

Choose Koh Tao if you want:	Choose somewhere else if you want:
• A smaller island vibe • Beautiful, calm beaches • A relaxed atmosphere • Diving/snorkeling • Lots of casual cafés and restaurants • A mix of relaxation & activities	• Huge luxury resorts • Lots of shopping options • Major nightlife scene • To not take a ferry • Bigger city vibes

How to plan a Koh Tao trip

How long do you need in Koh Tao?

You could spend anywhere from 3 days to a whole week, as we did. Considering you have to take a ferry to get there, you might want to use the time you have and stay longer.

Especially if you want a truly relaxing beach holiday, I’d recommend a minimum of 5 days to just slow down and enjoy the laid-back pace of the island.

Where to stay in Koh Tao

To enjoy the small island vibe to the max, I’d recommend staying somewhere close to Sairee Beach, so you’re a few steps away from everything: restaurants, cafés, bars and spas.

How to get to Koh Tao

The easiest way to get to Koh Tao is to take a bus from Phuket to Tapee Pier in Surat Thani, where you’ll catch a ferry that will get you to the small island.

You can book all of this with Lomprayah, which includes the bus ride and the high-speed catamaran to Koh Tao.

Final thoughts on why Koh Tao is one of the best islands in Thailand to visit

As you can see from this post, I’m obsessed with this small Thai island, and I think that anyone looking for a small piece of paradise should make their way to Koh Tao right this second.

Koh Tao’s small size and laid-back vibe make it the perfect beach holiday destination for anyone looking to slow down, rest, and simply enjoy the beautiful beaches with no rushed agenda.

The island’s cafés, brunch spots, and restaurants are a dream come true for any foodie, and on top of that, many of them are right on the water—it doesn’t get more perfect beach holiday than that!

I feel like not a lot of people know about Koh Tao, but the few that do have all told me that they loooove it.

Have I convinced you to make Koh Tao your island base while in Thailand? Let us know in the comments.