Koh Tao, Thailand
Apart from our first few days that we booked at the Amara Bangkok prior to our trip, we arrived in SE Asia with absolutely no plans as to where’d we go, where we’d stay, or how we’d get there. We wanted to figure it out as we went and while that definitely had its challenges I think overall it creates the most amazing experience and taught us a lot. Not just about travel but about taking things as they come, being spontaneous, and living in the moment rather than trying to plan every minute of our lives (something I admit I’m often guilty of). Of course we talked with friends who had been here before and took all their recommendations but for the most part, we were just winging it. We wouldn’t recommend doing it any other way. As our time in Bangkok came to an end we thought hard about what we wanted to do next. Leading up to this trip we had been working nonstop in preparation for such a long time abroad so the thought of getting some rest and relaxation on a beach sounded quite appealing. We’re not ones for overly crowded tourist traps so based on the advice of friends we decided to set off for Koh Tao, the smallest island in Thailand.
Getting there from Bangkok was a breeze. We booked a joint bus and high-speed ferry ticket through Lomprayah. We chose Lompraya because of how smooth the transfer was. Compared to other options such as booking bus and boat tickets separately or a flight, taxi, then boat to save time, this seemed to be the least stressful and it really was. If you’re on a limited time schedule I’d suggest booking a flight into Krabi and then transferring to a ferry but for us, these long journeys were all part of the ride and gave us a good opportunity to see different parts of Thailand and catch up on some podcasts and reading. Leaving Bangkok out of the backpackers’ district at 6 AM, we embarked on a 6-hour bus ride followed by a seamless transfer to a 2-hour high-speed ferry ride. *Hot tip: Bring Dramamine! You won’t regret it. When you dock in Koh Tao you’re instantly greeted by a swarm of taxi drivers ready to take you wherever you need to go. It’s a little expensive (400 baht or about $12 USD) but we had just spent 8 hours traveling and weren’t in the mood to haggle so we decided to treat ourselves.
Our first stop on the island was the Palm Leaf Resort. An AMAZING villa directly on Sairee beach, and, added bonus, it was at the end of the strip which provided a quiet oasis that we thoroughly enjoyed. Just steps from the water and equipped with some bomb AC we couldn’t have been happier with our stay there. Plus, everything is in walking distance. There’s a ton of places to eat and drink right on the beach and by walking just a few extra minutes to the main roads you’re greeted with a plethora of options. Our favorite spot on the beach was Big Blue Diving School and if you walk just one road up you’ll find our other fave, The Coffee Boat Restaurant. Both were incredible and provided us with the best Penang Curry and Tom Ka Soup, respectively, that we had in Thailand. And of course, plenty of Singha. You could also easily hop into one of the many taxi boats scattered along the beach for a fun way to get over to the other side of the island to do some more exploring. Our days here consisted of a lot of reading, relaxing, and eating. Exactly what we were ready for.
After 3 glorious nights in our villa on the beach, we went inland a little bit to the Life Koh Tao Resort. To say this place is a hidden treasure would be an understatement. The hotel is newer, quite small with only a handful of rooms, very stylish with cement and brick architecture and owned by an incredibly kind local family. The rooms are spacious and have a huge shower room, kitchenette, and balcony with some amazing views. Watching the sunset from our room is one of our most cherished memories of our whole trip. Just a 15 minute walk up the main road from Sairee Beach it was the perfect place for us to spend our last 4 nights in Koh Tao. And to convey just how small this island is, another 15-minute walk from the hotel and you reach the other side. In this area, we were able to hike to a few viewpoints, a super cool abandoned resort, nearby Nin Wong Beach that was great for snorkeling and featured Mol’s Beach Bar run by a local family. We also took a much needed day to sit around our room, read, watch bad movies, and find cool light to take some fun photos in. Taking a day to do nothing is so important while traveling for extended periods of time, you have to rest! Just down the street from our hotel, we discovered our favorite restaurant in Thailand! We never really figured out the name of it but it was run by the sweetest family. We ate here every day for the remainder of our time on the island and had our favorite Pad Thai of the trip!
Last but not least, dogs!! Nowadays, I feel like we live in a world full of cat people, which we are not, so we were thrilled to be on an island surrounded by these sweet pups.
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