Gilligan
Contributor
Dive Trip Report for Koh Tao, Thailand
Trip Date
May 2 May 18, 2006
Departure Point
Maui, Hawaii
Routing
Maui to Honolulu and return on Aloha Airlines
Honolulu to Taipei to Bangkok and return on EVA Air (no layovers)
*Overnight in Bangkok at Comfort Suites Airport Hotel
Bangkok to Koh Samui and return on Bangkok Airways
Koh Samui to Koh Tao and return on Seatran Ferry
*Overnight in Bangkok or Koh Samui was required because of the ferry connection in Koh Samui. I chose Bangkok in lieu of taking yet another same-day flight to Koh Samui.
Trip Arrangements
Aloha and EVA Air
By Palms Travel
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
808-891-2873
www.palmstravel.com
By me online:
-Bangkok Airways:
http://bangkokair.com
-Seatran Ferry:
www.kohtaotickets.com
-Airport Suite Bangkok (formerly Comfort Suite Airport Hotel):
www.hotelthailand.com
NOTE: I was unable to match the routing or beat the price online that was provided by Palms Travel for their portion of the trip. The online EVA Air routing included a stop in Japan and the price was almost the same as that obtained by Palms Travel, which also included by Maui to Honolulu, and return, airfare.
Visa
Thailand does not require a Visa for U.S. citizens and those of some other countries for stays of 30 days or less for vacation/tourism purposes. Beyond 30 days a visa is required. The visa is obtainable in advance of travel by mail through a Thai consulate.
Airport & Airline Fees
53.25 Baht per kilo on Bangkok Airways for excess baggage.
300 baht domestic exit fee from the Koh Samui to Bangkok airports.
500 baht international exit fee from the Bangkok airport.
There are signs posted at the Bangkok airport on entry into the country warning visitors of financial penalties for over-staying their visits.
Money Exchange & ATM Availability
The U.S. Dollar was equal to 36.92 Thai Baht per U.S. Dollar at the Bangkok Domestic Terminal on May 5. Better rates were likely available in Bangkok but I did not go into the city on arrival. ATM machines were readily available on Koh Tao.
I exchanged my remaining Thai Baht at the Bangkok International Terminal prior to departure for 38.1 Thai baht per U.S. Dollar.
Travelers Ckecks will incur an exchange fee.
Electricity
Thailand is on the 240-volt system. If you are traveling from the U.S.A. you will need a round two-prong Asia adapter plug. You will also need a U.S. adapter to reduce any of your three prong plugs to fit the two-prong Asia adapter. Many of the electric outlets in Thailand are designed to accept either the round two-prong Asia plug and/or the US style two-prong plug. However, many will not accept the US two-prong plug that have a wider prong on one side than the other. You will then need the Asia plug adapter. Many, if not most of todays electrical devices will operate on 110 to 250 volts so a Voltage adapter is not needed.
Credit Cards
Most credit cards are accepted and a fee of 3.5% is often charged.
Cautions
None noted
Annoyances
Some of the Bangkok taxi drivers don't know their way around the city.
Miscellaneous
-Bring along the few tools you may need to make repairs to your gear. A set of those mini screwdrivers is a must for repairing/adjusting camera gear.
-Thailand is a Budhist country.
Bangkok Hotel
Comfort Suite Airport Hotel is ten minutes drive from the Bangkok Airport and offers free airport pickup and return. Buffet breakfast is included in the room rate.
It is not close to the main part of the city.
Koh Tao Hotel
I stayed at Lotus Resort in Sairee Village, a part of Siam Divers. An A/C room was 1000 baht per night. There was no hot water, phone or TV. The rooms are individual elevated frame constructed bungalows with a concrete bathroom that was an obvious add-on at a later date. There was about a two-inch gap between the room and the bathroom. There is a slight discount to the room rate depending on the amount of dives you do. 1000 baht and up was the going rate for A/C rooms. Rooms with only fans cost approx. 300 baht.
There were a sufficient number of outlets in the room to re-charge my camera batteries and laptop computer.
Diving Costs
Prices are supposed to be standardized around the island but I was told that policy was starting to come apart.
1 dive 1000 baht
2 to 5 dives 900 baht per dive
6 to 9 dives 800 baht per dive
10 + dives 700 baht per dive
Staying at the dive shops sister hotel can result in a room rate discount, depending on the number of dives and days stayed.
Rinse Facilities
Siam Divers had three concrete rinse tubs at their shop. All three were treated with a disinfectant. There were no camera rinse tanks. No rinse tanks were on the boat. I used a plastic waste pail from my room to rinse my camera gear.
Solo Diving
I did not do any. The harbor area of Sairee Village is busy with small boat traffic making it too dangerous to dive. One of my dive guides told me he had a long shaft boat run over his dive sausage while he was doing a safety stop at one of the regular dive sites.
Dive Sites
All dives are boat dives. A smaller boat called a long shaft shuttles the divers from the beach to the larger boat. The dive boat had a compressor on-board to fill the scuba tanks. There are several dive sites located around the island.
I did a total of fourteen dives at the following sites:
Twin Rocks, Red Rock, Southwest Pinnacle, Shark Island, Sail Rock, White Rock, Mango Drop-off, Light House Bay, Chumphon Pinnacle and Green Rock.
Quality of Diving
Poor overall.
Visibilty was usually low and the variety of marine life was minimal. There are little differences between the various dive sites.
Comparing Koh Tao to other warm water dive destinations I have visited I consider it to be at the bottom of the list.
The area is more of a dive training destination which reportedly does about five percent of worldwide certifications.
Many, if not most, of the dive shops limit you to a forty-five minute dive. One exception I found was Siam Divers in Sairee Village with whom I did all my diving. Their guides allowed me to take my time even though on some occasions I detected impatience with other on-board dive instructors.
The dive sites are crowded most of the time.
Koh Tao is mostly assembly line diving
Sairee Village Restaurants
- Saos Kitchen: Only place open at 6am. A small open-air restaurant operated by a friendly local woman who is helpful with Koh Tao information as well as preparing good food.
- Portobello Bistro: Good pizza.
- New Haven Bakery: Opens around 7am. Best all around breakfast and lunch. Very clean place. Great fresh made by-the-cup coffee. They even had a local version of a bagel with cream cheese.
Land Tour Destinations
Not much to see. The main town is Mae Haad Village where the ferry boats dock. About 10 minutes away is Sairee Village, which is less crowded.
Massages
There are numerous massage providers. Both Thai and oil massages are available as well as specialty massages such as foot and hand. A full body oil massage costs 300 baht.
Laundry
Most hotels and several private facilities do laundry for around 35 baht per kilo.
Internet
There are numerous high-speed Internet shops located in Mae Haad and Sairee. The going rate was 20 baht for 20 minutes with a 20 baht minimum and a 1 baht per minute charge over the minimum. One shop was 1 baht per 2 minutes over the minimum. Some of the Internet shops are air conditioned. You can use you own laptop computer at most of the shops and they provide the CAT5 cable. CD ROM burning is also available at many of the computer shops.
Medical Facility
A 24 hour clinic with a doctor is located in Sairee Village. No doubt there is also one in Mae Haad Village.
Hyperbaric Chamber
There is no chamber on Koh Tao. The nearest chamber is on Koh Samui.
Summary
I can think of no reason(s) to recommend Koh Tao as a recreational dive destination. It is primarily a party place for the twenty something European set.
Trip Date
May 2 May 18, 2006
Departure Point
Maui, Hawaii
Routing
Maui to Honolulu and return on Aloha Airlines
Honolulu to Taipei to Bangkok and return on EVA Air (no layovers)
*Overnight in Bangkok at Comfort Suites Airport Hotel
Bangkok to Koh Samui and return on Bangkok Airways
Koh Samui to Koh Tao and return on Seatran Ferry
*Overnight in Bangkok or Koh Samui was required because of the ferry connection in Koh Samui. I chose Bangkok in lieu of taking yet another same-day flight to Koh Samui.
Trip Arrangements
Aloha and EVA Air
By Palms Travel
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
808-891-2873
www.palmstravel.com
By me online:
-Bangkok Airways:
http://bangkokair.com
-Seatran Ferry:
www.kohtaotickets.com
-Airport Suite Bangkok (formerly Comfort Suite Airport Hotel):
www.hotelthailand.com
NOTE: I was unable to match the routing or beat the price online that was provided by Palms Travel for their portion of the trip. The online EVA Air routing included a stop in Japan and the price was almost the same as that obtained by Palms Travel, which also included by Maui to Honolulu, and return, airfare.
Visa
Thailand does not require a Visa for U.S. citizens and those of some other countries for stays of 30 days or less for vacation/tourism purposes. Beyond 30 days a visa is required. The visa is obtainable in advance of travel by mail through a Thai consulate.
Airport & Airline Fees
53.25 Baht per kilo on Bangkok Airways for excess baggage.
300 baht domestic exit fee from the Koh Samui to Bangkok airports.
500 baht international exit fee from the Bangkok airport.
There are signs posted at the Bangkok airport on entry into the country warning visitors of financial penalties for over-staying their visits.
Money Exchange & ATM Availability
The U.S. Dollar was equal to 36.92 Thai Baht per U.S. Dollar at the Bangkok Domestic Terminal on May 5. Better rates were likely available in Bangkok but I did not go into the city on arrival. ATM machines were readily available on Koh Tao.
I exchanged my remaining Thai Baht at the Bangkok International Terminal prior to departure for 38.1 Thai baht per U.S. Dollar.
Travelers Ckecks will incur an exchange fee.
Electricity
Thailand is on the 240-volt system. If you are traveling from the U.S.A. you will need a round two-prong Asia adapter plug. You will also need a U.S. adapter to reduce any of your three prong plugs to fit the two-prong Asia adapter. Many of the electric outlets in Thailand are designed to accept either the round two-prong Asia plug and/or the US style two-prong plug. However, many will not accept the US two-prong plug that have a wider prong on one side than the other. You will then need the Asia plug adapter. Many, if not most of todays electrical devices will operate on 110 to 250 volts so a Voltage adapter is not needed.
Credit Cards
Most credit cards are accepted and a fee of 3.5% is often charged.
Cautions
None noted
Annoyances
Some of the Bangkok taxi drivers don't know their way around the city.
Miscellaneous
-Bring along the few tools you may need to make repairs to your gear. A set of those mini screwdrivers is a must for repairing/adjusting camera gear.
-Thailand is a Budhist country.
Bangkok Hotel
Comfort Suite Airport Hotel is ten minutes drive from the Bangkok Airport and offers free airport pickup and return. Buffet breakfast is included in the room rate.
It is not close to the main part of the city.
Koh Tao Hotel
I stayed at Lotus Resort in Sairee Village, a part of Siam Divers. An A/C room was 1000 baht per night. There was no hot water, phone or TV. The rooms are individual elevated frame constructed bungalows with a concrete bathroom that was an obvious add-on at a later date. There was about a two-inch gap between the room and the bathroom. There is a slight discount to the room rate depending on the amount of dives you do. 1000 baht and up was the going rate for A/C rooms. Rooms with only fans cost approx. 300 baht.
There were a sufficient number of outlets in the room to re-charge my camera batteries and laptop computer.
Diving Costs
Prices are supposed to be standardized around the island but I was told that policy was starting to come apart.
1 dive 1000 baht
2 to 5 dives 900 baht per dive
6 to 9 dives 800 baht per dive
10 + dives 700 baht per dive
Staying at the dive shops sister hotel can result in a room rate discount, depending on the number of dives and days stayed.
Rinse Facilities
Siam Divers had three concrete rinse tubs at their shop. All three were treated with a disinfectant. There were no camera rinse tanks. No rinse tanks were on the boat. I used a plastic waste pail from my room to rinse my camera gear.
Solo Diving
I did not do any. The harbor area of Sairee Village is busy with small boat traffic making it too dangerous to dive. One of my dive guides told me he had a long shaft boat run over his dive sausage while he was doing a safety stop at one of the regular dive sites.
Dive Sites
All dives are boat dives. A smaller boat called a long shaft shuttles the divers from the beach to the larger boat. The dive boat had a compressor on-board to fill the scuba tanks. There are several dive sites located around the island.
I did a total of fourteen dives at the following sites:
Twin Rocks, Red Rock, Southwest Pinnacle, Shark Island, Sail Rock, White Rock, Mango Drop-off, Light House Bay, Chumphon Pinnacle and Green Rock.
Quality of Diving
Poor overall.
Visibilty was usually low and the variety of marine life was minimal. There are little differences between the various dive sites.
Comparing Koh Tao to other warm water dive destinations I have visited I consider it to be at the bottom of the list.
The area is more of a dive training destination which reportedly does about five percent of worldwide certifications.
Many, if not most, of the dive shops limit you to a forty-five minute dive. One exception I found was Siam Divers in Sairee Village with whom I did all my diving. Their guides allowed me to take my time even though on some occasions I detected impatience with other on-board dive instructors.
The dive sites are crowded most of the time.
Koh Tao is mostly assembly line diving
Sairee Village Restaurants
- Saos Kitchen: Only place open at 6am. A small open-air restaurant operated by a friendly local woman who is helpful with Koh Tao information as well as preparing good food.
- Portobello Bistro: Good pizza.
- New Haven Bakery: Opens around 7am. Best all around breakfast and lunch. Very clean place. Great fresh made by-the-cup coffee. They even had a local version of a bagel with cream cheese.
Land Tour Destinations
Not much to see. The main town is Mae Haad Village where the ferry boats dock. About 10 minutes away is Sairee Village, which is less crowded.
Massages
There are numerous massage providers. Both Thai and oil massages are available as well as specialty massages such as foot and hand. A full body oil massage costs 300 baht.
Laundry
Most hotels and several private facilities do laundry for around 35 baht per kilo.
Internet
There are numerous high-speed Internet shops located in Mae Haad and Sairee. The going rate was 20 baht for 20 minutes with a 20 baht minimum and a 1 baht per minute charge over the minimum. One shop was 1 baht per 2 minutes over the minimum. Some of the Internet shops are air conditioned. You can use you own laptop computer at most of the shops and they provide the CAT5 cable. CD ROM burning is also available at many of the computer shops.
Medical Facility
A 24 hour clinic with a doctor is located in Sairee Village. No doubt there is also one in Mae Haad Village.
Hyperbaric Chamber
There is no chamber on Koh Tao. The nearest chamber is on Koh Samui.
Summary
I can think of no reason(s) to recommend Koh Tao as a recreational dive destination. It is primarily a party place for the twenty something European set.
