why do some people trash koh tao?

[slipslop]

i cannot inderstand why people trash koh tao. its just as good (if not better) than anywhere along the Andaman coast. it has great reefs with beautiful colorful coral. I stayed in a bungalow on a beach which was only accessible by longtail boat. the beach had many palm trees and the sand was white and powdery. it was a little rustic. no hot water, electricity only from 6pm till 1 am, but very beautiful and relaxing. the few dives that i did do were from outfits in the main town of Mae Haad. There were lots of people doing their open water dives but that did not bother me in the least. i did a fair amount of snorkeling around the island as well. The coral in the shallow water around the beach where i satyed (Sai Nuan) was pretty trashed but improved dramatically the further i swam out. I did a tour of snorkel spots around the island. I saw black tip sharks off Shark Bay, the coral was fantastic at Ao Leuk, Mango bay and the Japanese gardens at Nang Yuang was beautiful. to protect the reef, they no longer allow snorkelers to use fins on Nang yuan. I saw leopard sharks and black tips off sairee beach. the coral was surprisingly good there too. I also notice that most of the people who say the diving is mediocre on koh tao are people who work on dive boats on the Andaman Coast. before i went i was also told the weather would be awful in February, it was hot but we only had 2 rainy days in 3 weeks. I loved koh tao and koh phangan and i am looking forward to going again next year. who needs phuket etc when we have the beautiful gulf islands.

 

[JonnieB]

One reason is what you stated...many dive operators and instructors like to bad-mouth the competition. I have never been one of them. I recommend Tao to anyone wanting a nice holiday destination in the Gulf and who may be interested in learning scuba diving. There are many good shops there...one should just ask around. Also the nightlife and food scene there is really great and the general ambience of the island is just so laid-back and makes for great fun.

Now as to you other point about the marine life being equal to the Andaman sea sites...this I can't agree with. I have dived both places many times and believe the sea-life in the Andaman to be much superior to anything around Ko Tao. Most other sources of information would agree. It's nice you had good weather on your trip but you were just lucky.. It was monsoon in the Gulf of Thailand at the time and you could just as easily been rained out for the wee too.

Except Ko Tao for what it is and enjoy it for that...:14:

 

[jiveturkey]

I have dived both coasts and I dont' think the diving is comparable. Koh Tao is fun but the east just doesn't have the diversity of the west. It's just as simple as that.

Furthermore, I've been on some crowded dive sites but never as bad as on Koh Tao. I think it's Ban's who has the 2 boats with the capacity of nearly 50 divers each. And that's just one dive shop. Then there are the other big out fits and all the smaller ones. They shops try to stagger their dive sites but often that doesn't work out.

Koh Tao is a cheap place to learn but I'll take the Andamans or Malaysia anyday.

 

[Ringo]

i cannot inderstand why people trash koh tao. its just as good (if not better) than anywhere along the Andaman coast. it has great reefs with beautiful colorful coral. I stayed in a bungalow on a beach which was only accessible by longtail boat. the beach had many palm trees and the sand was white and powdery. it was a little rustic. no hot water, electricity only from 6pm till 1 am, but very beautiful and relaxing. the few dives that i did do were from outfits in the main town of Mae Haad. There were lots of people doing their open water dives but that did not bother me in the least. i did a fair amount of snorkeling around the island as well. The coral in the shallow water around the beach where i satyed (Sai Nuan) was pretty trashed but improved dramatically the further i swam out. I did a tour of snorkel spots around the island. I saw black tip sharks off Shark Bay, the coral was fantastic at Ao Leuk, Mango bay and the Japanese gardens at Nang Yuang was beautiful. to protect the reef, they no longer allow snorkelers to use fins on Nang yuan. I saw leopard sharks and black tips off sairee beach. the coral was surprisingly good there too. I also notice that most of the people who say the diving is mediocre on koh tao are people who work on dive boats on the Andaman Coast. before i went i was also told the weather would be awful in February, it was hot but we only had 2 rainy days in 3 weeks. I loved koh tao and koh phangan and i am looking forward to going again next year. who needs phuket etc when we have the beautiful gulf islands.

Thanks for your report slipslop. But am interested to know whether you dived anywhere else in Thailand?

 

[slipslop]

Thanks for your report slipslop. But am interested to know whether you dived anywhere else in Thailand?

Im not saying the Andaman coast is not an better place to dive, i just think the diving off koh tao and the west coast of koh phangan is good enough for me. I am going to phuket in Jan 2007. The only other places i have dived are at sodwana, aliwal shoal, the great barrier reef, cod hole and osprey reef.

Due to health reasons i have to give up diving, but still enjoy snorkeling. are there good places to snorkel from the beaches around phuket. I will be at peach hill
in kata beach in January 2007

 

[buksida]

I have always enjoyed Koh Tao for its laid back atmosphere and meeting new people. While the island doesnt offer spectacular diving there are good spots in my opinion and you can get away from it all over on ther east coast.

 

[Traminer]

What about Chumphon? Isn't that pinnacle worth the boat ride from Samui/Koh Tao?

 

[Chuffy]

I'm going to Koh Tao shortly for upto 5 months to do Rescue & DM courses. Hopefully get some DM work when i'm done. I've done Phuket a couple of times and did the Similans last year. I'm looking forward to what I have heard is the chilled out nature of the island as much as the diving. I find Patong a bit sleezy and trashy for my liking.

 

[Batfish]

I've done Phuket a couple of times

I find Patong a bit sleezy and trashy

Question: Did you leave Patong? Phuket is not Patong. Phuket is a large island, some 540 square km. Patong has a few streets full of bars and is very developed. Did you try Karon, Kata, Kamala, Naiharn, Ao Sane, Yanui, Rawai, Surin, Bang Tao, Naithon, Nai Yang beaches?

 

[Chuffy]

Question: Did you leave Patong? Phuket is not Patong. Phuket is a large island, some 540 square km. Patong has a few streets full of bars and is very developed. Did you try Karon, Kata, Kamala, Naiharn, Ao Sane, Yanui, Rawai, Surin, Bang Tao, Naithon, Nai Yang beaches?

Of course I realise Patong is not Phuket. Which is why I said I find Patong sleezy and not I find Phuket sleezy.

I have stayed in both Karon & Kata before as I find them much preferable to Patong. I was making no comment on the nature of the island as a whole, only one part of it.