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| On a holiday to Koh Tao, the scubadiver's equivalent
to Mecca, I made the disheartening discovery that
I couldn't dive. Blame nerves, claustrophobia,
or downright wimpiness; the thought of being deep
underwater filled me with panic. And so, while
my friends and travelmates had a ball on the sea
floor, I sought out other activities to keep busy.
Lucky for me, and any other island-bound traveller,
Thailand's diving capital is amok with back-up
options. On a holiday to Koh Tao, the scubadiver's
equivalent to Mecca, I made the disheartening
discovery that I couldn't dive. Blame nerves,
claustrophobia, or downright wimpiness; the thought
of being deep underwater filled me with panic.
And so, while my friends and travelmates had a
ball on the sea floor, I sought out other activities
to keep busy. Lucky for me, and any other island-bound
traveller, Thailand's diving capital is amok with
back-up options. |
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| Koh Tao ("turtle island," though I didn't spot
any) is the smallest and most northern in a cluster
of traveller-friendly islands in the Gulf of Thailand,
along with Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. But unlike
the hard-partying Phangan, and the touristy-picturesque
Samui, Koh Tao is often left off the backpacker
itinerary. The bulk of Koh Tao's visitors are
scubadiving enthusiasts or curious amateurs, ready
to dive and then leave for the hotspots further
south. Here, khaosanroad.com shows why Koh Tao
merits a visit, even if you never venture past
shallow waters. |
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| In the water or on dry land, your itinerary
will overflow with things to do. Sairee Beach,
Koh Tao's largest and busiest stretch of sand,
teems with life and energy at all hours of the
day or night. It boasts many options for the curious
traveller, with guesthouses, restuaurants and
stores as well as many dive and rental shops to
choose from. Those looking to escape the hustle
of Sairee beach should head to the southern point
of the island, where Ao Chalok Baan Kao, Koh Tao's
second most famous beach, where a dense row of
guesthouses, mellow bars, restaurants and dive
shops overlook one of the cleanest beaches around. |
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| The small island is relatively easy to explore,
and motorbike rentals and taxis are abundant.
While the uneven roads might ensure a white-knuckled
journey, the quiet, rocky Laem Nam Tok (at the
north end of the island) and the picturesque snorkeler-haven
of Ao Leuk (on the eastern side) are well worth
the bumpy rides motorbike or taxi. Alternatively,
a day of exploring the parameter of Koh Tao by
kayak gives an up-close look at the small scenic
beaches which are difficult to access by road,
but are easy to dock at for some sunbathing or
swimming on sparkling clean shores. |
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| Venturing around the island by kayak, swimming
in the clear turquoise waters, or snorkelling
past the bright green reefs and tropical fish;
there are many aquatic pastimes close to land.
Meanwhile, in deeper waters, divers from around
the world converge to explore the intricate coral,
bright and exotic fish, and beautifully unsual
plantlife that thrive underwater. Many dive shops
on the island offer a full range of dive experiences,
PADI courses ranging from beginner to professional,
as well as fundives at any of the 30+ dive sites
surrounding Koh Tao. My travelmates sung the praises
of Carabao Diving School (at Ao Chalok) for their
scenic diving experiences with friendly multilingual
instructors. |
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| In terms of island dining, you won't fall short
of options on Koh Tao, where local fish is served
up beside more tourist-friendly fare. The island
boasts an oddly high number of Mexican restaurants
(music to this North American's ears), bakeries
with coffee and pastries, and 24-hour pizza. I
would recommend the reasonably-priced barbecue
stalls of freshly-caught fish, served with buttery
baked potatoes and corn on the cob. |
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| On the western side of Ao Chalok, the View Point
restaurant, which you might mistake for the German
embassy on account of all the expat divers, has
the best food I've tasted on the island. At the
end of a late night, Sairee beach is prepared
with all-night food options. The old tourist standby
of foodstall phad thai and banana pancakes is
sold on most corners to keep the hungry partiers
happy. |
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Anne
Merritt is Canadian and has an English Literature
degree. She has worked as a journalist for a university
newspaper. She is currently living in Ayutthaya
as an ESL teacher and is sharing her experience
of Thailand with KhaoSanRoad.com.
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