Koh Tao travel review & recommendations by QLittlestar

I loved this place so much I stayed for almost 5 months!  If you are a diver or want a place to learn to dive, this is the spot for you.  I was partially certified when I got there and I knew I needed a safe place for me to perfect my skills.  It is not the best diving in Thailand, but every diver I spoke to who dived other spots in Thailand agreed that there is something magical about Koh Tao that they did not find in the other places.  

I stayed at  Big Blue Dive Resort and I say resort reluctantly.  I think in order to use the word "resort" or "ensuite" there should be a star rating of at least 4.  I love this place because of the people and atmosphere and the rooms are nice.  Big Blue Diving take their time with their students and I cannot stress how important it is to have great instruction.  I have seen divers certified at other places down the beach come to Big Blue to be retaught.

Big Blue has an open air restaurant and bar right on the beach where we would all gather after dinner to watch the sun set.  With our buckets in hand we would then bar crawl our way down the beach and end the night dancing under the moonlight at the Lotus Bar and then hit up the pancake guy on the way home.  My favorite dives are right off shore at Sairee Beach, right in front of (you guessed it) Big Blue!!

So come on out to Koh Tao, it is a mere 6 or 7 hour bus ride from Bangkok to Chumphon, and then a 1.5 hour ferry ride to paradise.  You can DIVE, DIVE, Dive, snorkel, drink buckets, get triggered and you can also take advantage of the half moon and full moon parties on the next island Koh Phangan.

And if you see Kiwi Jim at Big Blue, tell him Q sent you....