TRAVEL

Koh Tao is more than 21 square kilometers and is located around 70km east off the coastline between the Thai provinces of Surat Thani and Chumphon. It is easily accessible by boat from Chumphon on the mainland and Koh Pha-ngan to the south. High speed catamaran services ply the waters nowdays making the transfer swift and efficient unlike the overnight slow boat of days gone by. The name means Turtle Island in Thai because in the past the waters surrounding it were rich in hawksbill and green sea turtles, though a lot rarer nowdays they still can be spotted while diving around the island's many dive sites. Over the last ten years or so the tropical beauty and abundant marine life of Koh Tao has increased its popularity and it is now the premier spot in the country for learning to dive.