Koh Tao is- by far- my favorite island that Thailand has to offer.
It has so many unbelievable spots, which is all the more impressive when its size is taken into account.
It’s one of the smallest islands, traversable from top to bottom by scooter in around 15-20 minutes.
But what it lacks in size, it makes up in incredible beauty and opportunity.
Now, I’d like to emphasize- Koh Tao is famous for its scuba diving, but I won’t be covering that in this itinerary. That isn’t to say that I don’t recommend it, because I do. But this itinerary will be for the sole purposes of island exploration.
Oh, and get a scooter. Either that or make a good friend. You’ll need one to fully explore the island. More on this later.
I’ll be giving an itinerary for 2 days on the island, followed by recommendations for a 3 and 4-day stay. And yes- I do recommend you stay for longer.
Koh Tao Itinerary Map
Day 1 in Koh Tao
Morning: Breakfast and Hat Sai Daeng Beach
Start off the morning with breakfast at Blue Island Cake and Coffee. This is an excellent budget option with the best prices I could find pretty much anywhere in the area.
Then we’re not wasting any time. You’re going to head to Hat Sai Daeng Beach, which I crowned the best beach on the island in my list of the top 10 beaches in Koh Tao (see here).
Hat Sai Daeng is a quaint beach, with the most beautiful deep blue and bright turquoise waters. There’s a resort on the beach- something I’m generally against- but it’s very low-key and even adds to the ambience.
Not only do I think it’s the best overall beach on the island, but it also takes the crown for having the best snorkeling on the island.
Head to the left side of the the beach and swim along the rock wall. The further out you go, the better it will get- I’d even recommend rounding the corner if you’re confident in your swimming abilities (the current can get strong).
The clarity of the water and vast array of sea life is truly remarkable here.
Afternoon: Lunch and June Juea Beach
The next beach is located- like Hat Sae Daeng- on the south side of the island, so it makes sense to get lunch in the area as well.
And I’ll give good options in the area, but better options exist if you tough out the 10 minutes’ drive back to the north side.
If you’d like to stay in the area, I’d recommend one of the Thai places on the street just before you hit the water heading south. And yes- I realize that’s a bad description, so just check out the location of the restaurant ‘SomO’ on the map above.
Honestly, there are many similar options here and you can pick any of them. Look on Google Maps for any Thai place rated 4.5 stars or above.
Then head to June Juea Beach- my number two favorite on the island.
It’s a very different from Hat Sai Daeng- June Juea consists of a number of small, secluded coves for you to settle down in as opposed to the traditional beach layout.
It matches Hat Sai Daeng in beauty. The only reason it missed out on the top spot in my rankings was because the snorkeling wasn’t nearly on the same level.
Evening: Sunset at John Suwan Viewpoint, Dinner
Time for a bit of a hike.
Hiking up to the John Suwan Viewpoint- especially around sunset- is an absolute must.
It’s quite short, taking only around 20 minutes– and quite frankly, getting a view like this after such a short hike feels like kind of a cheat.
The hike is located off a narrow peninsula sticking out to sea, so you’re treated to a truly expansive view of the island (almost 360 degrees).
When I say sunset, I would make that the earlier end- you don’t want to be hiking back down after dark, as it’s often less of walking on a trail and more climbing rocks.
Note: For a detailed guide to all the best viewpoints on Koh Tao, check out this post!
For dinner, I would recommend Blue Chair. It’s a Thai place with a great menu, ambience, and blue chairs. I’d recommend any of the curries.
And don’t forget to get some mango sticky rice for dessert. I’d recommend this stand that’s across from the 7/11 (next to the breakfast spot I recommended). You can find it on the map (purple icon).
Note: If you’re into Thai food and want a full rundown of my recommendations, check out my guide to the best Thai food in Koh Tao!
Day 2 in Koh Tao
Morning: Ao Hin Wong Beach and Summit Viewpoint
Today we’ll start on the north side of Koh Tao.
After having breakfast (I’d honestly just head back to the same place), head to Ao Hin Wong Beach.
It’s probably my favorite morning beach. It’s quiet and faces east, so you get the sun before the main side. The snorkeling is also pretty good- stay by the left-hand rocks.
When you go, pay attention to the sand, which is unique at this beach. If you look closely, it’s not really sand but small, multicolored rocks. Super cool.
After the beach, you’ll be heading up a narrow road to the highest viewpoint on the island- Summit Viewpoint.
You’ll turn off the main road to the right and drive up a narrow, steep path for about 10-15 minutes.
Once you get to the top, you’ll have to pay a fee around 100 baht ($3 USD)- then sit on a cushion and take in the views.
Note: There are a number of viewpoints on the way up to Summit Viewpoint. While I’d recommend this one, the others are options if you start feeling uncomfortable with the roads, which are rough.
Afternoon: Lunch and Tanote Bay
Head back into the main town for lunch. I’d recommend going to 995 Roasted Duck, which has very decent Pad Thai. And roasted duck.
It’s actually a very popular spot, and their roasted duck has been the source of hundreds of TikTok reels. For that reason, if you come I would recommend lunch over the dinner hours, when it can get quite busy.
After you’re all fed and watered, head to Tanote Bay. It’s a nice beach- perhaps not at the same level of beauty as the ones yesterday- but it has great snorkeling, and a cliff to jump off of if that interests you (it should).
On the way back from Tanote Bay- if you’re not viewpoint-ed out- I’d recommend checking out the Love Koh Tao Viewpoint. It’s the best view over the eastern side of the island.
Evening: Sunset at Artlantis Resort, Dinner
For sunset (get there a bit earlier), head to the water at the Artlantis Resort (Dusit Buncha by Riya Resort on Google Maps) in the north-west of the island.
This is a bit of a secret spot, unknown it seems to everyone but those staying in the resort.
There’s no real beach, but the views and the snorkeling quality make this a great spot.
It faces directly at the Koh Nang Yuan islands, a famous day trip destination from Koh Tao (hint hint- more on this in Day 4). And the snorkeling by the rocky coast is probably second best on the island only to Hat Sai Daeng.
Day 3 in Koh Tao
For these extra days, you have a few options.
There are plenty of other beaches that we haven’t discussed- but in my humble opinion, you’ve already visited the cream of the crop. That is why Day 3 will involve a combination of both new spots and revisiting favorites.
Morning: A Grand Return to Your Favorite Beach
After breakfast, head back to whatever spot you’ve found to be your personal favorite.
For me, this would mean a return to Hat Sai Daeng. A beautiful morning of lounging, snorkeling, and perhaps splurging on a drink at the resort bar.
Perhaps for you it’s a return to the quiet Ao Hin Wong Beach, or June Juea. Your pick.
Afternoon: Lunch and Town Exploration (+ Optional Snorkeling!)
For lunch, I’d recommend heading down to the boardwalk area on Sairee Beach (that’s the main, long beach on the west side of the island).
It’s a pleasant area to stroll around, a narrow path right off the beach with lots of cute shops and restaurants.
I would recommend Cattago for lunch, especially for those of you that are fans of fresh fish. They have a great selection and the prices are very fair.
If you feel like adding something to your afternoon, I would recommend heading to Shark Bay to snorkel and potentially see some blacktip reef sharks.
You can go straight to Shark Bay Beach, but there’s a way to snorkel without paying the fee for the beach. Head to the ‘Shark Bay’ section in my Koh Tao snorkeling rankings to find out how.
If you’re all snorkeled out, another option is to simply return to another favorite beach and relax.
Evening: Sunset at a Secret Beach, Dinner
For sunset we’ll be checking out a new beach.
To get to the Secret Beach, you’re going to drive to the same exact parking lot you used for the John Suwan Viewpoint hike.
Then walk, exactly as you did for the hike. Don’t be fooled when you reach a fork where a right hand path goes down to a beach called ‘Freedom Beach’. Continue on the path to the viewpoint.
Eventually, the viewpoint diverges off the path to the left. When this happens, continue and you’ll arrive within a few minutes.
I recommend this ‘secret’ beach over Freedom Beach because while they’re quite similar, far fewer people visit this one.
For dinner, either return to a spot you like or check out Five Star, located off the main road next to Dive Supply. It’s nothing fancy at all, just a simple Thai eatery with good food and great prices.
Day 4 in Koh Tao
Option 1: Take a Day Trip to the Koh Nang Yuan Islands
If you’re not doing any diving in Koh Tao, I would at least recommend taking a trip to the Koh Nang Yuan Islands.
If you went to the Artlantis Beach on Day 2, you likely got a glimpse of them.
The Koh Nang Yuan Islands are very unique. They’re actually three separate islands, but are often connected by sandbars- depending on the tide.
I highly recommend checking them out, and the easiest way to do it is with a tour.
I‘d recommend taking a look at the tours I link to below. Feel free to compare these to whatever your hostel is offering, as they often provide tours.
Hanging out on the islands is great, and tours usually include snorkeling, which is awesome around the islands. You can even see the reefs in the second photo above.
Note: If you do purchase an online tour, please use my links! I get some nice cash, at no extra cost for you guys.
Option 2: Hike to Mango Bay
If you’re not a fan of tours, there is another option.
I must preface this by stating that I never actually did this hike. That being said, my dive boat came to the beach, and it’s magnificent. In addition, I’ve had multiple friends tell me the hike isn’t too bad at all.
If you want an in-depth guide on how to reach Mango Bay, I would recommend checking out this post and looking under the heading titled ‘Access’.
If you have extra time to kill after the hike, head on back to a favorite beach.
Where to Stay for this Koh Tao Itinerary
There are plenty of great hostels on Koh Tao.
While I’m going to give my personal recommendation, do note that the island is quite small. I say this to make the point that there is limited space and if you book day by day (like me), there may not be too many options for you to choose from.
A great option is the Jungle Hostel. It’s located just a couple minutes’ drive outside of the main town, and has a nice and secluded vibe as well as a great social atmosphere. It’s also priced quite well. You can click here to book.
If it isn’t available or isn’t speaking to you, I’d recommend the next best thing: looking at a list on Hostelworld and picking the cheapest option that looks decent.
Or Booking.com. Hostelworld is generally better here, but Booking is always worth a look.
How to get around in Koh Tao
I alluded to this earlier, but it’s worth covering in more detail.
You must have a scooter to fully explore Koh Tao. And if you can’t drive one, make a friend that can.
There are places everywhere for scooter rentals on the island. You want to pick a place with good reviews on Google Maps– anything above a 4.5 with a good amount of reviews will work.
You should be able to find a rental for around $6-8 USD a day. Try and find a place that takes a cash deposit instead of your passport- it’s not worth the risk.
Should You Book a Diving Course in Koh Tao?
Uh, yeah.
If you’ve never gone scuba diving before, Koh Tao is the place to start.
It’s famous for being one of the cheapest places in the world to get your diving certification– so, quite frankly, you’d be stupid not to at least think about it.
Take a look through the options below. Think hard before not taking advantage of this opportunity. I personally had no intent on diving when I arrived, but ended up not only getting my basic certification, but my deep water certification too.
It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it. Plus, you get to stay put for another few days!
Note: The first link is just to try diving- I recommend one of the other two to get your Open Water Certification
Final Thoughts
Hopefully you’ll put this itinerary to good use.
Whether you’re staying for 2, 3, or 4 days (or longer), this itinerary will help you make the most of your time in Koh Tao.
Of all the islands in Southern Thailand, this one packs the most punch, and you should absolutely prioritize it. So go rent that scooter, head down to the beaches and up to the viewpoints.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below!
