Koh Tao: tropical island paradise
After our short stay in Bangkok, Tanya and I spent the rest of our time in Thailand on Koh Tao, a small island to the north of the bigger Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Being limited on time we flew from Bangkok to Koh Samui, then took a boat over to Koh Tao, as the following two pictures will demonstrate.
Koh Samui airport.
So what to say about Koh Tao? The best thing I can say: go there if you can! It's a tropical island paradise in all the ways you expect a tropical island paradise to be. In the lush jungle you hear monkeys hooting in the distance. There are coconut trees everywhere, tropical flowers, the sea is calm and ultra-clear. It will pour suddenly then clear up five minutes later, while remaining always hot and humid. The beaches are just indescribably gorgeous.
Arriving in Koh Tao during a tropical downpour.
Bananas and coconuts.
Koh Tao is most famous for its spectacular diving. We got just a taste of the underwater world by going snorkelling around the island. Unlike others, I am not naturally comfortable in the sea. There are too many things that might want to sting or eat you. It's always seemed to me like it's inviting trouble to pop in and visit fish at home without an invitation. And yet, despite this, I had an amazing time snorkelling in Koh Tao. The water was incredibly warm and clear, and there was so much to see! I saw a Bluespotted Ribbontail Stingray, various Butterfly fish, and Pink Anemonefish, as well as many others I haven't identified. The biggest fish I saw was a Titan Triggerfish, with big rotating eyes and large teeth. Looking through the guide to local fish, I was sad to notice that I didn't see any Harlequin Sweetlips, which as I'm sure you understand I would have liked to have seen just for the name. Even if you don't snorkel around Koh Tao it seems like the fish will just come to you - on the ferry over I saw a flying fish glide about 15 metres across the surface of the water before plopping back in. I still haven't stopped talking about that flying fish.
On offer on the street.
Well that sounds totally legit.
A geologist on "holiday".
Do boats cause clouds? No.
A gecko casually climbing glass.
"Long tail" boats.
Offerings for safe marine passage.
You simply won't find a better pancake.
The orange dots in the water here are life-vest clad snorkelers.
Kayakers on the ocean.
This is a long post with many pictures in it, but really, I had to, because Koh Tao is a seriously and unusually awesome place.
