What you need to know. travel, weather and more.
get information about the island of Koh Tao and how to get here
Travel – Bangkok To Koh Tao
Travel is one of the most important things that you need to be aware of nowadays and attention to planning can be quite important.
Bus, boat and plane schedules can change at any time and we would advise you to visit Island Travel for the most up to date information regarding tickets. Their staff are very helpful and can answer travel queries or book tickets for you.
The information provided on this page is can be subject to change so please contact us if you have questions or queries regarding travelling.
The most popular way to get to Koh Tao is either bus or train from Bangkok to the port of Chumphon and then high-speed ferry over to the island.
The Lomprayah travel office has a joint bus + boat option, overnight from Bangkok to Chumphon by bus and then their own high-speed Catarmaran service to Koh Tao which takes just under 2 hours.
The fastest way to get here is to fly to our neighbour island of Koh Samui and then catch one of the boat services to Koh Tao.
By bus
From Bangkok, the Lomprayah buses depart at 6.00am and 9.00pm daily. Both of these services arrive at Chumphon Pier in time for either the 7.30am or 1.00pm ferry service to Koh Tao. The ferry crossing from Chumphon > Koh Tao takes around 2 hours. Contact & Booking: www.lomprayah.com.
By Plane
The nearest airport to Koh Tao is on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui. Bangkok Airways have several daily direct flights from Bangkok Airport (Suvarnabhumi) to Koh Samui.
Alternatively, Nok Air have daily flights from Bangkok Airport (Don Muang) to both Surat Thani and Chumphon which are far cheaper
*Please note that getting to Koh Tao from Surat Thani takes a lot longer than from Koh Samui.
By Train
The more comfortable overnight sleeper trains depart from Bangkok at 5.35pm, 6.20pm and 7.30pm.
All of these services will arrive at Chumphon in time to catch the morning Lomprayah ferry at 7.30am.
There is a free shuttle transfer from Chumphon Station to the pier.
If you don’t overnight travel, the afternoon departures from Bangkok will get to Chumphon between 9.30 – 12.00pm which gives you the choice of staying one night in Chumphon before taking the boat to Koh Tao the following day.
Tickets can be bought directly at the station or online, however it’s a good idea to arrive a couple of hours before departure.
KOH TAO WEATHER
January – February
The beginning of the year offers some of the best all round weather. The monsoon winds calm to reveal flat seas, beautiful sunshine & amazing sunsets. The sea is flat calm and within a few weeks of the monsoons end, the visibility is often as far as 30 metres.
March – April – May
This tends to be the best time of year for underwater visibility with flat mirror like surface conditions providing your best opportunity to see Whalesharks.
June – August
With a change in the wind direction, Koh Tao experiences a cooling wind coming across from the south west.
This causes some waves, as well as a few afternoon storms but the sun is still shining throughout this period.
This is the time of the year where we spend more time diving the east coast where the water is flat calm and clear.
September- October
Temperatures both above and below the water drop a little as we begin to enter the “winter” months, but luckily Koh Tao still experiences beautiful sunny days with calm seas and good diving leading all the way through until the monsoon starts.
November- December
The “monsoon” on Koh Tao consists of 3-4 weeks of sporadic rain, with an increase in wind.
The main part is usually throughout November but a late monsoon can creep into December.
ACCOMMODATION
Crystal Dive is more than just a dive centre. We offer comfortable accommodation in our partner resort The Koh Tao Beach Club with A/C hotel rooms, available as Twins or Doubles. It comes complete with its own private beach, offering the full island experience!
Beach Bar
The Crystal Bar is situated right on the beach and is the perfect way to end a day of scuba diving. Sip a cold beer whilst enjoying the beautiful sunset or relax whilst watching a video of your morning dives on our large screen TVs.
CLASSROOMS
We have a range of air conditioned classrooms with big screen TV’s and whiteboards, all designed for you to take your theory lessons of your dive course. This provides you with a comfortable and cool area for you to relax and absorb the information provided by your Instructor.
POOLS
With access to 3 different pools, you will be able to practice scuba diving skills in a safe and secure manner in clear water with no current, giving you the ability to focus purely on enjoying the training and boosting your confidence for ocean dives with your scuba diving instructor.
DIVE BOATS
We can operate separate dive trips catering specifically for the experience level and comfort of our divers. We operate 2 boats daily, heading out for 2 trips, one morning trip, one in the afternoon.
“Crystal 2“
Our smaller boat of the fleet is versatile and can be used for multiple dive activities including regular courses as well as visits of the more adventurous dive sites.
“Crystal 3“
Our big boat is on hand for specialized diving activities such as weekly Sail Rock trips, Instructor training, specific aspects of the Divemaster course or regular environmental activities as well as serving us for busier times & course activities.
FREE/DISCOUNTED Accommodation
For your course & diving days!
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