Ao Tanote Beach

Ao Tanote Beach, located in Surat Thani Province on Koh Tao’s eastern coast, is one of the most popular locations for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, and playing beach games. The beach is surrounded by lush green hills, thus offering great hiking trails and viewpoints to explore.

Tanote Peak, the West Coast Viewpoint, Sairee Beach, or Laem Thian Cape are ideal destinations to trek to. The blue waters of Ao Tanote Beach are dotted with boulders - a great opportunity for adrenaline junkies to partake in rock jumping. The largest boulder is 10m (30ft) high and has a metal chain attached to help people climb.

The water of Ao Tanote Beach teems with a rich marine ecosystem that makes it ideal for diving. You can explore underwater life in its most visceral form - damsel fish that have made a home in a drowned motorbike, giant groupers swimming amid a sunken catamaran, a Jenkins Whipray hiding behind the rock outcrops, cleaner shrimps crawling on the ocean floor, and many more such wonders. If snorkeling is more your thing, the boulders in the water have given birth to a vividly diverse coral reef. The beach is lined with resorts and restaurants for accommodation and refreshments. They also rent out snorkeling gear and life jackets.