"Attention passengers... Our ship is now docking at Koh Tao Pier. Passengers with a final destination here, please use the rear door of the ship as an exit. For your luggage, the staff will... !@#$*&)(#%#&...." The voice of the ship's officer announced the first destination, while I, who was dozing on the ship at that time, glanced at the view outside through the ship's window. My eyes widened, and I rushed out to look outside the ship.

"Wow!!! Koh Tao looks super chill, doesn't it?" The turquoise water contrasts with the island's view, which is mostly mountainous with patches of coconut trees along the slopes, giving it a very tropical feel.

"For passengers with Koh Phangan as their final destination, please remain seated. Koh Phangan will be the next stop."

And I had to go back to my original seat because this time I booked a ticket to Koh Phangan, but I told myself that I had to come to Koh Tao. This chill, after returning from the trip to Koh Phangan, I must definitely find a day to come to Koh Tao!!!!!!

And all of this is the origin of the most chill trip in my eight million worlds...

"Koh Tao"

Come and chat with us here.
https://www.facebook.com/gohangaround

After returning from Koh Phangan, I was busy checking the calendar and looking for free days. The ones I had were during the rainy season, and I had to wait another month. My heart was breaking. I was restless and couldn't focus on anything. (Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit. 5555)

And then…

.
.

Let's go this Saturday-Sunday! Take the bus on Friday evening and come back on Monday night. Take one day off work and that's it! Easy! No need to wait.

Two weeks later

Let's go!!!!

For your trip to Koh Tao, I recommend reading my Koh Phangan post. It's exactly the same, except Koh Tao is closer.

http://pantip.com/topic/35232477

---

Koh Tao...Day One

Today is Saturday. The boat docked at Mae Haad Pier on Koh Tao at around 9:30 AM. I stepped out of the boat, looked up at the sky, and took a deep breath. I slowly walked from the pier to the shore, feeling like I was floating. What an island! Even before I had done anything, the feeling of relaxation washed over me from the moment I stepped off the boat. (I know, I'm being a bit dramatic, haha.)

Until then...

.

.

"Taxi?"

"Taxi"

"Taxi?"

"Taxi?"

"Tagggggg series"

"Taxi, kid?"

“Do you need a taxi?”

"Taxi?"

"Taxi, sir?"

" !@#$%^&@#$$%^&()(&^%$#)_@#$%^&*(

Groups of taxi drivers, both Thai and Burmese, stood holding signs facing the pier, shouting to attract customers in their best Thai accents. If you can't picture it, imagine the scene when all the fans are waiting to pick up their favorite artists at the airport. 5555 The only difference is that the drivers don't scream or ask for my autograph. Haha (just kidding)

However, everyone is kind. From my experience, they are happy to answer any questions and provide information. If they say no, they won't be pushy or make you feel uncomfortable. It's very relaxed.

After breaking through the encirclement of the taxi drivers, ...

"Where the hell am I supposed to go next?"

Feeling a bit dizzy and confused, but all I know is that I'm really hungry. It's already this late and I haven't eaten yet. Walking out of the port, I was wondering where to find some food when I saw a taxi driver walking home. Seeing that I looked like a newcomer, he came over to ask me some questions. As we talked, it turned out that he had motorbikes for rent at his house for 200 Thai baht per day. There was no deposit, no complicated procedures, and no need to surrender my ID card. It was all very straightforward.

Let's go! What are you waiting for?!

I didn't have to walk around or go through any trouble at all. It was beautiful from the start.

Then I rode my motorbike to the accommodation I had booked to drop off my bags. Oh, I forgot to mention! I stayed at Haad Sairee Beach, the most popular beach on Koh Tao (I apologize for skipping the part about the accommodation. There are many accommodations on Koh Tao, ranging from hostels for a few hundred baht to luxury resorts for tens of thousands of baht. Even if you don't book in advance, you can walk in and still find a place to stay). After checking in and eating, it was time to get down to business.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this trip wasn't about anything specific. I just wanted to relax, so don't ask about my itinerary… there isn't one! Haha! All I have is some basic information from the reviews I've read, mixed with a bit of sawdust in my head. I'm just going to wing it and see where the map takes me. Hehe.

And the first click...

Freedom Beach!!!

I've read a lot, I've asked a lot, everyone says it's a very chill beach. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, but it's probably just average. But since I'm already here, I'll go and see for myself. From Haad Sai Ree, it's about a 10-minute drive. It's not far, and the road isn't that bad. The entrance might be a bit steep, but it's still manageable for me. Hahahaha.

Arrived at the parking lot and walked a little further...

…

And...

BANG!!!!!!!

The wind hit my face!!! It's so good, viewers!!! I want it to be more intense, so when you read this, turn on the fan and point it at your face, haha!

.

.

.

Standing here and looking at the view from above, I feel so relaxed and refreshed.

Let's go down...

Let me preface this by saying that Freedom Beach isn't the kind of beach with soft, white sand that feels like heaven on your bare feet, like the beaches on the Andaman coast. It's not a vast, open stretch of sand either. It's a small, private beach with coarse sand mixed with pebbles. But the overall composition of this beach is just perfect. Everything comes together so harmoniously, as if someone had carefully arranged it all.

The view of the mountains stretching down to the sea, with large and small rocks scattered here and there, the curved beach embracing the area so that it doesn't look too vast. There is a small bar that serves drinks, food, and diving equipment, making the area not too quiet.

I don't know what it is today, but the sun is very strong, but the air is not as hot as it normally should be. It's just right. Walking in the blazing sun is cool, or finding a shady place to sit is even cooler.

....

As expected... let's find something to drink to quench our thirst.

Sitting with my legs dangling, sipping fresh sugarcane juice (believe me, haha)

Wow!!! I feel so refreshed. I feel truly happy with my life right now. And right now, really, I don't have to think about anything. I don't have to listen to orders or please anyone. I can do whatever I want. And even though I choose to just sit here right now, I don't feel like I'm wasting any time at all.

....

It seems like they're actually quite happy.

I was stuck in the chill of this place for almost 2-3 hours without realizing it. Stuck in a way that I didn't do any activities, didn't play in the water, didn't do anything at all.

......

That's all… really…. fun.

As the alcohol started to kick in, I began to feel sleepy. Haha! On top of that, I was still tired from the journey, so I decided to take a nap and then come back out to watch the sunset in the evening.

Crack!!....Zzzzzz……..

5 pm!!!!!!

Oh my god!!! It's 5 pm already! I woke up with a start, panicking. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! Will I make it in time to see the sunset? I quickly showered, got dressed, and started frantically searching on the map for a good spot to watch the sunset. I was so worried that I wouldn't make it in time to take pictures of the sunset.

In the end, I randomly clicked on... Ao Hin Wong!!!!!

I quickly rode my motorbike according to the map. The route was very tough. It was a small, narrow, and very steep road. I would give it a score of 80 million. I felt a bit scared while driving. It wasn't so bad while driving uphill, but...

But in my heart at that time, I was thinking all the time.

"How the hell am I going to get down from here?"

After driving up the mountain for a while, I finally came across a bar called Coco View Bar. It was located on top of the mountain, and the road ahead was a steep descent down to Hin Wong Bay. The slope was so incredibly steep that I decided to throw in the towel and not continue.

Honestly, it's not because the path is scary.

…..

But because I knew there was a bar, there had to be beer, so I had to stop by. Hahahahahaha

But then...when I walked to the bar

"Where is the sun... or has it already set?"

Ask the bartender.

"Oh, little brother, this side is for watching the sunrise. If you want to see the sunset, turn around and look at the beach over there, waaaay over there."

!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@*&^%$%^&*

....

Yes, I came in the wrong direction.

Oh my god! I rushed here like crazy to watch the sunset, but I came to the wrong side!!!!!!

But amidst the misfortune, there was still a stroke of luck. The view from the bar was simply breathtaking! It was absolutely magnificent!

The view you see is the Hin Wong Bay view, taken from Coco View Bar. It's so beautiful. I don't often get the chance to stand and enjoy the sea breeze and the view from such a high place.

....

As expected....I'd like a glass of beer!!!! Hehe.

Coco View Bar is a small, relatively quiet bar. I'm not sure if it was because I went during a time when everyone had already left, but the atmosphere up there was amazing. I even thought to myself that if we had planned our trip to Koh Tao with the intention of only visiting the most important and famous places, we might not have had the chance to come here.

In addition to drinks, there is also diving equipment available for rent to dive at Ao Hin Wong. If you are a confident motorbike rider, you can drive down to Ao Hin Wong and dive from the shore. You don't need to take a boat out to dive like other places.

How cool is that...Koh Tao

.....

Unfortunately, I couldn't soak up the atmosphere here for long, as I should have. I had to get down quickly. As I said, the path was steep and brutal. If I waited until it was dark to go down, I was afraid it would be difficult.

.....

After this, we went down to find some food to eat. There are many restaurants around Haad Sai Ree beach, both local and tourist-oriented, with a wide variety to choose from. The prices vary, but from what I saw, the price of cooked-to-order food starts at 60 baht.

After a satisfying meal, we took a stroll along the beach road at Hat Sai Ree, looking for a chill beach bar to enjoy a few more drinks before heading back to our accommodation. We were tempted to stay up late, but we were worried about waking up on time the next day. We had booked a diving tour around the island, and the car was scheduled to pick us up early in the morning. We were already a bit tired from the journey, and the last thing we wanted was to be hungover and miss out on the diving experience. Haha!

......

Good night........

Zzzzzz……

---

Koh Tao...Day Two

I woke up early this morning... even before my alarm clock went off. I'm feeling so energetic, haha! I understand that everyone must feel the same way when they have to wake up for a trip. No matter how early it is, you can wake up. It's different from waking up for work. It takes forever to get up, and I keep hitting the snooze button until the battery is almost dead (just kidding, haha!). After I showered and got dressed, I went for a walk on the beach and waited for the car to pick me up.

...

As I mentioned, Hat Sai Ree is a popular beach for tourists. In my understanding, it is a popular beach because it has everything a tourist needs, from shops, pubs, bars, and nightlife to a variety of accommodation options. Prices range from hundreds to thousands of baht (I'm not sure if there are any ten thousand baht options, haha). You can either walk in or book in advance, whichever is more convenient for you.

Meanwhile, the beach is flat, wide, and long, allowing us to walk with our flip-flops in hand, dipping our feet in the water like in the dramas. Or, we can run and jump into the water without worrying about it being too deep and dangerous like other beaches.

But if you're thinking of coming to chill out...

Don't miss waking up early to walk and breathe the morning sea air on the sandy beach of Hat Sai Ri.

The morning sun will shine from the other side of the island, and the line of coconut and pine trees along the beach will help to block it out, making the area around the sandy beach in the morning only get a little sun. This means that the weather will not be hot, but rather cool and comfortable because the wind blows constantly. It's so cool, it's crazy good!

....

What a relief....

Walking around... I'm starting to feel lonely.

The morning sea, a gentle breeze, soft sunlight, the image of the hero holding the heroine's hand, walking with their feet dipped in the water, talking sweetly, has always appeared in primetime dramas from childhood to adulthood, becoming an image that has been embedded in my head until now.

...

But I came alone...so lonely

I walked back to the meeting point and sat down to wait for the car. I sat there idly, thinking about all sorts of things, letting my mood flow with the pleasant atmosphere. A cold beer would be nice...

No, I'm not going to go diving anymore!!!

.

.

..

...

Just kidding!!!! Hahahahahaha

After a while, the car came to pick me up to go to the boat.

Yay... I finally got to go.

The boat we'll be taking for our diving trip today is a wooden boat like the one you see in the picture above. It will take us to dive at various bays around the island. As I mentioned before, many of these bays are inaccessible by motorbike, so taking a boat is safer and easier. Plus, the boat travels at a leisurely pace, unlike the fast-paced speedboats. So, on a calm day like today,

....

Chill out, y'all!

Honestly, the view around Koh Tao is really beautiful. Even if someone buys a diving tour around the island and doesn't want to go diving, I think they won't lose anything. Just sitting in the sea and looking at Koh Tao, seeing the large and small rocks arranged alternately, in a way that we wouldn't expect them to be, contrasting with the blue sea and the lush green forest...

....

This natural artwork is truly amazing.

Each dive site has a different amount of time for us to visit, depending on its interest. Some sites are 40 minutes, some are 1 hour, not too much, not too little, just right. Many of the sites require you to swim almost to the shore to see the beautiful coral reefs, which are quite far from the boat. Also, some of the sites are quite shallow, so it is recommended to wear a life jacket in case you get tired, or at least so that your feet don't kick the coral.

....

.

.

....

Crazy, the coral will be destroyed. It takes a long time for them to grow. (I just heard someone say that, I don't really know that much about it. Hahahaha)

Honestly, I've tried taking a lot of underwater photos, but when I sat down and looked through them, I couldn't help but swear to myself in frustration.

"Holy shit! What the hell did I just film?!"

I'm really bad at taking photos. I don't know what angle to shoot from, what camera settings to use, or anything. It's hard! The actual scenery was beautiful, but my photos turned out terrible. So I only have two underwater photos that are even remotely presentable.

....

I sincerely apologize here. Please forgive me.

Another thing I want to share with you girls is the atmosphere on the boat. Since Koh Tao is mostly visited by foreign tourists, the atmosphere on the boat today was... well, in short...

The whole thing!!!!!!!!!!!

There were only four Thais on board, out of a total of about 25 people. They were the captain, me, and a couple.

The guide was a Western uncle, probably American from his accent. He had a lot of jokes and helped create a great atmosphere on the boat, making us laugh throughout the entire trip.

Some were sitting in groups chatting casually downstairs, while others were chilling upstairs as seen in the picture.

Cool, huh?....

For the ladies who are looking to score, be careful. There are single guys, groups of guys, and guys with their girlfriends. At least you can look at the guys with girlfriends, even if you can't do anything else you were hoping for. Haha. As for me, I'm not into that.

….

....

I'm going to check out my wife's friend. Quietly by myself, haha.

.

.

.

.

.

Just kidding!!!! The atmosphere on the boat was so much fun, everyone was so friendly, it was like we had known each other for a long time. Plus, the views around Koh Tao were even more captivating.

---

I forgot to mention that most of the island tours (not sure if all of them) take you not only for snorkeling around Koh Tao, but also to experience the beautiful nature of Koh Nang Yuan (it's really beautiful, but it's incredibly hot). This is the final destination of the day trip today, and the tour will give us a full 2 hours here.

.....

Please... as you wish!

Tourists dispersed in different directions, some playing in the water. I'm not sure how deep the water is or anything (I didn't play, haha), but I heard the guide emphasize that everyone should wear a life jacket when going into the water. However, the atmosphere here seems more lively than Koh Tao.

Or just come and relax on the beach chairs, it's not bad. Some people even fall asleep seriously. Because even though the weather is hot, there is always a breeze. It's really suitable for relaxation. But then again... I didn't sleep either.

….

…

How can you sleep!!! The viewpoint is waiting!!!!

On the way to the View point, there is a wooden slatted walkway that runs along the rocks. It looks so cool! I love it so much. I stopped to sit and dangle my legs, enjoying the view for a long time.... It was just so good.

Oh! I forgot to mention that there are also accommodations on Koh Nang Yuan. From what I've heard, in the evening after the day-trippers have left, only the guests staying on the island remain. The atmosphere changes as if it were a private island. It's very quiet and peaceful, making it ideal for couples to relax. And when I saw it for myself, I agreed.

Who dared to sleep alone on Nang Yuan Island?

….

There is a chance that I will sit and hug my knees and cry until I die. Haha.

But then, at the end of the wooden walkway, my chill from earlier came to an abrupt end when I reached the path leading up to the viewpoint.

...

I have to walk into the forest!!!!

The path up the mountain was incredibly steep. It was a concrete staircase, but the problem was the incline and the already hot weather. I had to stop and rest several times before I reached the top. And to make matters worse, at the end of the path, I had to climb over large, high rocks, scrambling my way up to the viewpoint. It wouldn't have been so difficult if I hadn't been wearing flip-flops, had my camera around my neck, and had my bag slung over my right shoulder.

….

Extremely difficult!!!!

Wowwwww....and finally I arrived at the viewpoint of Koh Nangyuan!

"Woohoo!!!!" At that moment, I felt like I wanted to stand there and act cool, waving to the thunderous cheers from the crowd below, just like celebrities do when they take the stage. But... I'm not one of them. Haha!

The space up here isn't very big, just enough for about 7-8 people to stand comfortably. So don't expect to be able to sit and relax for hours on end, as people will be constantly coming and going. If you're already up here, you'll need to take your photos quickly and then head back down. I'd say 5-10 minutes is plenty of time.

After getting off at the viewpoint, the weather was very hot, so I walked around for a while and then took shelter in the pavilion to rest. I couldn't stand the sun. I even took out my money to buy a beer to sit and sip, but I had to change my mind to a soft drink. I really gave up, haha.

After leaving Koh Nang Yuan, I took a boat back to Koh Tao around 4:30 pm. I quickly showered and changed, as I was eager to find a cool spot to watch the sunset.

...

After the first day I went to the wrong side -.-

Around 5:30 PM, I rushed out on my motorbike to find a spot to watch the sunset, as I mentioned earlier. As I drove out of my accommodation, I caught a glimpse of a sign that said something like "Sunset Bar." I can't remember the exact name, but from the name, it had to be the right place. I drove up, and the road was incredibly steep. It was a straight, long climb, and I thought to myself, "Here we go again."

"How the hell am I supposed to get down from here?"

Where the hell is it... a bar????

All I saw was a forest and an old wooden fence. I turned around and saw a man. He gave me a short, painful answer:....

"It's been closed for a long time, kid."

Oh my god! I'm in trouble again! I'm risking my life and the shop is going bankrupt!

.

.

Go go go go go... Turn the car around... Bang bang bang!!!!!!!!

The view from here is pretty amazing, you know? You can see the white sand beach of Haad Sai Ree down there. If the restaurant hadn't gone bankrupt, I think the sunset and I would have gotten along much better.

But wait... I saw dark clouds coming from afar behind that mountain. Oh no, it's raining. Actually, it's not rain, it's a storm. Seeing that things were not looking good, I quickly rushed back to my accommodation before the heavy rain arrived. Can you see the way down? It was so steep that even though I slammed on the brakes, the car still rolled down like a ball rolling down a hill. It was so stressful until I reached the bottom. Haha.

And then... I ended up at the bar of the resort where I was staying, because of the stormy weather at that time, I didn't dare to drive anywhere. But in my bad luck, I discovered something that made me smile wryly.

....

The beer here is the cheapest I've found on Koh Tao. There are good things right around the corner, haha!

Finally, the storm in Hat Yai has passed, leaving only a light drizzle for me to sit and watch.
Personally, I love the rainy season. I love the smell of the earth, the smell of the grass, I love anything that is moist, even though sometimes it can be a bit soggy.

Often when it rains, many activities that we have planned have to be put on hold. We wait for the rain to stop....

At that time, I wasn't angry about the rain.

.

.

Sometimes it's good to take a break...

The sunset, casting a golden hue over the sea, was what I had hoped to see as a final farewell to Koh Tao tomorrow. Instead, all I saw was a gloomy, overcast sky...

The rain is falling in competition with the sun... the strong wind is hitting my face all the time

I sat there watching it....

The atmosphere right now doesn't allow for much more than sitting and thinking about the past. What is happiness, what is satisfaction, and why is it me who has to sit here alone...thinking about someone.

Many times, the surrounding atmosphere makes us feel lonely unintentionally. But I have always believed that

.....

“Loneliness never hurts anyone....It's missing someone that hurts us.”

I sat here until late at night, then went back to pack my things and prepare to say goodbye to Koh Tao tomorrow. To be honest, I fell head over heels in love with Koh Tao. I promised myself that I would definitely come back. If you haven't been there... don't wait any longer.

....

Try it and you will think the same way as me.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has read this far. Thank you for your support.

I hope we can meet someday....at Koh Tao

Until we meet again....Goodbye

Note: Approximate necessary expenses

Roundtrip transportation (car and boat) from Bangkok: 2,200 Baht

Motorcycle rental fee: 200 baht per day (rent for 2 days)

Accommodation (resort): Approximately 1,000 baht per night (stay 2 nights) [Hostel will be only a few hundred baht]

Food cost: Let's say 70-100 baht per meal (à la carte food)