Scuba Diving Ko Tao

Koh Tao Accommodation - P&N Guesthouse Unfortunately, this is the best photo of P&N guesthouse I have. However,  It is where I stayed for the majority of my visit to Koh Tao when I was there for the first time.  A strange thing about about Thailand and Koh Tao is that it's oddly enough, cheaper to stay there for a month or more than it is for your typical vacation as room charges at most accommodations are usually a lot more expensive if you choose to stay day to day than it is to pay the rent for a whole month. I ended up paying 9800 Thai Baht a month for rent in one of the bigger rooms on the top floor. For example, the average rent of a decent place to stay in Koh Tao, depending on which part of the island, is about 7000-10000 Thai Baht per month as a ball-park figure. However, the room rate per day at P&N was about 800 Baht a day which would've bankrupted me and left me with no money for beer but with some time spent searching and speaking to the isla...

Metal Sheet Bar Located in the Chalok area of koh tao and almost right opposite Alkotan place, is a cosy little bar by the name of Metal Sheet food and drink that will steal your heart if you let it thanks to it’s friendly staff and general easy going atmosphere. For your own good, don't ask about this photo..... Metal sheet can be anything from a place to have a slow night-cap before bed or the preferred place to go right after Buddha view bar and get your party warm up lingo on. With "Nuchy" and "Poy" almost constantly trying to entice you to play a game of pool or connect four with them for the chance of a free shot, but be warned because as friendly as these two ladies look, they are absolutely formidable when it comes to playing connect four. Metal sheet bar encompasses the “island life” style of Koh Tao, constantly reminding you that you are after all on a 25 square kilometre island in the middle of the ocean with it’s literal metal sheet and zinc walls, c...

Visa runs Thailand So, you’ve decided to stay on the island or even Thailand a little longer ey? If you’re like me and had your heart stolen by this beautiful tropical paradise island, it would go without saying that you’ll want to stay longer or in some cases would have to stay longer due to your diving courses. There are many countries’ passport holders that get a 30 day entry visa into Thailand and there are many websites to check if you’re country’s passport allows for this but more often than not, you should get a 30 day entry visa. Yes yes, one can always apply for a tourist visa which allows you to stay in the country for up to 60 days but I’ll be honest and say that the way I travel, plans tend to change in a moment’s notice. This is why I’ll explain to you the process of extending your visa as well as the process of a visa run. If you decided to stay in Thailand longer than a month on a 30 day entry visa, the easiest and most affordable option would be to simply extend your vi...

 Buddha View Bar Oh Buddha bar…What a great place it is. Buddha bar, Buddha View diving school in the Chalok region of Koh Tao is somewhat of the pinnacle of divers in the Chalok area, almost like a central social and drinking hub, I’d say. Buddha Bar opens at 4-PM and closes around 10-PM, depending on the amount of people at the bar that night. It is not only the bar at Buddha view but also a great restaurant with great and quick food choices and drinks, I highly recommend their beef Pad-Thai. The most friends I made and actually the first friends I made on Koh Tao were actually at Buddha bar, which I hope gives you a good idea of the vibe at this bar. The bar has great bar-ladies; Som and Gee, who are probably Koh Tao’s best walking tourist information stands. - They’ll be able to tell you anything from the best place to have your laundry done to the price of a packet of cigarettes on the neighboring islands. Oh, and if you see Eduard there, tell him Jeandre says hi (: You can fi...

Koh Tao Island Intro Extended Getting into Thailand and eventually to Koh Tao can be somewhat of an exhausting journey, especially if is your first time visiting the land of smiles or even worse, your first time abroad, That’s why I’m here to give a comprehensive guide to the best of my ability and personal experiences. Hopefully unlike me, it doesn’t take you a full 24 hours to get to Thailand, keeping the long flight in mind I was jet lagged and stressed as it was all a new experience for me but regardless, prepare yourself mentally for this trip but don’t worry, it will be worth it. I hate to be one of those people that give flight travel tips but here goes; * The most irritating and repetitive thing to have done along the way to the land of smiles was having to take my shoes on and off...on and off, so make sure you wear something you can quickly and easily take off and put back on and no, I don’t mean sandals. * Dress as comfortably as possible but also keeping in mind where you w...

About Koh Tao Congratulations, you finally made it to the paradise island, Koh Tao that I have been promising you all this time. It’s time to find yourself a nice white sand beach, drink a Mojito and relax, but I would strongly recommend that you first settle into your accommodation. Some of the bar tenders don’t use measuring spoons when they prepare your cocktail and the next thing you know, you’ll be making friends with everyone from fellow travelers, the DJ’s or the locals, wandering away in the islands entropy of relaxation, partying or even a good old game of four-in-a-row. If you are anything like me, setting in and letting the family know I’m still alive and well, might be first thing to do among many on the island. Don’t worry as most if not all accommodation on the island has decent enough Wi-Fi for you to do so and you can easily get all the necessary log in details at receptions. Another option would be to find a cellular store and getting yourself a sim card with lightning...

Koh Tao Island The Journey To Paradise island. If you’re planning to get away from the hustle and bustle, stress of work and traffic and treat yourself to a dream holiday whether it is with a spouse, friends or solo, I would highly recommend Koh Tao island: a small 25 square kilometre paradise island in the gulf of Thailand that doesn’t even appear on most world maps - so you’ll literally almost be off the grid but don’t worry, the island still has enough infrastructure for you to carry on with your life as you would day to day. How to get to Koh Tao?: There are many fun and interesting ways to get to Koh Tao from Bangkok’s international airport: Suvarnabhumi Airport should you choose to fly. Once you’ve manage to navigate it and get your weekly exercise in from the massive distances between gates to your next flight which would be Samui International Airport, but wait for the surprise you’ll get once you land as it isn’t exactly a traditional airport with it’s golf cart like busses dr...