The 7 Best Things to Do in Koh Tao Thailand: What I Enjoyed The Most in 2026

One of my favorite islands in the whole of Thailand is probably Koh Tao. I’ve been there a couple of times now and I just love it. I love the overall laid-back vibe, the beautiful beaches, and the stunning underwater world.

For sure, one of the reasons why I love Koh Tao so much is because of all the amazing things to do in Koh Tao. From scuba diving to cliff diving, the island is really cool and has a special place in my heart.

Because I really want you guys to love and experience Koh Tao in the same amazing way that I did, I figured it was time for me to put together this little travel guide.

These are my favorite activities that I did on my two visits to the island, things I really enjoyed and would highly recommend for you, too!

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The 7 Best Things to Do in Koh Tao Thailand: What I Enjoyed The Most in 2026

The Best Things to Do in Koh Tao – My Experience

I first visited Koh Tao years and years ago when I was backpacking through Thailand all on my own. Back then, it was a very different, very “backpacker” experience. I did a lot of partying and exactly zero scuba diving, mostly because I was too broke, even though Koh Tao is famously cheap for it.

I just finally made it back for a second time, and this time around, I made sure to actually do all the fun activities I’d been eyeing instead of just sticking to the bars.

I have to admit, the scuba diving here is obviously one of the “must-dos.” The island is practically legendary for being one of the top dive spots in all of Thailand and also one of the cheapest places to do it.

I went on two fun dives with Big Blue Diving School and they were great; the school had a cool vibe and the instructors were super nice.

As for the dive itself? Honestly, it was decent, but it didn’t exactly blow my socks off. Since I’m already PADI Advanced Open Water certified, I’ve seen some pretty amazing stuff, so seeing a turtle and a stingray was cool, but nothing too crazy. However, if you are looking to get certified for the first time, this is probably the best place on earth to do it considering the price. I’d highly recommend it for beginners.

Another thing and something I didn’t even know existed before I got here was the cliff diving at Tanote Bay, and wow, I loved it so much. There is this massive boulder sitting out in the ocean, about a five-minute swim from the beach, with a rope attached to help you scramble up. I’ll be honest, it’s easily one of the sketchier cliff jumps I’ve done in my life, but it was also one of the absolute funniest and most exhilarating things I did on the island.

1. Cliff Diving in Koh Tao (Tanote Bay)

One of the coolest things I did during my entire stay in Koh Tao was the cliff diving at Tanote Bay. This is a fairly remote beach on the east side of the island, so getting there is a bit of a mission in itself. I rented a scooter for my whole time on the island, which made it easy, but you can also grab a taxi if you’re not comfortable on two wheels.

The cliff diving happens on a massive boulder sitting out in the ocean. It looks a little intimidating from the shore, and I’ll admit, at first, I wasn’t 100% sure I actually wanted to do it. But I eventually found my nerve and swam out there and it took maybe five minutes to reach the rock.

Once I arrived at the boulder, the real work started. I had to scramble up to a smaller ledge first, and then use a rope to pull myself up to the very top. There were loads of other people doing it, so I figured it couldn’t be that hard, but honestly? The rope climb felt super sketchy and kind of dangerous and probably even more dangerous than the actual jump itself!

You’re looking at a drop of about 5–7 meters, which is a decent height when you’re standing up there looking down.

I ended up jumping three times before swimming back, and I personally had such a fun time. However, I really want to warn you: this isn’t exactly a professional setup. That rope climb is no joke and definitely feels a bit sketchy, so please don’t take it lightly!

2. Scuba Diving in Koh Tao (Especially When Getting Certified)

What Koh Tao is really famous for is, of course, the scuba diving. Specifically, it’s known for being one of the best, and more importantly, the cheapest places in the world to get your scuba diving certification.

The Open Water course, which is the first certification you need and takes about 2.5 to 3 days, usually costs somewhere between $300–$350 USD here. That is definitely on the cheaper side!

In my opinion, if you have the chance, it is totally worth doing. The dives in Koh Tao are very beginner-friendly, so it’s the perfect price and the perfect environment to learn without feeling overwhelmed.

When I visited Koh Tao recently, I did two “fun dives” myself. They were great, but nothing crazy. Even though the underwater scenery was beautiful, I definitely think Koh Tao is more worth it for the actual certification process than for the advanced diving.

Book Here: Scuba Diving Open Water Certificate

3. Go on a Snorkel Boat Trip

If scuba diving isn’t really your thing but you still want to get out on the water and explore, there are some amazing full-day snorkel boat trips available. We actually did one as a family because I was the only one in the group who scuba dives. Since the others weren’t into diving, we figured we’d all just go snorkeling together and wow, it was amazing.

The tour we did was so much fun and super cheap. The food on the boat was actually great, and even crazier, the boat had a massive water slide! It was a blast, but the snorkeling itself was the real highlight.

We saw loads of turtles, puffer fish, and vibrant corals. Honestly, it was just an incredible day out on the water. I would 100% do this again; even if you’re a diver like me, it’s still a fun experience and it doesn’t have to be an “either-or” situation.

Book Here: Boat Trip from Koh Tao

4. Climb up to John Suwan Viewpoint

There are plenty of beautiful viewpoints on Koh Tao where you can see the dramatic cliff formations and the stunning turquoise ocean, but my absolute favorite out of all of them is John-Suwan Viewpoint.

I’ve heard it’s a beautiful little hike for sunrise or sunset, but we ended up going in the late morning when it was already getting pretty hot, around 11 am. I’d definitely recommend coming earlier if you can to beat the heat!

We paid the 50 THB entrance fee, parked our scooter, and started the trek up. It’s a very moderate hike that only took about 20 minutes. I actually did it in my flip-flops, which was fine for me, but I’d probably suggest wearing more sturdy shoes because there are some rocky, uneven sections where you’ll want the grip.

Other than that, it’s very straightforward. A cool bonus is that once you’ve paid the 50 THB, you can also enter Freedom Beach. We went up to the viewpoint first and then headed straight to the beach afterward to cool off, because, I got pretty sweaty in that Thai heat and humidity!

5. Spot Blacktip Reef Sharks at Shark Bay (Snorkeling)

Regardless of whether you’ve already done scuba diving or a snorkel tour, I would always recommend coming to Shark Bay to try and spot some blacktip reef sharks. And don’t worry, they are small and totally harmless!

A few quick things about Shark Bay beach, though: unfortunately, there’s a resort right on the sand that charged us 200 THB just to access the beach. It’s so ridiculous since all beaches in Thailand are technically supposed to be public!

I actually found out afterward that there is a way to get to Shark Bay for free via a path called “Free Access to Shark Bay” on Google Maps, definitely look that up first so you don’t get stung like I did.

Anyway, the snorkeling was so amazing that the 200 THB didn’t feel like the end of the world in the end. We brought our own snorkels from the hotel (you can rent them at the beach, but they’re expensive), and we saw loads of fish and two turtles, which was incredible. I didn’t get lucky enough to see any blacktip reef sharks this time, but loads of other people did!

6. Watch Sunset at Secret Bar

There are honestly so many amazing sunset spots on Koh Tao, pretty much all the beachfront restaurants in Sairee Beach have incredible views, but my absolute favorite place to watch the sun go down is called Secret Bar.

Secret Bar is not much of a secret anymore. It’s located in the south of Koh Tao, high up on a hill with incredible views over the island and the ocean. I’ve only ever been here in the evening for sunset, but I bet it has incredible views during the day, too.

We came here pretty early, maybe around an hour before sunset, because I wanted to make sure we would get a good seat. I’d heard it can get super busy, and I wasn’t about to miss out.

We stayed for quite a few drinks, and even though Secret Bar is a full-on restaurant, we didn’t actually eat there. The drinks were a little on the pricier side, but I think that’s totally justified for the amazing “front row” views we got.

One quick tip: we got there by scooter, which I highly recommend. I can only imagine that walking up would be quite the challenge, it is very steep!

7. Beach Hopping (I Did This by Scooter)

Koh Tao actually has some of my favorite beaches in the whole of Thailand. I know there are so many amazing beaches on other islands with white sand and blue water, but what I love about Koh Tao is how remote some of the beaches feel.

I’m not the biggest fan of the beaches on Koh Samui, for example, where there are hundreds of restaurants and shops right on the sand. I much prefer a beach with minimal facilities and fewer people.

My favorite beaches I visited on Koh Tao were definitely Tanote Bay, Shark Bay, and Ao Hin Wong. I recommend checking all of them out! I had a scooter the whole time I was on the island, which is hands down the best way to get around because, as I mentioned, the taxis here are super expensive.

FAQs About What to Do in Koh Tao

Is Koh Tao worth visiting?

Absolutely, Koh Tao is worth visiting! Just for the beaches, the incredible diving, and the snorkeling alone, it’s actually one of my favorite islands in Thailand.

Should I go scuba diving in Koh Tao?

100%! I am so happy that I have my scuba diving certificate, and since Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to do it, I think you should definitely get it done here.

Is scuba diving in Koh Tao expensive?

No, scuba diving in Koh Tao is actually one of the cheapest places to do it in the whole world, right up there with the Gili Islands in Indonesia and Utila in Honduras. I highly recommend getting your Open Water diving certification here.

What was your favorite thing to do in Koh Tao?

My favorite thing in Koh Tao was the snorkeling, because it was so easy to just swim out from the beach and see turtles, that was incredible. But then, the cliff diving in Tanote Bay was so much fun, too!

Final Thoughts on The Best Activities in Koh Tao

All in all, I love Koh Tao a lot and I can’t wait to go back. In fact, I’m already eyeing a next trip to Thailand for the beginning of next year, and I’m sure I’ll make it to Koh Tao again. One huge reason why I love this island so much is that there is actually something to do.

I don’t want to talk bad about other Thai islands, but some of them don’t have much going on aside from hanging out on the beach. In Koh Tao, I was literally busy all day. One day I went snorkeling for reef sharks and turtles, the next day I went cliff diving, and the day after that I was scuba diving. For how small the island is, I love how much is constantly going on!

I hope my little guide on the best things to do in Koh Tao, Thailand, could give you a good idea of what the island is all about and what my favorite activities are.