Diving in Ko Tao

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Ko Tao’s reefs are especially well suited for beginner divers, and Ko Tao is one of the world’s cheapest places to do diving certificate. More experienced divers will enjoy Ko Tao too, especially the diving trips to the more distant Sail Rock, considered Gulf of Thailand’s best dive site, and Chumphon Pinnacles.

Doing a Diving Certificate in Ko Tao

If you plan to do the diving certificate in Ko Tao, the diving course takes normally four days to complete, although the time can be pushed even to two days.

The prices for the diving courses (PADI Open Water costs about 250 euros) and the fun dives are same in all the dive schools in Ko Tao.

Ko Tao’s Best Dive Sites

In addition to large shoals of fish the underwater pinnacle of Sail Rock has nice corals and a vertical tunnel, through which to dive.

Another top diving destination on Ko Tao is the Chumphon Pinnacles, comprising a gigantic granite boulder and several smaller underwater pinnacles.

Can You See Whale Sharks in Ko Tao?

With some very good luck one can spot majestic whalesharks in Ko Tao’s waters. Sightings are quite rare in general, but they do happen. Best time to see whale sharks in Ko Tao is the end of the year, when the water temperatures are its coolest.

Best Time to Dive in Ko Tao

Ko Tao is pretty much an all-year diving destination: the sea gets rough and visibility bad only during the peak of monsoon season at the end of October and November.

The visibility underwater is at its best in July, August and September, when it can be up to 30 meters.

The busiest diving season runs from December to end of February, when you can sometimes see more divers than fish underwater.