Ko Tao

Ko Tao - The Turtle Island

Although there are turtles here, unfortunately I didn't find any. The island is the complete opposite of Ko Phi Phi. Quiet, especially in the evenings, and perfect for just reading a book on the beach. Compared to before, there are even some roads here, as the island is smaller (21km2) but more compact. A beautiful spot on the map.

There are several beaches here, all of which can be reached by a rented scooter. But I explicitly warn against the Mangobay in the north! It's beautiful, but the road there is in the worst condition I've ever seen. Steep, eroded, and full of sand. I was really glad for my years of motorcycle experience, otherwise I honestly wouldn't have made it.

Only VERY EXPERIENCED BIKERS should come here!

Snorkeling is worth it at all the bays. Everywhere there are thousands of colorful fish and with some luck you can even find a turtle or like me at Ao Hin Wong Bay, sharks. Yes, a whole swarm of baby sharks! Specifically blacktip reef sharks, which can grow up to 2m long and live for 40 years. They exclusively feed on fish (of which there are plenty here). I was so excited. By the way, you should of course show these animals proper respect and keep your distance, but you should not be afraid of them at all. Even mature sharks would never attack a human.

I also went diving here for a day. However, the water was unfortunately very murky below 8m depth and the total of 12m gave me more trouble than anything else. Diving doesn't seem to be right for me, but if you enjoy it: come here! It's worth it!

The typical tourist beach, Shark Bay, is unfortunately no longer as idyllic as it once was. There are still fish here, but honestly, it's a damn graveyard. You put your head underwater and all you see is a carpet of dead corals covering the seafloor. This shows what humans are capable of with the changing climate, through tourism, etc. So I kindly ask everyone who goes on vacation: enjoy the coral reefs while they still exist. But please don't touch anything, don't touch the corals, and just enjoy observing, because anything else means the certain death of marine life. You know, if we fly half-way around the world, pump tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, just to admire the wonders of Mother Nature, then we should at least show her the appropriate respect and be mindful of her.