Chalok Baan Kao, Koh Tao
Chalok Baan Kao is the third of Koh Tao's settlements, after Mae Haad and Sairee, set around a sheltered bay on the south coast. It has a beach, a cluster of restaurants, dive shops and places to stay, but at a fraction of Sairee's pace.
The bay is shallow and protected, with granite outcrops at either end. It works well as a base for the south of the island: Freedom Beach, the John-Suwan viewpoint and Shark Bay are all within a short walk or ride.
The shallows can drop very low at low tide, which suits wading and rock-pooling more than swimming at those hours.
Related Routes
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- John-Suwan Viewpoint — The rocky headland at Koh Tao's southern tip, looking down on the twin bays of Chalok Baan Kao and Thian Ok.
- Ao Leuk, Koh Tao — A small south-east bay with a sandy entry and a reef close in - the island's easiest snorkelling from the beach.
- Freedom Beach, Koh Tao — A small sheltered beach at the island's southern end, below the John-Suwan viewpoint.
- Hin Wong Bay, Koh Tao — A boulder-strewn bay on the quiet east coast, with clear water and almost no sand.
- Koh Nang Yuan, Koh Tao — Three granite islets joined by a triple sandbar off Koh Tao's north-west coast - the most photographed view in the Gulf of...
- Laem Thian, Koh Tao — A remote east-coast cape with a tiny cove and the ruins of an abandoned resort.


