Koh Tao

I want to go and stay for a few days on Koh Tao. The only problem is
that the last time I was there (a few years ago), I stayed in a place
with no air con. and no flush toilet.
As a 20 year old packpacker I would have thought it was fine....
now being a 50 year old comfort lover....no way!

Can anyone recommend a QUALITY place to stay on the island which is
handy for scuba diving restaurants and bars ?
Mike.

mike wrote:
>
> I want to go and stay for a few days on Koh Tao. The only problem is
> that the last time I was there (a few years ago), I stayed in a place
> with no air con. and no flush toilet.
> As a 20 year old packpacker I would have thought it was fine....
> now being a 50 year old comfort lover....no way!
>
> Can anyone recommend a QUALITY place to stay on the island which is
> handy for scuba diving restaurants and bars ?
> Mike.

A few years ago Koh Tao didn't have any roads, phones, cars, or
electricity. Ban Mae Had was the only village. When I first visited,
each bungalow owner would turn on a generator for two hours of
electricity each night. That was then. This is now.

Three different villages serve the people on the island. There are two
actual 7-11's (plenty more convenience stores though) and a car rental
agency. Every bungalow colony and hotel has it's own internet cafe, and
there are two swimming pools on the island. If you haven't been there in
the past 3 years you wouldn't recognize it today.

But it's still as beautiful as ever, and you can find plenty of places
to get away from the development. For a sort of 'older lifestyle,' try
Sairee Cottages on Sairee Beach, and dive with Scuba Junction. The
owner, Kevin Garvey is a very nice guy who runs a top notch operation
with a good boat. Enjoy, and dive safely.

Steve Kramer
Chiang Mai, Thailand
http://www.photoenvisions.com


--
"The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new horizons,
but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

Steve Kramer <sales@photoenvisions.com> wrote:

> Three different villages serve the people on the island. There are two
> actual 7-11's (plenty more convenience stores though) and a car rental
> agency. Every bungalow colony and hotel has it's own internet cafe, and
> there are two swimming pools on the island. If you haven't been there in
> the past 3 years you wouldn't recognize it today.


Stev you are a bit out of date there are 4 7-11's that I know of
1 in Sairee, 2 in Mae Haad, and 1 in Chalok Baan Kao (Buddha View)

3 swiming pools that I know of Sunset, Bans, & Buddha View

There is some usefull info on <http://www.kohtao.com/>


--
>replace spamblock with my family name to e-mail me

Jerome Meekings wrote:
>
> Steve Kramer <sales@photoenvisions.com> wrote:
>
> > I was just there last month, but I don't wander around the island any
> > more. It's lost a lot of appeal since they put in the road. I only walk
> > from Ban Mae Had to Sairee Beach. For all I know there is bowing alley
> > and a ski slope too! :o)
>
> I don't wander either, working at both Asia Divers and Buddha View is
> the only reason that I know about the 7-11s (FWIW the BV one was built
> in about 3 weeks in August) and doing an IE is the way I know about the
> Sunset swimming pool, PADI try to use neutral ground for IE's.
>
> FWIW Sunset is a very upmarket operation, I think the minimum price per
> night is about 2,000 Baht.

My first visit to Koh Tao, I had the beach front bungalow at Sairee
Cottages. Privet with bath... 100 baht per night. I spent about 7 weeks
that time. Quiet. Very Quiet. Almost 15 years ago. No cars. The only
phone I saw was a SatCom phone at Mr J's, three old pickup trucks
running the walking path. Mae Haad had about 15 shops, and only Big Blue
and Master Divers were in the village. Quiet. Very quiet...

Steve Kramer
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Five years, one month, three weeks, two days, 13 hours, 1 minute and 55
seconds. 56416 cigarettes not smoked, saving $14,104.07. Life used for a
better purpose: 27 weeks, 6 days, 21 hours, 20 minutes.

--
"The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new horizons,
but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust