Sawadeeka! Koh Tao is a destination island at the south of Bangkok. It is mainly known for diving activities. The water is pristine clear and the life on the islands is easy going.
There are three ways on how to get to Koh Tao:
1. Via train + bus + ferry
2. Via bus + bus + ferry
3. Via air to Koh Samui + ferry
Although there are some who would prefer to travel by bus, I went to travel by train. The cost to travel via bus or train is roughly the same. The factors you might want to consider when deciding could be the departure and arrival schedules, and the leg room and walk space available on the train as compared to that of the bus. Transit time is eight to nine hours! So brace yourself.
From Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport, you could ride the city train to Hua Lamphong Bangkok Railway Station. The stations are easily accessible on both the airport and railway station. Bought the train (340 baht) and ferry tickets (500 baht) on the train station itself, and not some travel agency. Got my tickets around an hour or an hour and a half before the departure time. train departure and arrivals are not on the dot. Be mindful of the ferry schedule tickets that you buy.
I took the train ride from Bangkok to Chumphon, train # 85, class 2 seats with fan only, and with departure time at 7:30PM, arriving at 4:30AM. It sounds ridiculous that I took the class seats without AC. A good friend was even willing to pay my train tickets for some bed and privacy. But firstly, I like cheap travels. Secondly, i want to experience it. Thirdly, I have no problem sleeping on a 90 degrees position. Lastly, weather is not too warm on night time.
The only thing I didn't like about that train ride are listed below:
-Small cockroaches on the floor. Probably coz the cleaning personnel don't care much about cleaning the 2nd class area.
-Small walkway, thus people entering and walking around every train stop tended to bump my chair. So although I have no trouble sleeping, I'd wake up on every stop!
When you arrive Chumphon Railway Station, walk to the window of the Lomphraya Station, and "check-in". By checking in, you list your name and contact number, and the lady on the window gives you a color coded sticker. One round sticker you stick on your shirt, and the other sticker you stick on your luggage for proper identification. We waited for around an hour for the bus to arrive. But I used this time to freshen up.
There are other ferry ride available from Chumphon to Koh Tao. I chose Lomphraya coz it travels fast and I heard that the other boats are not too nice to ride at. So Lomphraya it is! Lomphraya offers free bus ride from the Chumphon train station to the ferry station. The bus ride takes an hour or so. So it helps if you start talking to your bus seat mate, especially if you plan to be like me and travel solo. When you arrive the ferry station, you might have to wait for awhile until the ferry arrives. On my part, I did not have to wait for too long. The ferry was about to depart as soon as I arrived, so it was great that I didn't have to wait long. And if you are lucky like me, maybe your seatmate offers to pay for your VIP seats (100 baht) on the ferry too. Not really essential, but the seats on the VIP area are comfy and spacious.
I arrived Koh Tao at around 9:30AM. There are hostels and resorts in Koh Tao that you could stay at depending on your budget. Getting around Koh Tao, you may consider renting a scooter.
My activity in Koh Tao was limited to snorkeling, scuba diving, and scooter tour on the island. But you may also try mini golf and bowling. They have it on the islands. For people planning to do an open water course or get certified on scuba diving, language should not be a problem, as diving instructors in the island varies from French, German, American, Dutch, Spanish, etc. It should be no problem to find someone who knows your language. Each course takes approximately 2 days. For your your water adventures you might would like to try booking your activities with Golden Divers. Look for Arno, the Dutch manager of the diving shop. They are PADI certified, which is really great. Also, underwater photo and video services are also available for a fee.
(Golden Divers: Old Town Mae Haad 20/10 84360 Koh Tao, Thailand - goldenkohtao@gmail.com - +6677456823 - facebook: Golden Divers)
(Golden Divers: Old Town Mae Haad 20/10 84360 Koh Tao, Thailand - goldenkohtao@gmail.com - +6677456823 - facebook: Golden Divers)
Before booking your air tickets, you might want to consider checking the schedule of the Full Moon Party at Koh Phangan. It should be a once in a life experience to party with 30,000 party animals on its peak. The Full Moon party happens monthly. But be sure to book in advance your ferry ticket from Tao to Koh Phangan and vice versa, and also your accommodations at Koh Phangan if you have any plans on sleeping in a nice bed. Or if you plan to sleep on the beach sands or on the pier, then fine.
There are other nearby islands that you could also visit to other than Koh Phangan, such as Koh Samui.
While at Thailand, I hope you try their Thai cuisine which are spicy! Their dishes are just spicy even with requests of "no spice". PadThai noodles is a must. Try also the authentic Thai massage.
Weather at Koh Tao during my time of travel, September, was pleasant with only at most 2 hours of rain every other day. So during this season, it would help if you carry an umbrella for yourself.
On the way back, I booked my ferry and train tickets with Jenny of Golden Travel. I paid 1290baht for the ferry ride and the 2nd class with bed and AC train ticket. At the train station, there is a restaurant nearby that has free wifi connection and offers free bath. Their food is good. And a food place to kill time while waiting for your train schedule. They have good marketing strategy by giving out flyers to everyone getting off the bus.
Upon arriving Bangkok, i went to ride the train from Hualomphong Station to Chit Lom station to do whole day shopping with my luggage while I wait for scheduled departure back to Manila by midnight via Cebu Pacific. I had breakfast at McDonalds at Big C Mall and stayed there till the Mall opens. McDonalds at Big C have free WIFI which you could re-register at after every an hour of use. And they have electrical socket too for me to use to charge my iPhone and iPad! Superb! Platinum Fashion Mall is my destination for shopping. It has three buildings, and I recommend three days to carefully shop and hoard wisely! The Platinum Mall was introduced to me by my new Thai Friends, Wat and Nat, who were introduced by an old friend of mine. They were really great and toured me around and also sent me off on the train.
I traveled with my luggage. Some might prefer to travel by backpack, but I'd rather carry some weights on my arms than break my back. But be warned that some or most of the overpass and stations in bangkok were designed without ramps! Look for escalators and elevators.
While in the airport waiting for your departure, you may want to grab for a free airport WIFI access at the information counter. The access is free for 60minutes per passport holder. But i'm sure you could ask more.
Some travel tips:
-Use the bathroom when you find a nice one! Toilets on the train are not so nice.
-Bring your facial wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, and your makeup with you. An 8-hr train ride and an hour and a half or ferry ride will make you look like a wreck!
-Bring some candies, snacks and water which you could munch on while in the train, bus and/or ferry.
-Bring sun block and after sun spray
-Bring some mosquito repellent spray and anti itch ointment.
-Load some Thailand apps on your iPhone
-Load GoogleMaps on your iPhone
-Don't forget to turn off cellular data roaming on your phone.
-Keep your receipts as you'd be able to get a tax refund at the airport.
Soak on the sun, listen to the sound of the waves... Be open to the Thai experience and embrace new adventures in life! A German friend told me that the beaches in Philippines are more beautiful and great for diving, such as the ones in Palawan, which I completely adore. But it was nice for me to see and experience Koh Tao. And I hope you enjoy and find love at Koh Tao as much as I did. Compared to the Philippine beaches, Koh Tao is "same same, but different".
