The people here have been building something together for decades — dive schools, bakeries, cafés, conservation projects. We recommend the ones we trust and love.
The dive school that started it all — New Heaven was founded by the same family who built Baan Talay. PADI 5-Star, with some of the best instructors on the island.
They run coral restoration projects and reef monitoring that have genuinely changed Koh Tao's underwater landscape. Open Water through Tec, freediving, and a marine conservation programme open to everyone — no certification required for surface work.
Where the south coast turns golden at sunset. Koppee is a beach club with good coffee, cold drinks, and the kind of view that makes it impossible to leave. Find them in Chalok Bay, a short ride south from the resort.
The brunch spot locals actually go to. A family-run jungle café near Mae Haad pier, Big Tree does strong coffee, fresh-baked sourdough and proper food — the kind of place that turns a morning into half a day.
Daily home-baked breads, cakes and pastries. Fresh coffee, breakfast and fruit juices from the New Heaven family. In Sairee Village — open every day.
The most useful thing you can read before arriving. Life on Koh Tao covers everything — transport, tides, where to eat, what to avoid, how to get around. An honest guide by people who actually live here.
Thailand's cannabis legislation changed in 2022. High Siam is the island's most considered dispensary — clean, knowledgeable, and low-key. They stock locally grown flower and a good range of oils and edibles. Ask them questions; they know their product.
Koh Tao is a 21 km² island in the Gulf of Thailand. No roads to speak of, one ferry a day, and a dive site visible from the shore. Most people come to dive and leave having found something slower, stranger, and worth returning for.
Baan Talay Resort & Yoga
37/2 Moo 3, Aow Leuk Bay
Koh Tao, Suratthani 84360
Thailand
10°04'26"N · 99°50'32"E
+66 77 457 043
+66 89 329 4462
baantalaykohtao@
Hours
Shala · 06:00 – 20:00
Reception · 08:00 – 18:30