Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [515]
Jamahkiri Resort & Spa (0 7745 6400/1; www.jamahkiri.com) Offers aloe-vera wraps (great for sunburn), massages, and facials atop a huge island peak. Call for free transport, or swing by their wooden storefront near the Mae Hat pier.
Charm Churee Villa ( Map; 0 7745 6393; www.charmchureevilla.com; Mae Hat) Rejuvenation suites drip with Balinese decoration and sit close to the water’s edge along a rugged escarpment of boulders.
Yakuzen (0 7745 6229, 08 4837 3385; Mae Hat; 5pm-10pm, closed Wed) Japanese-style bathhouse in Mae Hat changes things up by offering this unique form of relaxation. A 60-minute soaks cost 700B.
YOGA
Ko Tao’s only fulltime yoga centre is Shambhala ( Map; 08 4440 6755), housed in beautiful wooden sh·lah located on the forested grounds of Blue Wind ( Click here) in Sairee Beach. The two-hour classes, led by Kester, the energetic yogi, cost 300B.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Although most activities on Ko Tao revolve around the sea, the friendly crew at Goodtime Adventures ( Map; 08 7275 3604; www.gtadventures.com; Sairee Beach; noon-midnight) offers a wide variety of land-based activities to get the blood pumping. Hike through the island’s jungly interior, swing from rock to rock during a climbing and abseiling session, or unleash your inner daredevil during an afternoon of cliff jumping.
Ko Tao Bowling & Mini Golf (off Map; 0 7745 6316; noon-midnight), on the main road between Mae Hat and Chalok Ban Kao, has several homemade bowling lanes where the employees reset the pins after every frame (300B per hour). The 18-hole minigolf course has a landmark theme – putt your ball through Stonehenge or across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Volunteering
The Save Koh Tao Group (0 7745 7045; www.marineconservationkohtao.com), spearheaded by New Heaven diving school ( Click here), is an initiative focused on keeping the island as pristine as possible by promoting sustainable tourism. They don’t have a structured volunteer program, although there are always projects that need a helping hand, both on land and in the sea. Save Koh Tao’s biggest endeavour is the Biorock, an artificial reef built beyond the headland at the northern end of Sairee Beach. See boxed text, Click here, for more information.
The Secret Garden (www.secretgarden-kohtao.com) offers work opportunities for travellers who are interested in conservation and educational programs. Conservation projects include beach clean-ups, erosion-prevention initiatives and marine protection. Native English-speakers can help out in the classroom by offering English lessons to the local Thai children, or lending a hand during the yearly summer camp. Contact the Secret Garden directly via their website to learn more about volunteering.
Regular beach clean-ups attract a large number of volunteers as well. Contact Crystal Dive ( Click here) in Mae Hat, Big Blue ( Click here) in Sairee Beach, New Heaven ( Click here) in Chalok Ban Kao and Black Tip ( Click here) in Tanote Bay.
Click here and Click here for more information about volunteering in Thailand.
Sleeping
If you are planning to dive while visiting Ko Tao, your scuba operator will probably offer you discounted accommodation to sweeten the deal. Some schools have on-site lodging, while others have deals with nearby bungalows. It’s important to note that you only receive your scuba-related discount on the days you dive. So, for example, if you buy a 10-dive package, and decide to take a day off in the middle, your room rate will not be discounted on that evening. Also, a restful sleep is important before diving, so scope out these ‘great room deals’ before saying yes – some of them are one roach away from being condemned.
There are also many sleeping options that have absolutely nothing to do with the island’s diving culture. Ko Tao’s secluded eastern