Koh Tao (Turtle Island) is a tiny island in the Samui archipelago about 70km east from Suratthani province. It can be reached by ferry from the mainland or from Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan. The island seems to exist only for diving and in the bars around the island that's what most backpackers are talking about. It is the place in Asia to go and get your PADI dive certification, in fact more new divers are certified in Koh Tao than anywhere else in Asia. Part of the reason for this is the very cheap price of diving, partly it's the laid back atmosphere.

Although Koh Tao diving is regarded as the best in the Gulf of Thailand, it is not truthfully that good when compared to the Andaman sea coast. One of the main problems is the shear number of divers here, many of them new divers, who crowd the reefs. With the exception of Chumphon Pinnacles, Southwest Pinnacles and Sail Rock which are all very good dive sites, the other sites are best left to trainee divers. Some of the sites are good for snorkelling. That said, the diving is so cheap at Koh Tao that if you want to build dives and experience this is a good place to do it. The more dives that you do the cheaper it gets per dive. Often basic accommodation is thrown in with any dive package. Other dive sites around Koh Tao are:

Green Rock: A submerged rock located 50m north of Koh Nang Yuan to the north west of Koh Tao. The rocks here form interesting swim-throughs, caverns and caves. Marine life includes the sometimes aggresive titan trigger fish, swim around them, not over the top of them, when they are protecting their territory. Maximum depth is 30m. Currents can be strong. Visibility ranges from 5-25m. Continued >>