Thailand 2015: Ko Tao

Ko or Koh Tao is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand near Koh Samui. Ko means island in Thai, and both spellings are used.

Getting there: from Chumphon, we took a taxi from the hotel. Our hotel (and probably most tourist hotels) sold us a ferry ticket that included the taxi ride. It can be confusing, but the taxi takes you to the train station, where you buy a bus ticket (the driver will show you where) which they called a transfer fee, then the bus heads out to the pier, which is a ways away. Then you queue up to check in, then board. The give you cute stickers/labels along the way like you are luggage. Everyone is used to clueless tourists and they make it pretty easy.

If you are older than 25, you will feel like a minority on Ko Tao. Kind of like Logan's Run. You know that part at the end when they see that old man? Yeah, that's kind of how I felt. This is is party central for every gap year kid across the world. And they all want to drive a scooter on Ko Tao. Crazy! Quite a change from Koh Phayam.

AK, Eric, Zoe & Jack are doing Scuba certification here, so we just see them in the evening.