Today I thought it was about time I continued on with my 'travel' section of the blog, and finish putting together the next addition to my Thailand posts. I have only managed my 'best 6 month bits so far' which was way back in the beginning of December and I was suppose to round these all up before the end of December for you but with all the festivities and Christmas time celebration, I sort of lost track blog wise. But no better time than the present so here we are. My take on visiting Koh Tao (Turtle Island).

Koa Tao was where me and James stayed for a few nights before heading to Koh Samui (which is just across the water, a 2 hour boat ride to be precise). Koa Tao is known for its turtle shaped island and is the perfect spot if you are looking to do some deep sea diving, or just snorkeling in that matter. With is crystal blue ocean and white sandy beach Koa Tao will be sure to take your breath away. The few days we were there we had glorious weather and literally the sea was like a warm crystal bath (maybe not as refreshing as you hoped) but we were in paradise. 

Whilst our stay on the island me and James opted for a little bungalow/shaley among to rocks over looking the sea, which was super exciting as we felt like we had our own perfect shipwrecked/cast away destination. However at night time it was a completely different story and felt more like a shaky, haunted shed aha with the night time waves smashing against the rocks and the wind banging on our not so secure windows. But when travelling it is all part of the experience especially when stopping of on an island for a few days/nights it is nice to seek somewhere a little different to stay (other than an apartment or hotel) so it was all fun.  

I loved Koa Tao, it had the perfect amount of hustle and bustle of a little village with lots to see and explore but at the same time still felt really tiny. The food was delicious and very cheap you'll be able to spot the favourite Thai restaurants a mile away because they have people queueing for tables. Also Koh Tao is where I have had the best Pad Thai to date, and believe me I have had a lot of Pad Thai. The little restaurant was called Jasmines, definitely check it out if your a noodle fan like me.

Whilst we were there we went on a Snorkeling trip that takes you to 5 destinations (or more cannot quite remember) the last being Koh Nang Yuan which is Koa Tao's 'little sister' island. I would most definitely recommend going on one of the snorkeling trips the island has to offer (even though I suffered with terrible sea sickness) it was such a fun day. Not only did we get to see and swim with lots of wonderful fishes and jump on and off the little boat, we were spoilt at the end by a hour or more stop of at the beautiful Koh Nang Yuan. 3 secluded peaceful islands connected connected by one silky white stripe of beach, with yet again more crystal shores which are perfect for some more snorkeling. Or if your up for it a hike to the top of one of the islands to climb the epic point of view point. Which can I point out is literally the tallest free standing rock on top of a mini mountain, with no railings or barriers and one wrong foot you could plummet to your death (ok maybe ruined it a little there), safety regulations - I don't think they are a thing here. One last thing to add.. I didn't make it to the top as I was to busy trying to regain all balance after climbing the million stairs trying to get to the top, resulting in me having a mini breakdown as I couldn't go no further due to shaky knees. Fun for me lol. But I was almighty jealous when James came back down and showed me the picture he took of the view literally breath taking. Lesson learnt; I am prefer to be more a snorkeler than a hiker.

I know that recently Koh Tao was the recent destination for the awful murder of a couple which was terrible to hear, but I do hope this doesn't stop people wanted to visit the island as it is such a beautiful place to see and it is tragic that such a terrible thing happened there and I know from the Thai people we have spoken to here were devastated that it happened in their country.

So we were only in Koh Tao for 3 days, therefore this post doesn't go into detail to much but I have mentioned all I the best bits that I experienced, so hopefully if you are thinking of visiting Thailand and its islands this post helps inspire or excite you. Koh Tao is a lovely place to stay for a few days, but other than its snorkeling and diving I would say there was not much to offer as it was quite small, however you have Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui just over an hour away and they are both really fun islands. Which I will be delving into in a couple of posts time so look out for those.

Speak soon xo