Travel Talk

Ko Tao Hotel – Best $9 I ever spent

ko toa hotel on the beach ocean front baby

This photo is from my Ko Tao, Thailand hotel, which is really just a small bungalow on the ocean. It’s got rocks and what not and is not easily accessible or seen from most of the island, as a result, I get to enjoy the place to myself, beaches are cool but they attract crowds and crowds have eyes.

Last you heard, it was ~5am and there were vagabonds donning burlap and bird’s nests sleeping on a ferry terminal floor in Thailand. The ferry eventually came and you take photo’s like it’s the most beautiful trip you’ve ever taken, because it is. Then you get to Ko Tao, the place is truly and utterly spectacular.

Didn’t sleep a wink on the ferry, or during the day, or until 3:39am last night, when I last checked my phone. Everyone here is super friendly, for the most part. Traveling alone is awesome, it’s like frosh week, nobody knows anyone so you team up with likeminded individuals.It’s funny to get ocean view room when your hotel is 1/4 or less your bar tab. There was lots of fire shows going on, later in the evening they started doing fire skip rope and “jump through the fire hoop” game on the beach. In the spirit of “When in Rome” did em both a few times before finally eating it on the skip rope. Still have this big black mark on my shin from fuel, I’m assuming… Truth be told, I kinda “eat it before I “got it” on all of them, burns to prove it, no regrets, good times.

ko toa view from in front of my hotel err cottage on the beach ocean front baby

Long story short, I’m taking this day to simply sit on this couch from which this picture was taken keeping tabs on “what’s happening” in the habor in between naps and swims. Considering the course of the evening, I’m feeling frighteningly fresh. Having an oceanfront patio is great because you’re in the sun, but you’re in the shade, you’re in the heat, but you’re in the breeze, you’re outside but you’re inside etc… My first room had a sliver of ocean view for 400 baht a night, this one, I’m in now, it’s 300 baht and the picture speaks for itself. I’ve visited many places looking to see where I wanted to settle, I was speechless when she showed me this one at the price. where did our last $9 go. Considering price, people and location, I’ll be staying here and doing several things the island has to offer before moving on. Besides the full moon party on the 2nd, my agenda is wide open. Wait, I have no agenda.

Few insights from the island include if you rent a motor bike, get the moto-cross, others bottom out and run out of juice on hills. You can get reasonable snorkeling, look for “see sharks” for 550 baht, ~4-5 spots and all day, others want more, there is wireless, if you leave your flip flops near a beach party, consider them gone. There is fishing, it’s for Barracuda and Mackerel amongst other things, it’s ~1650baht but I haven’t investigated. Cheapest place that is in “good-better” condition is 200 baht, talk to the guy in the general store type place on right hand side of street right where the ferry drops you off. Double bed, your own room, fan (I think) and window, it’s just shared toilet / shower which is quite common. If you’re going to full moon party, keep your place here, ferry over at night, party all night, ferry back next day.

Good day,

UPDATE: Shortly after writing this, I strolled through town to internet, stopped in at “In-Touch” my “main stomping grounds” and ran into some crew, had an omelet, shake then 2 shakes with tequila and rum, breakfast cost me more than my hotel, ha.

This place is amazing, forget the Caribbean … Come here. Oh and if you do, make sure you stop in and have a laugh with “Mr. 9” at “In-Touch” coolest atmosphere I’ve found and the guy is just fall on your face hilarious.

hahaha I’m drinking a Chang and the “Lady Boy” bus just drove by trying to get people to come to there show, haha. I have a video, but youtube isn’t working.

ko tao beach through a bar

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