Chalok Ban Kao

Chalok Ban Kao is Koh Tao's main southern bay — a wide, protected inlet about 4 km from Mae Haad pier that offers a notably different experience from the busier Sairee Beach on the island's other side. The bay is flanked by hills on both sides, giving it shelter from the northerly winds that can affect Sairee from October to December, and the beach arc — Chalok Ban Kao Beach on the west and the smaller Freedom Beach on the eastern arm — provides good swimming conditions most of the year. The water is calm, clear, and excellent for snorkelling from the beach.

The character of Chalok is more settled and local-feeling than Sairee. Several Thai families run long-standing restaurants and guesthouses here, and the development level is lower — fewer dive schools (though a handful operate), fewer bars, and a village atmosphere that accommodates the island's resident community as naturally as visiting tourists. The Muay Thai gym community is stronger here than elsewhere on Koh Tao, with a couple of well-regarded camps offering training and accommodation packages that attract serious fighters and fitness visitors.

New Heaven Dive School, one of Koh Tao's most highly rated, is based in Chalok and focuses on conservation-oriented dive experiences including coral restoration programmes. For those doing a dive course away from the Sairee bustle, Chalok provides the same quality training in a quieter setting. The viewpoint road from Chalok up to the summit of the island's central hills is one of Koh Tao's best motorbike rides, with spectacular views over both sides of the island.