Mae Haad

Mae Haad is Koh Tao's main pier village — the arrival and departure point for ferries from the mainland and neighbouring islands, and the place where all the island's practical needs are concentrated. It is a small, functional settlement: the pier area has travel agencies, motorbike rental, money exchange, a 7-Eleven, and the island's most reliable internet connections. The beach immediately north of the pier is short but pleasant, used by visitors waiting for ferries and those staying in the handful of mid-range hotels in the area.

The main advantage of Mae Haad as a base is practical rather than scenic: proximity to the ferry, good services, and a slightly quieter atmosphere than Sairee Beach a 15-minute walk to the north. Several of Koh Tao's most important dive sites are easily accessible from Mae Haad by boat — Shark Bay (Haad Tien) is just south, and the HTMS Sattakut wreck dive is a short trip offshore. The Koh Nang Yuan causeway access point is also close.

Koh Nang Yuan — three tiny islands connected by sandbars — is accessible from Mae Haad pier by longtail boat (฿100 return). The islands are so photogenic they have been used in Thai tourism campaigns for decades. Entry costs ฿100 and the island has a strict no-plastic rule. The viewpoint above the sandbar connection offers one of Koh Tao's most dramatic panoramas. An early morning visit before day-trip boats arrive is highly recommended.