According to us, Tanote Bay on Koh Tao in Thailand was certainly the best spot for snorkeling on the whole island. The water is crystal clear, there’s white sand and a lush green jungle in the background.
The scene is just like a movie. Perfect tropical paradise, good for relaxing and underwater activities. Despite being one of the best beaches on Koh Tao, it wasn’t crowded at all.
So if you decide to explore Koh Tao, Tanote Bay is a must-visit place for any traveler. We created a complete guide about how to get there, snorkeling, facilities, and more.
Where is Tanote Bay
Tanote Bay is situated on the eastern side of Koh Tao, which is known for its scenic beauty, clear waters, and excellent opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. It’s approximately in the middle of the island, around 6 kilometers away from Sairee Beach.
Save the location of Tanote Bay to your Google Maps.
Where to stay on Koh Tao
The most popular area to stay is around Sairee Beach. You’ll find most restaurants around. However, this area is also a bit too loud, both during the day and night. If you’re coming to Koh Tao to relax, stay near one of many beaches.
We wrote a complete guide describing where to stay on Koh Tao, including the best areas as well as hotels and hostels for every budget.
Best hotels on Koh Tao
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How to get to Tanote Bay
Koh Tao is an island with no public transport.
If you prefer to have freedom and wish to explore the island on your own, the best option is to rent a motorbike. You’ll find many motorbike rentals around Sairee Beach and Mae Haad. Bikes cost from 200THB per day. There’s enough space for parking and it’s completely free.
The road leading here is in a very good condition, with some sections being really wide. But you have to drive through the mountains, which means steep roads and curves. However, it is not dangerous at all and anyone can manage this journey.
Alternatively, you can use a taxi to get here. However, this will be more expensive. A taxi cab from Sairee Beach to Tanote Bay might cost around 550 THB.
Another option is to use a longtail boat taxi. But since Tanote Bay is rather far from both Sairee and Mae Haad (by sea), it will cost much more. I am not sure about the exact rates, though.
Lastly, if you’re looking for the most budget-friendly way, you can also walk. From Sairee Beach it will take you one hour.
About Tanote Bay Koh Tao
Tanote Bay is a quite large and spacious bay with a lovely sandy beach. It’s known as an amazing diving spot for all levels, but it’s also one of the best snorkeling spots on Koh Tao. The beach has no entrance fee.
In the background, there’s a tall hill that is home to a few lovely viewpoints. Some of the best viewpoints are West Coast Viewpoint and Tanote Peak. You can also see some palm trees in the back.
The beach itself is full of different trees providing more than enough shadow. You’ll find huge boulders and rocks on both sides of the bay. One huge rock can be found in the middle of the bay in the water. It’s a perfect spot for cliff jumping.
The corals start only 5 meters offshore. Try not to step on them too much and use water shoes to avoid cuts and scratches.
While there are many restaurants, bars, and bungalows on the beach, they’re all in the back. Because of this, the beach provides a lot of space for sunbathing and beach games.
Beach facilities and services
Tanote Bay is a beach where you’ll find all different kinds of facilities. If you get hungry, there are a few restaurants (maybe two) to choose from. You can also buy ice-cold Chang or a cocktail in a beach bar.
Additionally, you can rent SUPs, kayaks, and snorkeling gear. You’ll also find a few dive schools on the beach. The best dive school in the area is Calypso Diving. You can even dive to some unusual sights, such as sunken catamaran and a motorbike.
If you prefer a dive school close to Sairee Beach or Mae Haad, the best-reviewed dive in the area are La Bombona, Koh Tao Scuba Club, or Scuba Birds.
I couldn’t see any sunbeds, so I am not sure whether it’s also possible to rent those.
Snorkeling at Tanote Bay
If you’re not a big fan of scuba diving, you’ll be happy to hear that this bay is also perfect for snorkeling. It was the best thing we did on Koh Tao. We have never seen such beautiful corals like here. In our honest opinion, this is the best snorkeling spot on the island.
As soon as you enter the water you can already see a lot of corals and fish, even without snorkeling glasses. The corals start just a few meters offshore. The water is very shallow here but gets deeper fast as you get closer to the huge rock.
We personally liked the right side of the rock the most, and thought the marine life was the most diverse here. We often met a big school of yellow-tail barracuda in the narrow passage between the huge cliff-jumping rock and the smaller boulders.
If you want to explore all the best snorkeling spots by boat in one day, we recommend joining the Oxygen Snorkeling Tour! It’s the best-reviewed company on the island.
Some people also saw a lot of different fish when swimming on the other side of the beach, near the huge rock in the sand.
You can often see angelfish, parrotfish, barracuda, and triggerfish. If you’re lucky, you might even meet black-tip reef sharks and sea turtles.
Additionally, the visibility at this place is just incredible. Even where water is 15-20 meters, you can still see the bottom quite clearly.
Travel Insurance
One of the worst things you could do is travel without insurance. We never go on a trip without travel insurance. Anything can happen during your adventures.
Our go-to company is SafetyWing. They will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars if something goes wrong.
If you purchase the insurance through our link, you still pay the same, and we will earn a small commission. This helps us run our blog. Thank you ❤️
Cliff jumping
Tanote Bay is also the right place for adventure seekers and cliff-jumping enthusiasts. A huge rock from which you can jump into the water is only 30 meters from the shore.
It’s perfectly safe and there’s nothing to worry about. The water under the cliff might be more than 15 meters deep (just a guess) and there’s absolutely nothing down there.
To get to the top of the rock, you have to climb using a rope which is attached there. It’s a bit difficult, so make sure you feel confident enough to do it. Also, once you’re up there’s no wa back other than jumping from the cliff.
Before you jump, make sure no snorkelers or divers are underneath you.
The jump is only around 5 – 6 meters high. We certainly had a lot of fun jumping from the rock!
Other activities in Tanote Bay
Tanote Bay is the perfect place to just relax, sunbathe, read a book and snorkel. But you can also play beach games here, since there’s enough space for it. If you’re looking for some other ways to enjoy your time here, rent a kayak or SUP and explore the nearby bays.
Where to eat nearby
- Jah Bar – amazing laid-back place offering food and cocktails, hammocks, chilled vibes, and incredible views
- Mountain Reef Resort Restaurant – almost right on the beach, tasty food and not expensive
- Sun Moon Thai Restaurant – all-you-can-eat buffet for 300 TBH, fresh every day, you can also get a cooking class here!
- HoriZon Morn – breathtaking views, delicious food and cheap prices
Other Places to visit nearby
Sai Daeng Beach
Sai Daeng Beach is also an incredible bay and a snorkeling spot. For some reason, it’s not visited by many tourists so it’s a very calm and relaxed place to be. You’ll find a few good restaurants here. You can also rent kayaks and visit the nearby Shark Island.
This bay is a great place to see black-tip reef shark since they’re breeding in the area. Many people also encounter sea turtles. Unfortunately, we only saw a few of the common fish species here.
Ao Leuk Bay
While we haven’t been there ourselves, Ao Leuk is a wonderful place you shouldn’t skip. It’s a popular snorkeling spot which is also a part of boat snorkeling tours. The beach is well-maintained and clean with fine sand.
And more importantly, it’s almost on the way to Tanote Bay!
Best guided tours on Koh Tao
- Snorkel tour by Oxygen – Visit Nangyuan Island, Japanese Gardens, Mango Bay, Ao Leuk, and Hin Wong Bay. You can enjoy snorkeling at every stop. The underwater life is just incredible and this tour will be one of the highlights of your whole Thailand trip!
- Scuba diving experience – Ever tried scuba diving? How about taking your first lesson in one of the best places to get PADI in the whole world? Koh Tao is known for its lively underwater life and the best way to explore it is scuba diving!
- Daytrip by speedboat – This tour has the same itinerary as the first one by Oxygen. The only difference is, that here you can also go kayaking.
Best time to visit Tanote Bay
No matter what time of day or year you visit Tanote Bay, you’ll certainly enjoy your time here! The snorkeling opportunities are incredible all day long and all year round. The beach doesn’t get too crowded.
But Koh Tao has the best water visibility between February and May. Yet that doesn’t mean that you won’t see anything if you come in December let’s say. It all depends on the weather and storms in the area.
Just take care of your skin, especially during noon. Make sure to use a reef-safe sun protection properly and stay hydrated.
Best time to visit Koh Tao
Dry season: December – April
Rainy season: October – December
Koh Tao has its dry season between December and April, together with the rest of Thailand. The weather is mostly sunny with almost no rain. However, since December is on the border between monsoon and dry season, you might still experience rainy evenings.
The period between February and May is known as a hot and dry season. April is usually the hottest month. Koh Tao is a relatively humid island, with around 80% humidity. Keep this in mind and stay hydrated throughout the day. The water visibility is the best in this season.
While the west coast of Thailand is hit by southwest monsoon between May and October, Koh Tao is not very affected by this. The weather is mostly dry and windy. Therefore, the sea is not as calm anymore. But you can already expect some rainfall, mostly during late afternoons and nights.
The rainy season in Koh Tao usually starts late in October and lasts until December. November is experiencing the heaviest rains. If the monsoons arrive later, the rainy season may last longer.
Tanote Bay Conclusion
In conclusion Tanote Bay Koh Tao is a wonderful place on tropical island that combines cliff jumping, snorkeling, sunbathing and scuba diving experiences.
With clear waters teeming with marine life, including sunken attractions like a catamaran and hidden creatures like Jenkins Whipray, it’s a must-visit spot for both adventure seekers and underwater enthusiasts.
