Sairee Beach
Koh Tao's main beach and dive hub — learn to dive here for the world's best prices, snorkel off the shore, and end the day at a laid-back beach bar sunset.
About this Place
Sairee Beach is Koh Tao's longest and most social beach — a 1.5km stretch on the west coast backed by the island's main strip of dive schools, restaurants, beach bars, and guesthouses. Koh Tao is famous globally as the world's best value location to get PADI Open Water certified, and most of the island's dive operations are clustered on Sairee. The beach itself has calm water (west-facing, sheltered from the Gulf's main swell), ideal for beginners. Snorkelling directly off Sairee reveals coral gardens and reef fish within 50 metres of shore. Evening on Sairee is social — the beach bars create a laid-back sunset scene. The island's main commercial street behind the beach connects all businesses. Koh Tao has transformed from a backpacker island to a mid-range dive destination over the past decade, with accommodation quality improving significantly. Best avoided during peak holiday seasons (Thai New Year, Chinese New Year).
Location
10.1003, 99.8375
More Nearby Locations
Koh Tao's main pier village — the island's commercial and transport hub with the best restaurants, dive shops, and infrastructure for island living.
Three islets linked by a white sandbar you can walk between — Koh Tao's most iconic sight, with superb snorkelling and a breathtaking aerial viewpoint.
Snorkel with harmless blacktip reef sharks in shallow water — Koh Tao's Shark Bay is one of Thailand's most reliable spots for close marine wildlife encounters.
Koh Tao's best summit view — a granite boulder hike to panoramic Gulf of Thailand vistas with Nang Yuan, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui all visible on clear days.