Koh Tao
THAILAND TOUR & HOTELS
 Koh
Tao Information
Koh Tao, little more than 21 km, is located about 70 km east
of the coastline between Suratthani and Chumphon, in the Gulf
of Thailand. Koh Tao translates as Turtle Island, because in
the past the waters teemed with sea turtles. Nowadays they have
moved on to new breeding grounds since travelers and tourists
enjoy Koh Tao's beaches instead.
In the beginning, the island was uninhabited, and only the
occasional fisherman from the neighbouring islands came by
to seek shelter from a storm. On June 18, 1899, His Majesty
the King Chulalongkorn (Rama V , 1868-1910) visited Koh Tao
and left as evidence his monogram on a huge boulder at Jor
Por Ror Bay next to Sairee Beach. This place is still worshipped
today and should be treated with respect.
From 1933 on the island was used as a political prison because
of it's far distance from the mainland. In 1947, Khun A -Paiwong,
Prime Minister at that time, pleaded and received a royal
pardon for all prisoners on the island. Everybody was taken
back to the mainland and the "Turtle" was abandoned
once again. Not for long.
In the same year Khun Ueam and his twin brother Khun Oh reached
Koh Tao from the neighbouring island Koh Phangan, At that
time, crossing over with a traditional sailboat was long and
dangerous.
It took more than 12 hours crossing over from Koh Phangan,
which is just 45km away. Even though the island was still
under royal patronage, it didn't keep these pioneers from
claiming a good piece of land on today's Sairee Beach for
themselves. Together with them came their families, and they
began to cultivate and harvest the fertile soil.
The first generation of today's community had settled! They
lived a very simple and tough life harvesting coconuts, fishing
and growing vegetables, which were traded with Koh Phangan.
Despite the many difficulties in reaching the island, the
population grew steadily.
Koh Tao
Hotels
Resorts
List
of
Koh Tao
Hotels with
online reservation system
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Rates
= Approx rates start at , Inc.
SVC = Included service charge |
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Inc.
VAT
= Included govement tax. , Inc.
ABF = Included American Breakfast |
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