Ko Samui: Thong Ta Kian
Jul 12th, 2005, 08:48 PM
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Ko Samui: Thong Ta Kian
This place looks amazing and very secluded! Can anyone give me first hand experience? If you have stayed on this beach, how were your accommodations? Please share any info you have.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jul 13th, 2005, 07:30 AM
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Due to the advise on many people on this forum I am tempted to spend all my beach time visiting only Ko Samui. Secluded wonderful beaches seem to be very plenitful on this island. Where is the best place to dive around Ko Samui or do I need to take a day trip to another area?
I am sure many of you have found this link but I wnated to share it with those of you that may not have seen it. Looks like a few slices of heaven to me!
Cheers!
Tamara
I am sure many of you have found this link but I wnated to share it with those of you that may not have seen it. Looks like a few slices of heaven to me!
Cheers!
Tamara
Jul 13th, 2005, 07:31 AM
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I guess I should actually post thi link! Sorry!
http://www.samuitourism.com/photo_ga...ches/index.htm
http://www.samuitourism.com/photo_ga...ches/index.htm
Jul 13th, 2005, 05:37 PM
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The waters around Samui are not good for diving. It's necessary to take a boat to Koh Toa, which is what my daughter did yesterday. It takes about 1.5 hours for the 70km ride in good conditions. Despite recent storms, visibility was above 20m. She dived with turtles yesterday, for only the second time in over 20 at Green Rock and Twins. Chechout www.padidiveguides.com
Consider staying atwww.baanbophut.com The village is full of dive shops, but the friendliest is Aquademia. The hotel can get you a discount there.
Consider staying atwww.baanbophut.com The village is full of dive shops, but the friendliest is Aquademia. The hotel can get you a discount there.
Jul 14th, 2005, 12:55 PM
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Hi Tamara
How long will you be there? If you are there long enough, and want to undertake a few days diving then I would recommend going to stay in Ko Tao for a few days instead of travelling from Ko Samui. Most of the dive sites (I think there are about 15 of them) are a 20 minutes gentle boat ride from Ko Tao's shores - as compared to a lengthy and sometimes choppy speedboat ride from Samui. However, if you only want to do a couple of dives and are keen to stay on Samui then it is probably better to take a speedboat from Samui as johnbey suggested.
A few thoughts I had on Ko Tao diving -The dives sites in Ko Tao can get quite busy as lots of people learn to dive there. It is a good place to take any courses you might want to take as the courses are cheap. The visibility can be a bit variable. The diving is varied though - and I saw a whale shark there!
If you are particularly keen on diving, you might think of the Similan Islands. These are off the Andaman Coast. The best diving I have experienced in Thailand was off these islands. We got there on a liveaboard boat, which left from Phuket. Best conditions on this coast though are December to March so it does depend on the time of year you are planning on visiting.
I haven't stayed at Thong Ta Kian beach - but I think I know which one it is and it is sometimes called Silver Beach. We stopped there - it was a small quiet bay with beautiful white sand and no noisy water sports. It had a couple of resorts on it - but this was a couple of years ago so maybe more now. It seemed very nice but we only stopped there for a few minutes. I think it was quite close to the road though.
If you are looking for secluded idyllic beaches, you will find those in Ko Tao also.
Best,
Lucy
How long will you be there? If you are there long enough, and want to undertake a few days diving then I would recommend going to stay in Ko Tao for a few days instead of travelling from Ko Samui. Most of the dive sites (I think there are about 15 of them) are a 20 minutes gentle boat ride from Ko Tao's shores - as compared to a lengthy and sometimes choppy speedboat ride from Samui. However, if you only want to do a couple of dives and are keen to stay on Samui then it is probably better to take a speedboat from Samui as johnbey suggested.
A few thoughts I had on Ko Tao diving -The dives sites in Ko Tao can get quite busy as lots of people learn to dive there. It is a good place to take any courses you might want to take as the courses are cheap. The visibility can be a bit variable. The diving is varied though - and I saw a whale shark there!
If you are particularly keen on diving, you might think of the Similan Islands. These are off the Andaman Coast. The best diving I have experienced in Thailand was off these islands. We got there on a liveaboard boat, which left from Phuket. Best conditions on this coast though are December to March so it does depend on the time of year you are planning on visiting.
I haven't stayed at Thong Ta Kian beach - but I think I know which one it is and it is sometimes called Silver Beach. We stopped there - it was a small quiet bay with beautiful white sand and no noisy water sports. It had a couple of resorts on it - but this was a couple of years ago so maybe more now. It seemed very nice but we only stopped there for a few minutes. I think it was quite close to the road though.
If you are looking for secluded idyllic beaches, you will find those in Ko Tao also.
Best,
Lucy
Jul 14th, 2005, 02:29 PM
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Thanks for the great info!
Lucy, I would love to dive daily but my s.o. does not dive nor is he interested in learning.
I have been thinking about a live aboard for 3 nights in the Similans. I think that my boyfriend would do it for the reduced price for snorkelers.
We want to go in Feb. but since I just returned from a 3 week trip to Turkey I am in the hole with my vacation time. I will find out tomorrow if my boss will allow me to go in the hole for Thailand in Feb. If not, I will have to wait until November in order to take another 3 weeks off in a row.
Can you recommend a live-aboard company? I have checked out a couple of them already.
Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Tamara
Lucy, I would love to dive daily but my s.o. does not dive nor is he interested in learning.
I have been thinking about a live aboard for 3 nights in the Similans. I think that my boyfriend would do it for the reduced price for snorkelers.
We want to go in Feb. but since I just returned from a 3 week trip to Turkey I am in the hole with my vacation time. I will find out tomorrow if my boss will allow me to go in the hole for Thailand in Feb. If not, I will have to wait until November in order to take another 3 weeks off in a row.
Can you recommend a live-aboard company? I have checked out a couple of them already.
Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Tamara
Jul 14th, 2005, 04:21 PM
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Is the snorkeling in Koh Samui interesting enough for very, very avid snorkelers to go out 2-3 trips on a group boat that takes 8-12 others that they sign-up?
Does any firm offer snorkel trips to Koh Toa. I know as you say it is 3hrs round trip but if they go to 3 reef spots for 2 1/2-3 hrs. and it is "really good" we would consider it.
We don't want to go on a dive boat trip for they generally stop at spots in 30-60 ft. depths not very good for snorkelers.
Does any firm offer snorkel trips to Koh Toa. I know as you say it is 3hrs round trip but if they go to 3 reef spots for 2 1/2-3 hrs. and it is "really good" we would consider it.
We don't want to go on a dive boat trip for they generally stop at spots in 30-60 ft. depths not very good for snorkelers.
Jul 15th, 2005, 03:45 PM
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Hi Tamara
I can't remember the name of the liveaboard company we went with but will check my dive logs as should have their stamp in there.
If you and your boyfriend like low key relaxed places, then you might want to stay on ko tao for a few days even if you only dive once or twice. There are some nice beaches around the island - you can hire a longtail boat for half a day or a full day to take you around. You can also get a longtail over to Ko Nang Yuan, where it is v easy to snorkel (but quite busy). The nightlife there is low key - relaxed beach bars and restaurants where you sit back on cushions and watch the sunsets with a cold beer. A few nights a week, there will be a bar that is having a bit of a party on.
StanKase - You can go snorkelling nearer to samui than ko tao at AngThong marine park. I remember it as being pretty good - but I have to admit it was one of my first snorkelling experiences and so I just thought it was fantastic! It is quicker to get to than ko tao.
There are many boat trips running from samui to ko tao and ko nang yuan (the island that I mentioned above) that are for day trippers/snorkellers. We went on one on my first trip to thailand, in 1997 i think, and there were no divers on our boat and we didn't stop at any deep dive sights. I can't remember how many snorkelling stops we made though. I know we stopped at Nang Yuan but we may have gone to one other place also. Again, I was pretty impressed at the time with the snorkelling but it was my first year snorkelling - so it could in actuality be not that great at all!! You know how it is when you first go, it is beautiful and mind blowing and you have nothing to compare it too...
Hope this helps
Lucy
I can't remember the name of the liveaboard company we went with but will check my dive logs as should have their stamp in there.
If you and your boyfriend like low key relaxed places, then you might want to stay on ko tao for a few days even if you only dive once or twice. There are some nice beaches around the island - you can hire a longtail boat for half a day or a full day to take you around. You can also get a longtail over to Ko Nang Yuan, where it is v easy to snorkel (but quite busy). The nightlife there is low key - relaxed beach bars and restaurants where you sit back on cushions and watch the sunsets with a cold beer. A few nights a week, there will be a bar that is having a bit of a party on.
StanKase - You can go snorkelling nearer to samui than ko tao at AngThong marine park. I remember it as being pretty good - but I have to admit it was one of my first snorkelling experiences and so I just thought it was fantastic! It is quicker to get to than ko tao.
There are many boat trips running from samui to ko tao and ko nang yuan (the island that I mentioned above) that are for day trippers/snorkellers. We went on one on my first trip to thailand, in 1997 i think, and there were no divers on our boat and we didn't stop at any deep dive sights. I can't remember how many snorkelling stops we made though. I know we stopped at Nang Yuan but we may have gone to one other place also. Again, I was pretty impressed at the time with the snorkelling but it was my first year snorkelling - so it could in actuality be not that great at all!! You know how it is when you first go, it is beautiful and mind blowing and you have nothing to compare it too...
Hope this helps
Lucy
Jul 17th, 2005, 06:59 AM
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Lucy; Thanks.
If anyone thinks of a highly reliable fast boat firm from Samui to Koh Tao that is geared toward snorkelers, not divers, please give me the name and area they are in on the island.
We have 4 full days and want to take 1 full day trip and 2 3-4 hour trips. Are the long boats equiped with some kind of canopy? I really cannot take direct sun on my head for too long.Thanks.
If anyone thinks of a highly reliable fast boat firm from Samui to Koh Tao that is geared toward snorkelers, not divers, please give me the name and area they are in on the island.
We have 4 full days and want to take 1 full day trip and 2 3-4 hour trips. Are the long boats equiped with some kind of canopy? I really cannot take direct sun on my head for too long.Thanks.
Jul 24th, 2005, 01:36 PM
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Tamara - this is who we went with to Similan - http://www.thejunk.com/
Can also recommend Aquavision in Ao Nang, Krabi - best dive operator in that area (that I have been out with anyway)
Can also recommend Aquavision in Ao Nang, Krabi - best dive operator in that area (that I have been out with anyway)
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