Two bays in one view
Chalok Baan Kao and Shark Bay.
kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0 · kallerna — CC BY-SA 4.0
Koh Tao's most famous viewpoint, on a rocky summit at the island's southern tip, reached by a short but very steep path among rocks and roots. From the top one view takes in two bays: wide Chalok Baan Kao with its boats on one side, turquoise Shark Bay on the other, and between them a neck of land clad in forest and boulders. The climb takes about twenty minutes, ending with big boulders that visitors scramble up with the help of ropes to the highest point. The summit has room for only a few, so it crowds at sunset; early morning is quieter, cooler and kinder for photos. A small fee of about fifty baht is paid at the entrance in a nearby resort, sometimes with a bottle of water. The path is not suitable for small children or anyone who struggles with scrambling; wear trainers rather than sandals, and bring water. The Gulf of Thailand runs on a different calendar from the west coast: the sea is calmest from February to September, with heavy rain from October to December. After coming down you can swim in nearby Shark Bay, where small harmless sharks and turtles are sometimes seen.
Chalok Baan Kao and Shark Bay.
A rope-aided scramble.
Calmer than sunset.
Southern headland between Chalok Baan Kao and Shark Bay, Koh Tao
It is short but very steep, ending in a rope-aided scramble over rocks, so it is not for small children.