The island of Koh Tao, located in the Gulf of Thailand, translates to “Turtle Island”. It was so named because of the island’s shape and the amount of turtles that came to nest on its beaches. It’s only about 21 square km and is remotely located about 70 km from the mainland.
From 1933 to 1947, Koh Tao was used as a jail for political prisoners of the Bowaradech uprising. Many were transferred from Koh Tarutao to Koh Tao by reason of its location right in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand.
The community of Koh Tao began to grow in 1947 when the villagers from Koh Samui and Koh Phangan immigrated here. Before that, there were some people who came and used the land for coconut plantations and small fisheries.
During the past 15 years, the reputation of Koh Tao’s natural beauty expanded, especially the marine life and coral reefs due to the island’s distance from the mouth of Mae Nam Tapi, which affords high visibility. It soon became one of the major dive locations in South East Asia and today, things are different on the island! Koh Tao has become the Mecca for scuba divers and folks who want to learn diving. Here at Sairee Cottage Diving in Koh Tao, we’re taking your diving experience to a new level! We will teach you how to become a PADI Diving Instructor yourself!
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