Tanote Bay
Best for. Couples who snorkel and want a quiet east coast bay with coral a few strokes offshore, away from the busy Sairee crowds.
Best spot. The reef just off the sand for the snorkelling, and the big offshore rock for those who want the island's best jump.
Know this. This bay faces east, so it is a sunrise beach, not a sunset one. Come early for calm water and the light, and set your romance to the morning.
Tanote Bay is the east coast antidote to the busy west of Koh Tao. It is a white crescent held between jungle hills, with a coral reef so close to shore that you can wade in, drop your face and be over fish within a few strokes. For a couple who snorkel, this is the quiet, easy pleasure the island promises, the two of you floating over coral in the morning calm, then drying off on the sand with barely anyone around. A large rock rising from the sea just offshore gives the more adventurous the island's best jump.
The honest read is that this is a snorkelling and swimming bay, not a sunset one. Because it faces east it catches the sunrise, not the evening light, so the romance here is the early swim rather than the golden hour drink. It is a little more built up than Koh Tao's wildest coves, with two resorts and their restaurants on the sand, but it stays calm and uncrowded compared with Sairee. There are no lifeguards, so mind the reef and the current, and wear something on your feet against the coral.
The reward for crossing to the east is quiet water and living reef within reach of the beach, the best of Koh Tao without the crowds. Come in the dry months when the water is clearest, treat the jump rock with respect, and use the two resort restaurants for a long lunch between swims. When you want the island's nightlife and the sunset strip, Sairee is a short scooter ride back across the hills, but the morning belongs to Tanote.
Clubs near this beach
Tanote Bay has no daybed beach clubs. Its scene is two low key beachside resorts and their restaurants, quiet places to eat and drink between swims rather than a party strip.
The two resort restaurants
Tanote Bay is framed by a pair of low key resorts whose restaurants sit right on the sand, the easiest place to buy a cold drink, a Thai lunch or a slow dinner between snorkels. One perches on the hillside with a view over the bay and a pool, the other sits closer to the water, and both welcome day visitors spending time on the beach. There is no reserved daybed club here, and opening hours shift with the season, so details are to be confirmed on the day.
The reef and the jump rock
The real draw at Tanote is the water rather than a venue. The coral reef begins a few metres off the beach, so the snorkelling is some of the easiest on Koh Tao, and the large rock offshore lets the confident climb a chain and jump from a height into the sea. It is free, it is natural, and it is why couples cross to the east coast. Treat the current and the reef with care, since there are no lifeguards on the bay.
Across to the east coast
Tanote Bay sits on the east coast of Koh Tao, about six kilometres from the main hub at Sairee, reached by a concrete road that climbs and drops over the island's spine. Most visitors ride a scooter across, arrange a taxi from Sairee or Mae Haad, or stay at one of the two bay resorts. The road is steep in places, so ride with care or take a lift if you are not confident on two wheels.
Come in the dry months for the clearest water, and time your swim for the calm early hours when the reef is easiest and the light is best. Bring a mask, reef safe sun cream and something for your feet against the coral, and carry water and cash since services on this side are limited to the resorts. There are no lifeguards, so mind the reef and the current, treat the jump rock with respect, and treat calm conditions as typical rather than guaranteed.
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Common questions about Tanote Bay
Is Tanote Bay good for snorkelling?
Yes, it is one of the best shore snorkelling bays on Koh Tao. A coral reef begins only a few metres from the sand, so you can wade in and be over fish within a few strokes, with good visibility in the dry season. Wear something on your feet against the coral, mind the current, and remember there are no lifeguards on the bay.
Can you jump off the rock at Tanote Bay?
Yes. A large rock rising from the sea just offshore is Koh Tao's most famous jump, reached by a short swim and a climb up a fixed chain to a height of several metres. It is popular with the adventurous, but it is entirely at your own risk, so judge the water and your ability, and only jump if you are a confident swimmer.
Is Tanote Bay good for a sunset?
Not really, because the bay faces east. Tanote catches the sunrise rather than the sunset, so the magic here is an early morning swim in calm, clear water rather than an evening drink by the sea. For a Koh Tao sunset, the west coast around Sairee is the place, a short scooter ride back across the island.
How do you get to Tanote Bay?
It is on the east coast, about six kilometres from Sairee, reached by a concrete road over the island's hills. Most visitors ride a scooter, take a taxi from Sairee or Mae Haad, or stay at one of the two bay resorts. The road is steep in places, so ride carefully or arrange a lift if you are unsure on a scooter.
When is the best time to visit Tanote Bay?
The dry months, roughly January to April, bring the calmest and clearest water for snorkelling. Later in the year this side of the island can catch wind and rain, which clouds the water and makes the crossing less pleasant, so aim for the dry season and an early start for the best of the bay.
