Koh Tao is more than 21km square and is located approximately 70km east off the coastline between the Thai provinces of Surat Thani and Chumpon. Koh Tao means Turtle Island in Thai because in the past the waters surrounding it were rich in hawksbill and green sea turtles.
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Koh Tao is one of the top destinations in Thailand for scuba diving and is very popular with people learning to scuba dive. Turtles are frequently spotted around this beautiful tropical islands scuba diving sites which are numerous & frequently dived by diving schools from both Phangan & Samui.

Initially the island was used as a political prison but in 1947 the incumbent Prime Minister pleaded and received a Royal Pardon for all prisoners on the island. Once the prisoners left, a number of fishermen 'pioneers' from the neighbouring island of Phangan, directly south of Koh Tao, sailed across and staked claim to a large portion of land on what today is called Sairee Beach. During the past 10 years the reputation of Turtle Island's natural beauty, especially its marine and coral life, turned the island into the new South East Asian Mecca for those learning to dive.

Today, island infrastructure is improving fast and with links via high-speed catamarans serving the Samui-Tao and Chumpon-Tao routes. The sea journey is fast and pleasant

There are an increasing number of higher end resorts springing up around the island. There are numerous dive schools and diving operators, as well as action and adventure options such as wake boarding, kayaking and jungle trekking, to participate in.