LONG WEEKEND GETAWAY
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Itinerary
FRIDAY
Travel from Bangkok to Koh
Tao involves a little effort, but
there are numerous options of
planes, trains or automobiles –
and boats. Fly to Phuket or Koh
Samui, or fly to Surat Thani and
take a bus. Alternatively, take
a train to numerous towns and
cities on the way, or go by bus
all the way. Whichever option,
you will take a ferry out to
the island. With more than 20
dive sites, from the tranquil
splendour of shallow-water coral
gardens to a close encounter
with a whale shark, Koh Tao
offers diving adventure for
divers of all experience levels.
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SATURDAY
Take a day trip to Sail Rock,
widely regarded as home to the
best dive sites in the area. Sail
Rock is a large, isolated pinnacle
rising 15 metres above the
surface and descending to some
40-plus metres. The highlight
is the Chimney, a large, threemetre vertical swim-through that
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SDOP
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drops from five metres down
to 18. You will find moray eels,
stingrays, crabs and shrimps in
the nooks and crannies and you
could also see passing whale
sharks, big schools of barracuda
and trevally.
For the evening, Koh Tao’s
laid-back night scene is vibrant,
but never crammed. To watch
sport visit Chopper’s Bar & Grill,
to unwind visit one of the many
massage parlours, and if you are
hungry set out into the night to
choose from the large choice
of restaurants.
SUNDAY
With day boats embarking
twice a day with two dives each
session, you can fit four into
the day if you are not flying
on Monday. Try Twins, where
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there are grouper, panda
clownfish and stingr ays, and for
macro look out for anemone
shrimp, morays, flatworms and
pipefish. Check the crevices
for baby angelfish, look out
for the juvenile sweetlips and
keep an eye on the surface for
squid and crocodile longtom.
In the evening enjoy various
platters and cuisines at Blue
Water restaurant, curated by an
innovative chef, to the sound
of an acoustic guitar and
rolling waves.
MONDAY
Before heading back to
Bangkok head for the beach.
Sairee Beach is the longest
on Koh Tao, by far the most
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