Sairee Beach
A kilometre and a half of sand on the west coast, and half the island's dive schools.
Duration
1 hr 30 min – 4 hrs
Best time
At sunset
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Sairee is Koh Tao's main beach and its nerve centre: a kilometre and a half of west-facing sand, backed by a pedestrian lane lined with dive schools, gear shops and food counters.
Koh Tao issues more diving certifications a year than almost anywhere on earth, and that lane is why: competition is such that an open-water course costs less here than in Europe, accommodation included. The beach itself shelves very gently, which makes it poor for swimming and perfect for sunset.
Getting there
On the west coast, ten minutes on foot from the Mae Haad pier. No transport needed.
Rules on site
Longtails land straight on the sand and manoeuvre under power close to swimmers: swim beyond the buoys, never between them and the beach.