The Southwest Coast of Koh Tao is home to several small, charming, and peaceful beaches which, from our experience, is best to explore on foot. Our Free Koh Tao Hiking Tour starts from Chalok Baan Kao Bay, and we will walk along the shore past the island’s second oldest bungalows that are located just before the less well-known Saan Jao Beach. We continue walking to June Juea Bay visiting its small and lovely beach, then take a secret forest trail behind to reach Cape Je Ta Kang, an area that reflects Koh Tao’s early tourism in the ’80s. Finally, walking through a coconut plantation, we will arrive at the finish point of Free Koh Tao Hiking Tour at Sai Nuan, the most well-known beach in Koh Tao’s Southwest Coast.

The most remote and challenging mountain viewpoint of Koh Tao “Grape Viewpoint” was named and first publicised by KOH TAO : a Complete Guide in 2017. From this point, which is almost at the northern tip of Koh Tao, you will witness the beauty of Koh Nang Yuan from a very close angle. Though the highlight isn’t just the destination, it is also the trail to it. Starting from a very steep deserted concrete road in North Sairee, we hike across the most abundant dry evergreen forest of Koh Tao where decorate with giant alocasia, Platycerium ferns and wild bananas, and accompanied by the song of wild cicadas. On the way back from Grape Viewpoint, if you’re still feeling energetic, we could also hit one of the pay to visit viewpoints that offer a panoramic view of Sairee Beach.

Overland hiking is the only way to reach uninhabited Lighthouse Bay for its empty beach and that striking lighthouse tower. The recently built hiking trail is entirely tree-shaded, making its steep gradient more enjoyable to tackle. While the path winds and rolls through this tropical forest, we often spot (or hear) Nicobar pigeon, one of Thailand’s protected wildlife species that is usually feeding on the ground or flapping Caryota urens palm for its nuts. To arrive at The Lighthouse trail, we start walking from the meeting point in Eastern Sairee, which is also peaceful and importantly safer than riding a vehicle. Note that whether we can enter the lighthouse building or not depends on the maintenance schedule of the Royal Thai Navy who hold this facility – though most of the time, we could.

Sairee on the west coast, Tanote Peak on the mountain top, and Mao Bay on the east coast are connected by these pleasant walking trails. Leaving from the beach and instantly hiking up a steep mountain, you will soon be rewarded with one of the island’s most stunning view at West Coast Viewpoint. It offers a fabulous panorama of the entire west coast from Mae Haad across to Sairee and over to Koh Nang Yuan. The next destinations, Laem Thian and Mao Bay, are two of the few uninhabited bays of Koh Tao. The latter, our favourite has a unique tropical island beach forest with trees such as the huge Pandanus tectorius by a lovely waterway which in the rainy season becomes a small waterfall garden. To get to Mao Bay, we hike a hidden route that very fewer people know.