Koh Tao's port town

Mae Haad Bay

Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao

Mae Haad Bay is the port town where all piers are located. There is still a feel of the local Thai lifestyle here. This is also where the government offices, the police station, the post office, health centre, banks, school, and temple can be found.

Mae Haad Bay is a good place for shopping for Thai souvenirs, beachwear, beach games, and handmade jewellery. There are dive equipment stores where you can buy everything from masks and fins for snorkeling to the latest scuba diving gear. Local fresh market shops and stalls are also located here, where tropical fruit and local ingredients are found.

An exciting place to snorkel in Mae Haad Bay is the shipwreck that sank in 1962, located at the south end of the bay in front of Sensi Paradise Resort. There are generally lots of fish here, and you may be accompanied by a massive school of fusiliers and the blue spotted rays and sweetlips hiding about the place.

Getting around Koh Tao by foot from this bay is safe and easy, but be careful on the main roads. Go north to Sairee Beach if you are looking for crowds and convenience, or go south to Sai Nuan Beach for a ‘back to nature’ feel and its peaceful simplicity, reminiscent of Koh Tao in days gone by. A small brick beach road, no cars, just a few bikes, will take you to Sairee Beach, while a walkway along the southwestern coast will lead to Jansom Bay, Sai Nuan Beach and June Juea Bay in less than an hour.

Seaside
The French Market
Zest

An exciting place to snorkel in this area is the shipwreck that sank in 1962, located at the south end of the bay.

Hotels in Koh Tao

Hotels in Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao

On the west side of Koh Tao, this bay is only busy in the centre of the bay. To the north or south of town, it gets quieter. There is plenty of accommodation in the area, and it is convenient…

Restaurants

Restaurants
in Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao

Koh Tao offers a great chance to sample different authentic cuisines so that you can travel the culinary world in just a few days. Here is our selection of restaurants in Mae Haad…

Road access
Good concrete road throughout.

The Best Diving Schools in Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao

French Kiss Divers, Mae Haad Bay

French Kiss Divers, Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao
First opened in 2012, French Kiss Divers Koh Tao is an SSI affiliated diving school that focuses on the Francophone traveller market who come to the island. Although it is a smaller diving school, French Kiss Divers has provided a name for itself for all the different training opportunities they offer in the diving field…

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Impian Divers, Koh Tao

Impian Divers, Koh Tao
Impian Divers teaches most of their courses following the IDD program (Instructor Dive Development), which is a well-known European professional dive organisation and is internationally recognised. PADI and SSI courses are offered as well; however, most students get IDD certified. All dive courses are taught…

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Escape Divers

Escape Divers, Mae Haad Bay, Koh Tao
Escape Divers, a new RAID diving school in Mae Haad Bay offers excellent diving experiences for all levels. Their expert instructors, and new equipment ensure a captivating underwater adventure. Conveniently located near the main pier of Koh Tao, they provide hassle-free dives with discounts…

Read our review of Escape
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