How to get to Tanote Beach on Koh Tao
Located on the east coast of Koh Tao, Tanote beach is ideal for visitors who want a sandy beach with enough space to relax and sunbathe on.
Beach Activities
It is a popular beach for beach games and picnics plus water activities such as snorkeling, kayaking and swimming.
Surrounded by lush, green tropical jungle, it is also one of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches on the island.
Easily accessible by road from Mae Haad, the beach is well signposted and there is a public parking area near the end of the road.
Accommodation Choices at Tanote Beach
From the car park, you can walk down the path to the beach itself. There are resorts located around the beach, however, all the buildings are set back from the water, leaving plenty of beach front space.
As the buildings are set back from the beach, there is a lack of shade on the beach itself and it can get very hot.
Food & Drink
The only way to get some respite from the sun is to visit one of the resort restaurants for some refreshments and a bit of shade.
For visitors who want to swim while visiting Tanote beach, you can access the water along the beach, but it is worth remembering the water depth increases to a depth of 3-4 metres quite quickly.
Snorkel & Swim at Tanote Beach Koh Tao
You can also rent kayaks from shops along the beach, giving you the opportunity to visit Laem Thian Cape, which is only accessible by water or by hiking through the jungle.
With lots of underwater rock formations on both sides of the bay area, this is an ideal location for snorkeling.
Rock Jumping
Towards the centre of the bay, there is a special large granite boulder rising high above the water, which is popular with rock jumpers.
The calm, warm sea off Tanote beach offers swimmers and snorkelers the opportunity to see an abundance of marine life including rabbitfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, groupers and much more.
Diverse Marine Life at Tanote Beach
If you swim or snorkel out into deeper water in the middle of the bay, you may be lucky to witness the blacktip reef sharks that are regular visitors to the area.
Tanote beach is also ideally located to provide a base if you want to explore the several viewpoints in this area of the island.
Visit the Viewpoints Close to Tanote beach
Tanote Peak, West Coast Viewpoint, Two Views and Love Koh Tao viewpoints are all relatively close and it is an approximate 40-minutes walk to reach the first of these, which is the east facing Love Koh Tao viewpoint.
If you are a keen hiker with water supplies, sturdy shoes and a hat, you can hike through the jungle over the mountain and make your way to Sairee beach.
Popular Beach
Tanote beach is one of the most popular beaches on Koh Tao and can get a little busy during the day with beach and water based activities going on and food and drink available.
There is accommodation available at the resorts and bungalows available for more independent living. If you are an early riser, be sure to get up and watch the sun rising above the eastern horizon.
