Koh Tao Thailand

The island of Koh Tao in Thailand is not just beautiful, it also has an interesting history. The island is named for the hordes of turtles that used to be found in the waters nearby. "Tao" in Thai means turtle and "Koh" means island so the literal translation is Turtle Island. Prior to WW's 1 and 2 there were no people living on the island, just the turtles, however during the war Koh Tao was used as a prison to hold political prisoners. This lasted from 1933 to 1947 at which time all prisoners were given a pardon and released.

The island remained uninhabited for decades after this until tourists began to discover the beauty and tranquility of the island roughly 40 years ago. Growth has been slow thanks to the fact that the island is a bit out of the way and difficult to reach, however these days there are over 1500 people that call Koh Tao home year round and over 100,000 visitors that come to enjoy the idyllic beaches and clear waters surrounding the island.

Even though the turtles have moved on to more private living, Koh Tao is still a top destinations for scuba diving enthusiasts and the bulk of the residents and visitors are connected to diving in some way. Some of the world's best dive spots are in the vicinity of the island and many people come specifically for the diving. Naturally this has meant a large number of dive masters have set up shop on Koh Tao making it easy to find a dive group and to even learn how to scuba dive and get your open water diving certification.

Even if diving isn't your thing, the natural beauty of the island makes it worth visiting. Where else would you have the opportunity to find a beach fringed with palm trees and turquoise waters that you can have all to yourself? Plus there are several places where you can learn about yoga and Tai Chi as well as having one of the amazing Thai massages that will melt the stress from your body.

All in all, Koh Tao is definitely one of the remaining islands where nature is still in full evidence and yet modern conveniences are available. If I was you I would make every effort to book your next holiday on this wonderful Thai island before the laid back atmosphere and natural beauty is gone forever.