The Best Sunset in Koh Tao
Koh Tao was already one of my favorite islands, but this time, the insanely stunning sunset made me fall for it even more.
I first discovered Koh Tao a few years ago, and since then it has somehow become my favorite island in Thailand so far.
Koh Tao is charming on its own — a small island full of activities where you can easily spend the whole day outside, letting your skin touch the sun and the sea.
There are several ways to travel to Koh Tao, and here I’ll share how I got there, what I did, and of course, the amazing sunset views.
From Bangkok, you can buy a ticket from Lomprayah, and it usually includes the bus from Bangkok to Chumphon Pier, followed by a catamaran boat from Chumphon Pier to Koh Tao. The price is around 1,500 THB per person. The whole journey takes around 12 hours, but overall it’s quite comfortable.The bus leaves from Khao San Road around 9 p.m., and you’ll arrive at Chumphon Pier around 6 a.m. There will be one stop along the way for you to rest and eat.
Then once you arrive at Chumphon Pier, the boat leaves around 7 a.m. and takes about 2 hours to reach Koh Tao.
Looking at the sunrise at the pier was already such a good start to the trip.
Finally, welcome to Koh Tao.
The most affordable and easiest way to get around Koh Tao is by motorbike. Rental usually costs around 200–250 THB per day. I would only recommend it if you already know how to ride, especially on an island like this where the roads are not always smooth and the landscape is not exactly flat or easy. Also, get insurance just in case.
For this trip, we stayed at Haadtien Beach Resort. This was actually our third time staying here. We really like the vibe of the hotel and the location, especially because it has its own beach where you can go snorkeling anytime
The hotel also has two pools, and each one gives a completely different vibe.
You can literally just walk out from your room and head straight to the beach for snorkeling.
Viewpoints I’d Recommend
Sunset View at Had Sai Ree
Had Sai Ree is one of the most famous beaches in Koh Tao, full of restaurants and bars. To me, this spot is definitely more for extroverted people. Don’t come here looking for calmness or quiet, because that’s not really the vibe.
The highlight of Had Sai Ree is definitely the sunset. And if you’re lucky like I was, you might get the best sunset ever. The whole sky turned so vibrant, and every single minute the colors kept changing, just like you can see from the photos below.
I honestly have no words to describe it. It was just so beautiful. I’ve been to Koh Tao many times, and this was the best sunset I’ve ever seen here.
Top Point Koh Tao
If you want a bit of cardio and a way to get your heart rate up, I’d recommend this viewpoint. The road going up is very steep. Even though both of us were on the motorbike, at one point I had to get off and walk because the bike didn’t have enough power to carry two people all the way up.
But once you reach the top, this is the view.
From this viewpoint, you can see Koh Nang Yuan, one of the most famous islands in Thailand. It’s known for the beautiful sandbar that connects the islands when the sea level is low.
You do have to pay 100 THB per person to enter, but I think it’s pretty worth it for this view.
Most people come to Koh Tao for scuba diving, whether they are complete beginners or already experienced divers. I did my Open Water class a few years ago, and I might write a full review about it later. For now, I’ll just leave a photo here because it was also one of the best experiences I’ve had.
2026 – WITHPATZ
With Patz 