Koh Tao Coral Grand Resort Ko Tao

Arrived in Chumporn on a bus which smelt of poo and then we got a catamaran to Koh Tao, which all seemed very jolly until it set off and the staff immediately started handing out sick bags. The boat rocked like Led Zeppelin and 90% of the passengers chucked up over the side and into their sick bags. I thought it was all quite funny, but Zoe wasn't as amused, she's probably less used to a swift puke than me. Nothing to be proud of I know. Anyway she soon saw the lighter side when we were enjoy...

Loving life in Koh Tao. This place is really relaxed and friendly and still relatively quiet as the big summer season hasn't quite kicked in yet. We're staying at a place called the Coral Grand Resort, really nice place and we get really cheap accomodation as Rich is doing his open water diving course with them. Yesterday we spent the afternoon snorkeling. We went on one of the diving boats out to a place called shark bay! Slightly ominous but quite safe we were assured! Absolutely stunning s...

Well we arrived in Bangkok and sat around in the airport for about 6 hours trying to catch SARS and waiting for Anna to show up. We spent the next couple of days generally being bums and doing a little shopping in the malls and markets. While fairly nice we decided it was time to head out to somewhere prettier. We hooked up with a train ride down to Chumphon and hopped on a ferry out to the island of Kho Tao. Kho Tao is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever ever been to. We ar...

Well, travel by train is pretty cool! I'm happy that I'll be heading back to Bangkok on another sleeper train. On this leg I had an upperbunk with no window, but it was fine - like having my own little cubbyhole that rocked me to sleep. (Albeit sometimes a bit violently!) Once in Chumpon, the boat company I had a reservation with took me to their station to wait and have breakfast with many other travelers all heading out to the islands. At around 6 am we all took a quick bus trip across town...

After leaving the Coral Grand Resort I made my way into town and caught a taxi to the ferry peir. I had a ticket booked on a highspeed catamaran to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan, home of the famous fullmoon parties. The seas were much rougher today and I spent the whole hour long trip white-knuckled and staring at the horizon as the boat lurched and flung itself through some big swells. Luckier than many, I managed to keep my breakfast...though the entire ride was spent in fear of a s...

12 Sep 03 Songthaew to Tong Salat in the north of Koh Phan Ngan and caught the ferry to Koh Tao. Touts for many of Koh Tao's thirty or so dive companies boarded the ferry and for the duration of the journey gave the big sell to anyone who would listen. Thankfully we'd already booked our diving course through a friend, James' who is a dive instructor with Coral Grand Divers. James had arranged for the companies minibus to pick us up from the pier and as we walked on to the beach a thai man was...

Entry containing 9 photos titled: Coral Grand Resort, Koh Tao, Koh Taho, Dive Course stuff, new friend, Koh Tao, Cool tourists, Chompun, Chompun

And I'm now andAdvanced Open Water Diver... but more on that later ;)

Koh Tao, a very small island north of Koh Phangan, is famous for its glorious dive sites - and Nikki and I dove right in. Pun INTENDED. We are changed people. Instead of lazy backpackers who shudder at rising earlier than 9, we have become Serious Adventure-Seeking Divers who are ready for the dive boat at 6 a.m. We have spent a week on Koh Tao, at a lovely resort called Coral Grand Divers - well, lovely after changing rooms to escape the Australian next door who made regular shouting busines...