Ao Luek Beach

Our favourite beach in Koh Tao June/July 2024 - one of the only beaches that feels like it has it all, easy enough entry via bike or taxi (a bit hilly but nothing mental) - go right towards the 50 baht per person car park if you don’t have too much experience on the bike. Powdery sand in parts, crystal clear cool water that’s actually deep enough to swim right off the beach this time of year at low tide unlike other beaches on the island. Sandy underfoot in the sea, amazing snorkelling along both sides of the beach. Guaranteed to see baby reef sharks on the left side of the beach. We spent most of our time sat on the more comfortable padded sun beds in the restaurant on the far left of the beach, you just have to buy a drink to sit there and it’s way more comfortable, it overlooks the rocks and snorkelling area and you can see the baby sharks from where you lay if you don’t fancy going in! The views are beautiful, it was never over crowded and we didn’t see any trash or algae like other nearby beaches! I think like all beaches in Thailand how nice the water is here is dependant on the currents and time of year. But fore sure June/July for us was amazing!

Favorite beach in Koh Tao. We saw baby reef sharks and a turtle, plus so many colorful fish. There are cozy sun loungers, bars and restaurants, and nice bathrooms and it’s not a hike to reach the beach, so it’s worth the 50 baht you have to pay to enter. You can rent mask and snorkel here and you should because the water is calm and lovely to swim in— swim to the left to the coral reefs, and the baby sharks stay close to the rocks!

Best beach in Koh Tao. Clear water, no rocks in the seafloor, clean sand. Good place to snorkel on the sides, but you can also spot baby sharks even without snorkeling. 50 baht entrance, but deserved since you can use the sun loungers and shade

Stunning beach, great for swimming or snorkelling. Beautiful white sand swimming area in the middle with magnificent coral reefs on both sides. Lots of fish and a few baby sharks. The left hand reef has had a lot more damage due to people standing on the coral or hitting it with fins - please don’t do this!! A few places to eat / get an umbrella/ lounge chair. Lots of snorkelling tour boats come through so at any moment it can be mobbed with 50 snorkelers. We went down through Aow Luek Hill Hotel and weren’t charged to enter. You have to take the left fork early (see map screenshot). It was great spot to order a drink and sit on the loungers under the umbrellas but the food wasn’t amazing.

The BEST spot to snorkel! We saw so many baby sharks and turtles 🤯😍 So beautiful and the water is CRYSTAL clear. If you swim to the left towards the rocks you will 100% see baby sharks and if you’re lucky turtles as well. 50 baht entrance fee - you can use the seabeds and recommended buy something from the menu. If you walk down you can also rent snorkels. Literally cannot get over this place - by far my favourite places to snorkel