In the beginning of August, I set off from New Zealand after 10 months living there. About 24 hours of travel later I landed in Bangkok and a couple days later took a bus and ferry to Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. I had set my eyes on this island with the intention to get my scuba certification, learning a long time ago that it was considered one of the best places to learn. I also decided to volunteer in a guesthouse in exchange for accommodation, and so I stayed in Koh Tao for 4 weeks. 

The island is the smallest of the three in the gulf (the other two are Koh Phangan and Koh Samui) and very beautiful. It’s got that beautiful clear water, coral reefs just off the shore, gorgeous sunsets, lush jungle hills. Most visitors end up extending their stay and a decent amount seem to decide to never leave. It’s one of those ideal island paradises with easy walkability, easy beach access, lots of cute shops, and very well known for its parties. 

The diving really is spectacular here, although as a first point of reference for me I can’t say how it compares to anywhere else (yet). I did my PADI course in 3 days and went to 4 dive sites filled with huge swarms of barracuda, neon bright fish, rays, eels, nudibranches (my favorites), and much more. I absolutely loved getting to go deep in the ocean and see all the amazing life down there and it’s made me very excited to dive more. Koh Tao’s diving spots boast sightings of turtles, manta rays, and the elusive whale shark, but I was not fortunate enough to get to see any of those. That either means I’m meant to see them elsewhere or I’m meant to return to Koh Tao…I suppose we’ll see. 

I loved my time in Koh Tao, but I think it’s important to note that it’s incredibly tourist centered. For anyone seeking “real Thailand” this is not the place to go. It didn’t make it any less of an amazing place to visit, but it was very evident that it had become an accommodated spot. The food I had was always amazing (curry fried rice, tom yum, massaman curry, pad kra pao, etc) but I feel I went to less than a handful of places that served food not for western mouths. 

What made the experience for me was volunteering at the guesthouse. Most of the staff was Thai and I loved getting to hang out with them. They happily shared food with me (like chicken liver haha), took me to Thai BBQ, and I learned a lot about life in Thailand. Through working reception I got to meet lots of other travelers and hear about the places I plan to go. I found it enjoyable to work; vacationing all the time can get boring and I like having something to do. 

“Oh poor Jade, she’s on a long term vacation and gets bored with it, so she has to find work to occupy herself”

Well, yes, but also it helps me keep my costs down and stay longer in certain spots. I’m loving a balance of visiting some places for a few days and staying longer in some. Slow travel when you have the chance is lovely way to really experience a place.