We are here

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It feels a lot like we have arrived in Koh Tao right at the end of it’s most beautiful time. If we were to come back in 2 years, I imagine it will be a very different island.
Until 10 years ago this hilly island with its narrow but beautiful beaches did not feature on the backpackers to do list, and until very recently only those planning to dive were welcol-med as you had to be diving to stay. All this is changing fast, with Koh Samui now little more than a tourist trap groaning under the weight of chains and multinationals and Koh Phan Nan having taken Samui’s former mantle as the backpackers party island, little Koh Tao is becoming increasingly popular with those looking for something a little quieter, and a glimpse of Island life as it used to be.
But with more people searching for that idyll, the more likely it is to get lost. There are signs of it happening everywhere. The weekend before we arrived (which was still rainy season in the rest of Thailand) saw such an influx of visitors to Koh Tao that many were forced to sleep on beaches, in the hotel lobby or 8 to a room as every available room and bungalow was taken.
When you arrive on the ferry from Chumpong, you are greeted by a number of reps from the dive resorts looking to sighn you up. On the ferry we arrived on, one rep expressed surprise that of about 50 people aboard, only us and another couple were planning to dive.
There are small signs of building work everywhere, the odd bar, hotel, small resort spring-ing up. it’s subtle, but it’s there, and as more and more ‘boutique’ and ‘exclusive’ resorts begin to appear, with room rates 10 times the average bungalow, you can’t help but think this will inevitably change the dynamic of the island.
Until now, most visitors to the island have been looking for the simple life - just somewhere to lay their head after a day’s diving or relaxing. Therefore the ‘farang’ found themselves living literally alongside the locals in near identical accommodation - simple huts with fans, and no hot water. As the visitors were mainly divers they also had a greater respect and appreciation for the environment than perhaps the average package tourist would.
What has resulted is a truly integrated community - no separation of the rich tourists and the locals like you see in the Caribbean. In the family run restaurants and bungalows - you get to see the whole family working together, with the children never far away. The local young men gather on the street corners at night to chew the fat and compare motorbikes, whilst during the day you can see families and friends sharing a meal outside their shops.
There are opportunities for all to benefit a little from visitors, whether it’s renting out a kayak or masks and fins, offering boat tours, or letting out a room - it’s easy for everyone to become involved and make some money. This is probably why it works so well at the moment - with no big chains or all inclusive resorts taking the money straight out of the is-land again, much of the revenue stays here and goes to local businesses, farmers and fishermen.
This has undoubtedly improved the quality of life here, not least because a number of the main roads have now been paved, reducing the risks on an island of treacherous roads. Almost every young person drives a brand new motorbike or scooter and has a mobile phone.
There’s a genuine feeling of goodwill about the place, especially in the quieter less built up area where we are staying. I hope they can manage to hold on to that goodwill when the developers come calling to buy up the land.

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