Long stay accommodations on Koh Tao

[bubblegirl1976]

Hi there

I am going to Koh Tao to take my Divemasters and IDC course mid-October. I will be over there for about 4-6 months. Does anyone have any suggestions on where would be a good place to stay for that length of time? The school I am taking my IDC offers accommodations, but I am looking out for alternatives. Preferably a furnished apartment or a long-term stay in a hotel (but with a kitchen available).

Can someone offer any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[marinediva]

Hi
You are arriving just on the end of the busy season. That is good. I found a great bungalow in the main city for 4000baht a month. I left there last June. That is a very reasonable price for the facilities. Some of the other instuctors paid 2500baht amonth and some upto 7000 baht. per month.

When I first went over around the same time as you Oct 2006, I had accomodation booked for the first week. The first day I hired a scooter for 1000baht a month. Don't pay anymore than that and you may even get it cheaper. If you are staying, you may consider buying one, they can range from 7000baht and up, but at the end of the time,
you will get your money back selling it.

You have to leave your passport as a deposit. It is very common practice so do not be overly concerned. When you need it for your visa runs (don't suggest a run to Ragoon)
every month you just take the bike in and take the passport. Most visa runs take three to four days. Burma (Ragoon) only took less than 24 hours but I don't think that will be the case for a long time. During my visa runs I went to Singapore, Indonesia, and Cambodia, diving all the way.

Make sure you time them right, getting a visa at a border will only give you one month,
getting a visa at an embassy will give you two months. The last thing you need is a visa run in the middle of an IDC.

Once you have your transport you can just talk to people and watch the notice boards at the shops. There are some very amazing houses in the hills and often have rooms available to rent. The divers Huts are on the southern side of the island,
which personnally I enjoyed the most it is not so noisy at night. It also seems to be the cheaper side of the island.

Which school are you using?

I did my DM to MSDT there, and had a ball. Eight months, 1000 dives later,
Some people will put down this type of course, and it is often I read about Koh Tao in terms of Cattle Boats, it will be what you make of it.

I worked extremely hard the first month, assisting two dives morning two afternoon and one at night. When I came home I studied. Once the exams were over I started to relax a bit but still maintained four or five dives a day either assisting, training or just having some cheeky DMT FUN.

wish you all the best

 

[bubblegirl1976]

Hi marinediva

This is great advice - thanks for all of this information!

You wouldn't happen to remember the name of the place you stayed in town (Mae Haad?) did you? Was it good? What about the name of the divers huts? I've heard that the divers stay more on the southern part of the island, but because of that time, I had no intention on coming back, I never asked. I mean, I don't mind where I am staying.. however, I need a fridge in my room (for my medications) and the lack of a safe rather bothers me. And I really don't like leaving my personal items in a 'common safe' or hidden in my room.

I like your idea of just renting a moped (which I plan on doing and I am fully aware of the passport issue : ) and just seeing whats available to rent. The websites don't list/say much and most of the places available are about $800/mth. A little too pricey for my blood right now.

I am taking my IDC through BANS. I was actually there about two months ago for about three weeks of diving. And I really loved the place. When I was there, I dove with BANS and I really enjoyed my time there and the people there were great.

Thanks!

 

[marinediva]

Bans have a good reputation, for me they were a bit to blokey.
The resort I stayed at changed names three times when I was there.
I had good facilities, one room, shower toilet clean, cold water, don't expect more,
electricty, you actually might be best to buy your own fridge and install into the room yourself. You may have to install a good lock yourself. You can sell the fridge later.
They are cheap. We warned the power cuts off regularly, not more than half a day or so, but be warned in regards.

Since you have been there before, I know you will understand when I say....
get off the boat, turn right and walk also the shops and stalls towards MASTERDIVERS.
There is a road which goes to the left just before their building. To go right means you end up in the water.

400m or so up that road is a tattooist in a bark like hut. Opposite is where I stayed.
Great views of the boats and the bay.

If you don't turn left, and continue from Masterdivers down the road another 200m past them you will find a great and cheap hire spot of the left. It is run by a muslim man. take photos of the bike before hand....you been warned,

glad I can be of help,
you will have so much fun there, expect to have at least one bike accident,
I managed two, funny cause I ride a very large bike here and never came off.
You have seen the roads and Its not your abilities it is the drunks and taxi driver you have to watch for. The night we celebrated the IE I ended up in a ditch to be woken the next morning by a monk wanting to know if I wanted a hand.