Koh Tao is a beautiful Island and it is not so big. There is 3 main Koh Tao viewpoint on the Island and I pity that I only visited 1, but the most beautiful one, that’s what people say.
I went to John-Suwan Viewpoint that is kind of close to the Hostel where I’m staying. It’s about a 20 min walk until the 1st direction boards, the way up takes the time your physical shape allows! It is a tough climb to the very top of this Koh Tao Viewpoint. The way up among the rocks is very stepping and the humidity of the island combined with the heat will not help you. I took a while to reach the top, but the view is so much worth as well as the view along the way is also good.
I was stupid enough to wear flipflops, but please don’t do the same. I was slipping all the time until I reach a point that walking barefoot is safer than with flipflops on. I was sweating so much that my feet were too sweaty to handle inside the flipflops. I was feeling like I have the reddest face on earth so I fear that I’m really out of shape, but then I look to a few other travelers that were doing the same and I’m no longer thinking that. Take a lot of water with you! To climb there are a few ropes that help you otherwise it gets really complicated to climb. Finally, reaching the top is a good rewarding for all the effort.
I was even more mesmerized at this Koh Tao viewpoint because this is my first time on a paradisiac island. What a breathtaking view! The blue is different from each side of the island. One is darker than the other and that contrast is a wonderful and surprising sight. The highest point is on the top of rocks so there isn’t much place to stay. For that reason, I haven’t spent long there as there were other tourists trying to reach the same spot. Also, I went at midday and it was too hot to stand there under the sun. This place is surrounded by trees and you can’t get any view when you are outside this higher rocks.
The way down is easier but even more slippery. I was dying to reach Freedom Beach and dive into those crystal clear waters. Freedom Beach is just next to John-Suwan Viewpoint, and I’m sure you will want to go swim there after the hard time spent to reach this Koh Tao viewpoint.
As the other viewpoint on the Island is quite a walk, I decided to go with a friend I just met there on a motorbike. You can see many tourists riding motorbikes to explore the Island, and that is actually the best way to discover it and the wonderful beaches it has to offer. The problem is that I suck at riding a motorbike. The path to this 2nd Viewpoint is so stepping that my friend falls from her motorbike and I follow because I stopped to help her. This is where I twist my ankle and I decided not to rent a motorbike any other time on this trip. Not only because I lost days of exploring because I couldn’t walk, but also because on the way to Mango Bay my friend falls again and she got bruises on her knees, elbows, her motorbike was really damaged and I decided that I don’t wanna come across this feeling again. This is why I haven’t visited Mango Bay decently. You need to ride really carefully when visiting this spot because just after a huge downhill there is sand, and that’s the reason why there are many tourists with roller bandages not only in Koh Tao but also in other Islands. Coincidently I meet another girl that fall on the same spot lol.
So, just be really careful while driving if you don’t have the experience like me.
