The Dearly Koh Tao Hostel

The rooms at The Dearly Koh Tao Hostel combine dormitory beds with private rooms. The dormitories have single beds and bunk beds in mixed and female rooms, and most rooms have a mountain view, air conditioning and a balcony or terrace. The shared bathrooms come with a shower, a hair dryer, toiletries and towels.

Private rooms include the Deluxe Ensuite, which has its own bathroom with a shower and a flat-screen TV, and a basic double or twin room with a shared bathroom and a choice of bed set-ups. Some rooms also have a telephone and a reading light, and outdoor furniture is set out on the balconies.

Diving, snorkelling and fishing are offered at the hostel, and tours can be arranged. Guests can use a game room with billiards and a shared lounge/TV area, and there is a terrace. Lockers and luggage storage are available, and daily housekeeping is provided. The terrace and the game room are both open to guests who want to spend time at the hostel.

A restaurant and a coffee shop are on site, and a shuttle service is offered. Free Wi-Fi covers all rooms and Wi-Fi is also available in public areas, where air conditioning is provided too. Security is provided around the clock, and staff speak English and Thai, so guests can ask for help in either language.

The hostel is on Chalok Baan Kao beach on Ko Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand that belongs to Surat Thani province. Ko Tao has no bridge, so the last part of the journey is by boat, and the island is best known for diving and snorkelling. Chalok Baan Kao is one of several bays along the island's coast, and the hostel stands on the beach itself, so the sea is close for guests who come to dive.

Several beaches and viewpoints lie within a short walk. Ao Thian beach is 750 m away, Snorkel beach is 850 m and Cindy's Tower viewpoint is 800 m. Sairee Beach, one of the island's best-known beaches, is 2.1 km away, and the nearest beaches are a short walk from the hostel.

Diving and snorkelling are the obvious things to do from here, and the hostel can arrange tours. Between dives, a walk up to the Sun Suwan Viewpoint is a good break, and the islet of Koh Nang Yuan, 5.4 km away, is a common day trip by boat. For a quieter day, stay close to Chalok Baan Kao: the nearby beaches and the Sun Suwan Viewpoint are enough for a full afternoon.