Chalok Baan Kao Hotels, Koh Tao
7 Quiet South-Bay Stays
for Calm Swimming & Diving!

The top score in this article at 9.1 — Ko Tao Resort's Paradise Zone is a hillside resort above Chalok Baan Kao bay whose headline feature is an infinity pool that runs out over the bay and Shark Island. Couples repeatedly say the pool view at sunset is the reason they booked. Most rooms and the restaurant face the sea, and several have a balcony and a bathtub. Because it sits up the hill, the resort runs a free shuttle down to Chalok Baan Kao beach, Freedom Beach, the pier and Sairee, on call all day — so you don't need to rent a scooter to get around.

Newly opened, so reviews are still few (8 on Trip.com) but those who've been rate the location a full 10/10 — Emerald Gulf is a 4-star, 35-room resort on the south side of Chalok Baan Kao, selling sea views from the room balconies and an infinity pool over the sea. Guests single out the bay view from the bedroom and balcony as one of the best on the island. Rooms are new, with air conditioning, a fridge, a minibar and a coffee machine, and some have a bathtub. It's close to Assava and the dive shops in the area, about 1.3 km from Sai Nuan beach.

Scoring 8.9 from 73 reviews — a family-run resort going for over 30 years that steps its wooden bungalows down the rocks straddling Freedom Beach and Taa Toh Bay at the far south end. The draw is that you can snorkel over the coral off both beaches in front of your room, and the John-Suwan viewpoint — where three bays line up at once — is a short walk up. The sea-view bungalows on the rocks have the best spots, and there's a beach bar and kayaks to use. To be straight: this place is about the beaches and the view, not luxury rooms — many bungalows mean steps and narrow wooden jetties, and a few corners are under-maintained.

Going since 1997 (formerly Sunshine Resort), Fisherman is a small resort on Chalok Baan Kao beach whose standout is an infinity pool and a thatched beach bar strung with festoon lights, looking out over the bay in the evening. It's nautical-themed throughout, with around 29 bungalows and rooms set in a garden, a few steps from the sand. The beachfront location and the poolside-bar atmosphere are the real draw. To be straight: the overall score is middling (Tripadvisor 3/5) and some rooms and corners are showing their age — come here for the location and the vibe rather than brand-new rooms.

Scoring 8.0 from 63 reviews — New Heaven is a resort tied to a well-known dive school focused on reef conservation, right on Chalok Baan Kao beach (about 200 m from the sand). There's a beachfront swimming pool, both private rooms and dorms, and beachfront rooms above the Kopee restaurant that look over the pool and the white sand of Chalok bay. It suits anyone here to learn to dive or freedive who wants to stay where they train, and there are yoga classes too. Rooms are simple but clean — the focus is the location and the dive packages rather than luxury.

Scoring 7.7 from over 856 reviews and starting at just ฿750 — Tropicana is a budget resort of rooms and bungalows a one-minute walk from Chalok Baan Kao beach. There are around 25 rooms and bungalows, fan and air-conditioned, a small pool and a Thai-Western restaurant. The draw is a spot by the quiet south bay at a low price, with dive shops and shops close by in the village. To be straight: rooms are basic, some are dated, and reviews mention cleanliness and mosquitoes at times — come for the price and the location, not pretty rooms.

Scoring 9.2 from 99 reviews and starting at just ฿550 — The Dearly is a hostel with an on-site PADI 5-Star dive centre, the highest-rated of the budget stays on this side, set on the south side near Chalok Baan Kao and Freedom Beach, about 1.9 km from Mae Haad pier. There's a swimming pool, free breakfast and a free beach shuttle, and guests praise the friendly staff and the quiet setting. It has both dorm beds and private rooms. A good fit if you're here to do your Open Water course or you're a backpacker after a clean, high-scoring stay on a budget — though for a beachfront feel you'll take the shuttle down.