Diving Koh Tao and Back to KL from Suratthani

Diving Koh Tao and Back to KL from Suratthani

December 29, 2013|Adiek Sarah

I already booked a bed at Koh Tao Hostel from Agoda.com with 300THB per night for 2 nights. It was a small hostel, but very tidy and clean. They have 24 hours free Wifi for the residents. I have a Russian roommate and we are lucky because only 2 of us in the room of 6. It is air-conditioned room with fan as well. Aircond will be turned off during daytime and will only be turned on after 7 pm. Unfortunately, there was no hot drinking water provided and because of that, I couldn't eat my instant noodles.

Once I checked in, I had a shower (after 2 days..hehe) and had some rest before I had a walk at that area. The hostel is very close to Chalok Baan beach. I asked Elena, my roommate about nearest dive centre and she showed me the nearest to the beach.

I walked in to Buddha View Dive Centre to book for diving on the next morning. The dive centre is together with the resort is located only 50 meters from my stay. The diving price is reasonable and similar to other dive centres in Koh Tao. 1000THB for 1 dive, 900THB for 2-5 dives etc. They provide 2 dives in 1 trip for morning session and another 2 dives for the afternoon session. So, I booked 2 dives for morning session with total of 1800THB. The price is together with equipment.

After done with booking, I walked around for sightseeing and return to hostel before 7.00 pm because I still had headache from the journey just now.

On the next day, I woke up as early as 6.30 am to prepare for the dive trip. We had to gather at the dive centre at 7.15 am to check on the equipment and had some light breakfast. 2 pick up trucks were ready to transport us to the pier. The boat is quite big. The size is almost the same as fisherman boats. 

Our dive group was quite big. There were 7 divers in the group including 1 instructor and 1 trainee dive master. I was partnering with Derk, a German and he was a very good dive buddy. The 1st dive site was White Rock. At first, the view was almost nothing and very sandy. After 15 minutes diving, it became more interesting. We were diving and surrounding a huge rock, I guess that is why they called it White Rock. It was beautiful, but so many unique creatures found.

2nd dive site was called Junk Yarc. This site a pretty interesting. The called it Junk Yard because there were so many junks things sink under the water. There are some gym equipment like treadmill, dumbbell, a  set of bench, a car with toys and many more. This site also had better creatures were found like Lion Fish, Porcupine Fish, Shrimp or Crab (I'm not sure because it was too small). Still not many of them, but surely there were more interesting. 

I had completed my dive number 49 for this year. I was thinking about making it until #50 to end year 2013, but the dive site were not really interesting so didn't plan to continue it. After finished diving, we went back to the dive centre and I just hang out with Derk and another German diver, Sughern (I hope I spell it right). It was already 3 pm and I didn't have any plan to anywhere, so I went back to my room and took a shower and had some rest.

I checked out a little bit early because I'm afraid I couldn't catch the ferry. The ferry will be leaving Koh Tao at 9.30 am. Before that, I had some breakfast at a western restaurant and the only things that I was confident to eat was Toast and Egg and a cup of caramel cappuccino.

I walked from the hostel to the pier and took about 20 minutes to reach there. I can't believe I walked that far and it was too many people at the pier. Everyone has to queue up to get their tickets and there was no place to sit while waiting for the ferry. The ferry left the pier when it was almost 10 am. The ferry was not very full. The route was still the same: Koh Tao-Koh Phangan-Koh Samui-Donsak Pier, Suratthani City. This time the current was just fine and no vomit accident happened to me again.

A Dutch man sat next to me this time. He was from Koh Phangan and his name is Howey. We also talked a lot of things and most of it was about cross-cultural management as he worked with many people from many countries. We were non-stop talking until we reach the pier. A bus to Suratthani city, airport and train station already waiting for us at Donsak Pier. The bus took us to the city and there were so many local taxi drivers waiting for us at the bus stop.

This vehicle called Songthew or it was actually a pick up truck. A lady offered to go with her to Tapee Hotel for 100THB. I thought the hotel was very far, at least around 15 minutes, but it was only 5 minutes walking distance from that place. The driver, a man, was a blood sucker. That was my personal opinion. I said this because there 2 ladies and a baby in the vehicle. They were not sure where they were going, they finally pressed the button to go down once they saw the transportation hub 10 meters further, yet the driver still charged them 100THB.

I booked Tapee Hotel from Booking.com with only 550THB per room per night. The room is quite big, with TV, air-conditioned and attached bathroom, but no Wifi and hot drinking water provided, again. Haha.

The only reason I stayed at Suratthani city was because my flight to KL will on 11.20 am and the ferry arrive at the city almost 3.00 pm. Unless I took night ferry, which is actually cargo boat that carry supplies to city and island. I only stayed in the room, finished reading my novel and watching TV and prepared to fly back to Malaysia on the next morning. 

I checked out on the next morning and asked the receptionist how to get a bus to the airport. It was actually a Downtown Transportation Hub location only 5 minutes from the hotel. A travel office also located at that area and they provide bus to airport for only 100THB per person. The bus will be leaving at 9.00 am and approximately reach airport 30 minutes later. On the way to the airport, here are some pictures of the city that I managed to capture.

I arrived at LCCT around 2.00 pm Malaysia time, safe and sound. Alhamdulillah. I officially completed my 1st solo backpacking trip and that was a priceless experience I had. Maybe not interesting as many people did, but I guess it will be a good start for my next solo trips in the future.

Till then.