Ao Thian Ok
Ao Thian Ok
4
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
134 reviews
Excellent
61
Very good
47
Average
19
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Ay_tim
Salt Lake City, UT1,377 contributions
Jun 2017 • Solo
This is the same place as Shark bay. Trip advisor should merge the reviews.
I was too harsh when I rated this bay with only 3 stars last time. I was on a snorkel trip and our boat stopped way out in the water and all you could see was bleak sea bottom and a few fish. When I went back on my own and snorkeled from the shore I found shark bay to be a great snorkel location. It is so huge. You could snorkel here all day and not see it all but you might get bored since it is a lot of the same thing over and over. Shark bay doesn't have the huge boulders for snorkeling around like you find in the East coat bays on koh tao. But there is lots of coral in mounds on the sea bed and there are lots of fish and of course there are sharks. I've seen sharks there every time I went except the 1st time when I went with the snorkel tour. We probably scared them all away with the tour crowd. My wife did see one during the tour.
I've snorkeled at almost all locations around Koh Tao. Here's how I rank the snorkeling after two summers of snorkeling around koh tao. 10 stars being the best snorkel locations. I added a star if the location has a great beach and scenery in addition to the snorkeling:
10 Tanote bay (east), Ao Leuk bay (east), Mango bay (North)
9 Light house bay (North East), Hin wong bay (East), Koh Nang Yuan (North west)
8 Jansom bay (south west), Freedom beach (South), Laem Thien bay (East), shark bay (south east)
7 Sai Nuan beach (south West)
6 Jun Juea beach (south) Not much coral but I saw a turtle here.
I was told not to bother snorkeling at these locations so I didn't.
Sairee beach, Mae Haad beach, Chalok bay
I did not visit Sai daeng beach but understand it's a great place to see sharks.
I was too harsh when I rated this bay with only 3 stars last time. I was on a snorkel trip and our boat stopped way out in the water and all you could see was bleak sea bottom and a few fish. When I went back on my own and snorkeled from the shore I found shark bay to be a great snorkel location. It is so huge. You could snorkel here all day and not see it all but you might get bored since it is a lot of the same thing over and over. Shark bay doesn't have the huge boulders for snorkeling around like you find in the East coat bays on koh tao. But there is lots of coral in mounds on the sea bed and there are lots of fish and of course there are sharks. I've seen sharks there every time I went except the 1st time when I went with the snorkel tour. We probably scared them all away with the tour crowd. My wife did see one during the tour.
I've snorkeled at almost all locations around Koh Tao. Here's how I rank the snorkeling after two summers of snorkeling around koh tao. 10 stars being the best snorkel locations. I added a star if the location has a great beach and scenery in addition to the snorkeling:
10 Tanote bay (east), Ao Leuk bay (east), Mango bay (North)
9 Light house bay (North East), Hin wong bay (East), Koh Nang Yuan (North west)
8 Jansom bay (south west), Freedom beach (South), Laem Thien bay (East), shark bay (south east)
7 Sai Nuan beach (south West)
6 Jun Juea beach (south) Not much coral but I saw a turtle here.
I was told not to bother snorkeling at these locations so I didn't.
Sairee beach, Mae Haad beach, Chalok bay
I did not visit Sai daeng beach but understand it's a great place to see sharks.
Written January 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claireu_RA
Bali, Indonesia105 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
Ao Thian Ok, or Sharks Bay is a beautiful stretch of soft bright-white sandy beach, with stunning contrasting turquoise waters. It is flanked by the Haadtien Beach Resort, which is probably one of the most contemporary and luxury resorts on the island.
We visited the beach on numerous occasions by various means; kayaking from our resort at Saideng, a longtail boat, and via taxi car meaning we walked through the resort and down onto the beach. If you do decide to come via car or bike, be aware that there is a sign which states 100 baht entry pp, however we were very lucky and mooched right in past the resort staff and they didn't bat an eyelid!
If you want to experience a bit of luxury in Koh Tao, this beach definitely gives off that vibe - in comparison to other more relaxed and rustic parts of the island (The crowd tends to be slightly older).
There are beach villas (part of the resort), a couple of fancy bars and restaurants and a pool right on the beach. However, there are a number of longtail boats, kayakers and daytrippers so you don't feel like you are intruding.
The sea is incredibly warm and shallow here, and in our experience barely any waves. It was very warm, and a bit murky. You have to be careful of broken coral underfoot so reef shoes are recommended although don't use this as an excuse to tread on the live corals!
You have to snorkel quite far out to get to see fairly decent underwater life. Its quite murky, and a lot of dead coral. However you will find on the right hand side of the bay, there is a collection of boats which are moored quite far out. If you have the energy to swim that far (fins recommended) you will be lucky enough to discover black tip reef sharks and some different types of fish, which we did not see in other parts of the island.
On the left hand side of the bay, there is a great little rustic Thai beach bar and bungalows which is right next to the Haadtien bar and restaurant. You can only access this by wading through the shallow waters, and up some rocky steps.
Here, you'll find a cheaper more traditional offering of food and drink and a great view of the bay - very good photo opportunities!
The owners are very nice, although service is a little on the slow side if they have a few customers as there are only a couple of people running the kitchen and the bungalows. (I can report great pancakes, and very reasonably priced fruit shakes!)
Overall, definitely not our favourite spot on Koh Tao but a great stop-off point on your adventures.
Tips:
Toilets - If you are stopping off here, I highly recommend using the loos at the Haddtien resort just behind the pool. They are very nice!
Sunglasses - The sand is so bright-white it can be blinding, so make sure you bring your sunnies, and enjoy the view :)
We visited the beach on numerous occasions by various means; kayaking from our resort at Saideng, a longtail boat, and via taxi car meaning we walked through the resort and down onto the beach. If you do decide to come via car or bike, be aware that there is a sign which states 100 baht entry pp, however we were very lucky and mooched right in past the resort staff and they didn't bat an eyelid!
If you want to experience a bit of luxury in Koh Tao, this beach definitely gives off that vibe - in comparison to other more relaxed and rustic parts of the island (The crowd tends to be slightly older).
There are beach villas (part of the resort), a couple of fancy bars and restaurants and a pool right on the beach. However, there are a number of longtail boats, kayakers and daytrippers so you don't feel like you are intruding.
The sea is incredibly warm and shallow here, and in our experience barely any waves. It was very warm, and a bit murky. You have to be careful of broken coral underfoot so reef shoes are recommended although don't use this as an excuse to tread on the live corals!
You have to snorkel quite far out to get to see fairly decent underwater life. Its quite murky, and a lot of dead coral. However you will find on the right hand side of the bay, there is a collection of boats which are moored quite far out. If you have the energy to swim that far (fins recommended) you will be lucky enough to discover black tip reef sharks and some different types of fish, which we did not see in other parts of the island.
On the left hand side of the bay, there is a great little rustic Thai beach bar and bungalows which is right next to the Haadtien bar and restaurant. You can only access this by wading through the shallow waters, and up some rocky steps.
Here, you'll find a cheaper more traditional offering of food and drink and a great view of the bay - very good photo opportunities!
The owners are very nice, although service is a little on the slow side if they have a few customers as there are only a couple of people running the kitchen and the bungalows. (I can report great pancakes, and very reasonably priced fruit shakes!)
Overall, definitely not our favourite spot on Koh Tao but a great stop-off point on your adventures.
Tips:
Toilets - If you are stopping off here, I highly recommend using the loos at the Haddtien resort just behind the pool. They are very nice!
Sunglasses - The sand is so bright-white it can be blinding, so make sure you bring your sunnies, and enjoy the view :)
Written July 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kyle C
Morinville, Canada28 contributions
Mar 2015 • Couples
Many top quality hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Unfortunately the beach is private access to Haad Tien clients only. But if you are, it is well worth it.
Written March 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judy D
Cape Town Central, South Africa56 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
This must be one of the most beautiful of all the beaches on Koh Tao. Unfortunately not readily accessible unless you're staying at a resort in the bay. Great snorkeling.
Written June 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dapper_Dan_56
Cheltenham, UK49 contributions
Jul 2013 • Friends
My friends and I excited biked to Thian Og Bay on a hot tip that we could see Black Tip Reef Sharks. They're only about 1m long - so no danger - but we saw 3 or 4 in total whilst snorkelling to the left of the bay when looking from the beach.
One of the highlights of Thailand for me!
One of the highlights of Thailand for me!
Written April 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gaetan_Vanhees
Barcelona, Spain26 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
we were staying at Mae Haad Bay (where the ferries arrive) and this beach is about 30-40 minutes walking distance (relatively flat). We loved it! Calm beach, shadow if needed, coral and if you're lucky turtles and sharks while snorkeling.
They have 2 places to have lunch at reasonable prices.
They have 2 places to have lunch at reasonable prices.
Written October 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vesna_12
Ljubljana, Slovenia15 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
We stayed in the Haad tien beach club just to be on this beach. It has white sands, small coral reef and if you swim a bit further from the shore you can see giant turtles and tiger sharks. Beautiful.
Written September 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ay_tim
Salt Lake City, UT1,377 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
If it were up to me I would have skipped shark bay (Thian og bay) on my snorkel tour of Ko Tao. I have only been on one snorkel vacation. The clarity was ok but not super great. Many people from our tour trip saw a shark. I did not. My wife only saw the tail of one as it swam away. The tour boat dropped us off about 150-200 yards off the coast. The sea floor was very flat and covered with dead brown coral. There may have been better stuff to see over around the rocks near the shore. I'm not sure I didn't go over there. We did see some fish swimming around. The day we went the wind was blowing North East.
Snorkeling Locations (ratings out of 10):
2 of 10 - Ang Thong marine park (West of Samui)
4 of 10 - June Juea beach (Southern Ko Tao)
5 of 10 - Shark bay or Thian og bay (South East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Ao Leuk (East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Hin Wong Bay (East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Light House Bay (North East Ko Tao)
7 of 10 - Nang Yuan off beach (North of Ko Tao)
I visited Shark Bay as part of a round Ko Tao snorkel tour for 750 thb +100 thb for the entrance fee to Nang Yuan island.
Snorkeling Locations (ratings out of 10):
2 of 10 - Ang Thong marine park (West of Samui)
4 of 10 - June Juea beach (Southern Ko Tao)
5 of 10 - Shark bay or Thian og bay (South East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Ao Leuk (East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Hin Wong Bay (East Ko Tao)
10 of 10 - Light House Bay (North East Ko Tao)
7 of 10 - Nang Yuan off beach (North of Ko Tao)
I visited Shark Bay as part of a round Ko Tao snorkel tour for 750 thb +100 thb for the entrance fee to Nang Yuan island.
Written September 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jimmy C
3 contributions
Jul 2015 • Solo
I followed the instructions of an earlier review and found that despite all the advice that the bay is private and unable to get to unless you're staying at one of their resorts I walked to the bay from Mae Hat village (about 30 minutes) and easily accessed the bay from the rocky resort /beach club entrance where you end up on the eastern side of the beach.
The beach itself is nice and a bit quieter than other ones on ko tao and I saw 4-5 2ft long black tip reef sharks all swimming around eachother just a few metres from the shore near the big round rock in the middle part of the bay. They were not shy and just swam around in circles doing their own thing.
Afterwards there is a few restaurants and bars you can relax to and there's various beach chairs that you can use without paying for. The staff at Haad Thien didn't give me trouble at all I even sneaked in to use their shower next to the bar! If you walked there it's definitely quicker to walk through the resort on the way back and you end up near the guarded gate which saves about 10 mins and again no trouble from them.
Well worth coming if you want to see some sharks, otherwise the snorkeling is better at aow leuk/Japanese gardens
The beach itself is nice and a bit quieter than other ones on ko tao and I saw 4-5 2ft long black tip reef sharks all swimming around eachother just a few metres from the shore near the big round rock in the middle part of the bay. They were not shy and just swam around in circles doing their own thing.
Afterwards there is a few restaurants and bars you can relax to and there's various beach chairs that you can use without paying for. The staff at Haad Thien didn't give me trouble at all I even sneaked in to use their shower next to the bar! If you walked there it's definitely quicker to walk through the resort on the way back and you end up near the guarded gate which saves about 10 mins and again no trouble from them.
Well worth coming if you want to see some sharks, otherwise the snorkeling is better at aow leuk/Japanese gardens
Written July 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
IHenninger
Big Sky, MT56 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
The first day we were here we tried to get down to Shark Bay, but were dissuaded by the security guards of the big fancy resort. However, we went back and tried again, this time driving past the first guarded entry, then drove a ways further along til there's a little guard shack on the right side of the road. Park in that vicinity, and just past that shack is a pullout for the fancy resort, that says 'the beach' and then there's a little teeny sign to the left of the big building that says 'Rocky Resort'. Go down there, and there's signs pointing you to the beach the whole way. It's only about a 2 minute walk down stairs, and you come out right on the very edge of the beach, but we walked out onto the main strip and parked our gear right in the middle of the beach under one of the lovely shade trees they've got there, and then went out snorkeling. I saw a shark :)
Although it's a bummer the access is so limited and exclusive, I'm glad that it appears Rocky Resort is welcoming to daytrippers at this time. We didn't get any negative impressions from walking through there. Also, on the beach itself, there are 'private' signs at the back of the beach, where the wall and the resort property starts, but it seems fine that we hang out on the beach itself. We were surprised that amongst all the comments (and difficulties) about accessing Shark Bay, no one has mentioned the ease of accessing it through the Rocky Resort.
Although it's a bummer the access is so limited and exclusive, I'm glad that it appears Rocky Resort is welcoming to daytrippers at this time. We didn't get any negative impressions from walking through there. Also, on the beach itself, there are 'private' signs at the back of the beach, where the wall and the resort property starts, but it seems fine that we hang out on the beach itself. We were surprised that amongst all the comments (and difficulties) about accessing Shark Bay, no one has mentioned the ease of accessing it through the Rocky Resort.
Written June 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buenas tardes podrian recomendarme un hotel lindo y si es posible economico en esta playa?
Gracias
Written January 15, 2016
hello
what is the hotel oh the foto? its nice to stay? one night?
thank yoi
Written October 25, 2015
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