Koh Tao
The shopping centre
- Around 80 dive centres on a small island
- More dive sites close to shore
- Usually the cheapest courses
- Young, social and full of energy
- Sail Rock about 30 minutes further away, and not every day
Home / Koh Phangan vs Koh Tao
Koh Phangan
vs Koh Tao
Two islands, one hour apart, sharing the best dive site in the Gulf. We run dive centres on both, so here is our honest take on what is different — and which one suits you.
The short answer
Both are good.
They are different.
Koh Tao is one of the busiest dive destinations in the world. Koh Phangan is quieter, with fewer shops and a more personal feel. The diving itself is shared: both islands dive Sail Rock.
Koh Phangan
The neighbourhood shop
- Around 15 dive centres on a much bigger island
- Sail Rock, one hour from Chaloklum, every day
- Smaller groups and a more personal approach
- Relaxed and family-friendly in the north
- The parties are in the south, if you want them
Sail Rock · shared by both islands
Sail Rock
Same rock,
different timing
Sail Rock sits in open sea between the two islands, and it is just as busy whichever island the boats come from. The difference is how you get there and when.
- From Koh Tao it takes about half an hour longer, and not every shop goes every day
- From Chaloklum it is about an hour, and we go every day
- Our boat leaves about an hour and a quarter after the others, so we usually have the rock to ourselves for the second dive
Koh Ma · ten minutes from Chaloklum
Dive sites and prices
More sites,
or more space
Koh Tao has more dive sites around the island. Koh Phangan has Sail Rock, plus Koh Ma, Little Sail Rock and the oil platform — fewer sites, but far fewer divers on them.
Courses on Koh Tao are usually cheaper. The comparison we always make: Koh Tao is like a shopping centre, where everything costs a little less but it is more impersonal. We are more like the shop in your neighbourhood, where we know your name and how you dive.
The atmosphere
Energy
or calm
Koh Tao is small and everything is concentrated: dive shops, bars and people, all close together. It suits a younger crowd. Koh Phangan is bigger and more family-friendly. It has even more parties than Koh Tao if you go to the south of the island — but in Chaloklum, in the north, you would never know.
A small group, one instructor
Learning to dive
Two ways
to learn
They are different learning experiences. Many people go to Koh Tao to share the course with lots of others, meet people, have a great time and build up experience with more dives over time.
People who come to Koh Phangan tend to be more focused on the diving itself, and the experience is more personal: a maximum of four students per instructor, and time for every question.
Which one for you?
Choose by
what you want
Choose Koh Tao if
- You are young, travelling solo and want to meet lots of people
- The lowest price matters most
- You want to dive many different sites
- You like a busy, lively island
Choose Koh Phangan if
- You want small groups and a personal instructor
- Sail Rock is the dive you came for
- You are travelling as a couple or a family
- You prefer calm, with parties only if you go looking for them
Prefer Koh Tao? Our sister centre, The Diver's Boat Koh Tao, has been there since 2015.
Questions
Koh Phangan or Koh Tao FAQ
Is diving better on Koh Tao or Koh Phangan?
The best dive site in the area, Sail Rock, is shared by both islands. Koh Tao has more sites close to shore and many more dive shops; Koh Phangan is quieter, with smaller groups and a more personal feel. Neither is better — they suit different people.
Is it cheaper to learn to dive on Koh Tao?
Usually, yes. With around 80 dive centres competing, prices on Koh Tao are some of the lowest you will find. On Koh Phangan you pay a little more for smaller groups and more personal attention.
How many dive shops are there on each island?
Around 80 on Koh Tao and around 15 on Koh Phangan, which is a much bigger island.
Which island is closer to Sail Rock?
From Chaloklum, on the north coast of Koh Phangan, it takes about an hour. From Koh Tao it takes around half an hour longer, and not every shop goes there every day.
Is Koh Phangan only about the Full Moon Party?
No. The big parties are in the south of the island. The north, where Chaloklum is, is quiet and family-friendly, and you would not notice the parties at all.
Can I dive Sail Rock from both islands?
Yes. It is equally busy whichever island the boats come from. We leave Chaloklum about an hour and a quarter after the other boats, so we usually have the second dive to ourselves.
Still not
sure?
Tell us how you like to travel and what you want from your diving, and we will give you an honest answer — even if it is "go to Koh Tao".