Koh Tao on a budget

Best hostels

Koh Tao packs four very different moods onto one narrow island, and which bay you sleep beside decides whether your evenings end at a fire show on the sand or with an early night before a dive briefing. Hostel hunters usually land in Ban Hat Sai Ri (บ้านหาดทรายรี) first, where the long strip of Sairee Beach and its row of dive schools set the backpacker pace. Ban Mae Hat (บ้านแม่หาด) is the working port, with the ferry pier, ATMs, pharmacies and shops, which makes it a practical base if you arrive late or leave early. Ban Chalok Ban Kao (บ้านโฉลกบ้านเก่า), on the south coast, trades nightlife for a sheltered bay and slower evenings, while Snorkel beach suits travelers who would rather be near the reef than near a bar. Every pick across these four areas sits in the Budget tier, so the real choice here is location, not price band. Read each area for what is within an easy walk, then pick the bed.