can anyone out there recommend cheap little bungalows or guesthouses in Koh Tao close to a beach...any beach will do! Looking to stay for a week in November, starting 19th. Greatly appreciated!!

can anyone out there recommend cheap little bungalows or guesthouses in Koh Tao close to a beach...any beach will do! Looking to stay for a week in November, starting 19th. Greatly appreciated!!

I've stayed on Koh Tao several times. The island is pretty much only about scuba diving, although there are good snorkeling spots, too. Most places are quite cheap, and--at least a few years ago--didn't vary much. I stayed at Ban's Dive Resort (http://www.amazingkohtao.com/start/english.html), which has rooms and bungalows of every price, from the fan rooms to some pretty snazzy setups. Most of the resorts have exactly the same thing. My suggestion is just to pick one and go with it. It's a tiny island, so you're never far from the beach, and motorbikes for hire are ubiquitous. If you're interested in diving, I've had good experiences with Ban's, but most of the places are probably pretty similar. Enjoy!

Kalapanga bungalows in Mae haad. Get off the ferry and walk right towards Sensi paradise and it is on the right. Close to the beach and around the 450 a night mark

thanks so much...although i did not realize it was mainly a diving island...we are interested in snorkeling but not diving.

Don't worry about the diving. There's hardly any diving on the island.

Cheap accommodation is slowly disappearing. Over the last 2 years, the high-end places were packed, while the cheap bungalows were still empty. So most owners knocked down 2 cheap bungalows, replacing them with a high end bungalow. Makes the same amount of money.

Hey there

Just a few suggestions. Try Big Fish Resort or Taa Too Lagoon Resort for nice and quiet. If you want something a bit more lively, chek out Wind Resort (formerly known as Simple Life Resort). These places do not require people to dive with them, to stay there. But loads of other places to stay - google is your friend.

Not sure you're gonna be too impressed with the weather though

Don't worry about the diving. There's hardly any diving on the island.

Cheap accommodation is slowly disappearing. Over the last 2 years, the high-end places were packed, while the cheap bungalows were still empty. So most owners knocked down 2 cheap bungalows, replacing them with a high end bungalow. Makes the same amount of money.

You are correct! there is NO diving on the island it is all in the water surrounding Tao. The island is 7km by 3km and the last time I looked it had 48 dive schools there so very little diving then Koh Tao is probably the busiest island in Thailand for diving. It certifies more people there than in the whole of Thailand. There is some nice snorkelling there as well. A day trip to Nanguan is recommended as is shark bay in the south of the island. Go there around 4-6pm and you will normaly see reef sharks swimmng around the bottom feeding.