If learning to scuba dive is your goal, then Ban’s has you covered. The largest dive shop on the island, here you’ll find top instructors, excellent gear, and a bunch of new friends. Their diving prices offer free dorm accommodation for the duration of the course, and anyone staying with them will be able to make use of their four luxury pools, fitness center and sauna. If you’re already certified and looking to take the next step in your dive career, Ban’s is definitely the place I’d recommend for becoming a divemaster or instructor. With two of the top PADI course directors in the world running the instructor program, and a dedicated divemaster hang out area, this is the place to be for continuing your scuba education.

Fishbowl is the restaurant and bar within Ban’s dive resort, and is the busiest club in town once night falls. With ping pong tables, live DJs and shot challenges, Fishbowl is always packed. They even hang up nets behind the windows so that anyone dancing on their seats won’t fall to the beach below. Who knows how many times this happened before the nets we’re introduced!

The newest dive shop in town, Escape Divers does things a little differently. Here they teach and certify divers through the organisation RAID, rather than following the PADI methods. Their goal is to make you not just safe in the water but actually proficient from day one, and all the staff and instructors are hugely passionate about it. The dive shop again has its own hostel accommodation for those on a course, as well as a bar with frequent drinks deals, movie nights and pub quizzes. Best of all, there are four adorable puppies running around at all times of the day. This is the best spot in the Mae Haad area for diving and socialising.

This relaxed beachside restaurant serves up some of the best Thai food in town. With a cushioned area on the sand and larger tables under a pleasant veranda, the relaxed atmosphere is a perfect meeting places for friends new and old. Try one of their large selection of curries – you won’t be disappointed with any of them.

Chuchu is a popular restaurant known for its Thai style pizzas. As well as their delicious curries and stir fries, Chuchu has created a selection of pizzas that are super weird and super delicious! Penang or green curry pizza, pad thai pizza and kebab pizza are all specialities you can find on the menu here. The curry pizzas in particular are a fantastic creation and should definitely become a thing in other pizza joints in the world!

This fun bar is full of arcade games and video games. Working on a credit system, you purchase tokens at the bar along with your drinks, and then play to your hearts content. Alongside the classic air hockey and pacman, they have full playstation and xbox set ups, which you can rent by the hour with a group of friends. If you’re missing the home comforts of gaming the night away in comfy chair, Arcadia is for you. If you’re looking for some friendly competition with your new travel friends, Arcadia is also for you!

Koh Tao’s drag queens are absolutely fabulous. Talented dancers and lip syncers, they perform two shows every day, and entry includes a drink. The energy at Queen’s Cabaret is unbeatable, with dance anthems pumping out into the street all evening. The queens are always up for a chat with passers by while out on the street promoting their show. Any trip to Thailand should include a drag cabaret show, and Koh Tao’s offering is definitely one of the best.

This is Koh Tao’s only organised pub crawl, and it is a staple amongst backpackers. With a free drink bucket, free t-shirt, private drag show, fire show, and a shot at each of the four bars visited, the ticket, although a little pricey, includes a lot. The pub crawl runs four times a week and is always a fun night out. The meeting point is at the Pool Bar. You’ll always see promoters up and down the walking street on days that it runs, so there’s no need to look it up to get all the info.

On the south side of the island is an inlet known as Shark Bay. It is the best spot for snorkelling on the whole island. Hidden away from the bars and the main boat traffic, the waters here are crystal clear and a brilliant turquoise blue. True to its name, this is the best place on Koh Tao to spot sharks. Don’t worry – these are friendly and harmless reef sharks, so get your goggles on and go for a swim them. The beach is clean and tidy, and there are plenty of shady spots under the trees, making this a peaceful place to spend an afternoon. If you enter the beach through the Haadtien Beach Resort you will have to pay a fee, but there is another entrance through the Rocky Resort Restaurant which is free. At high tide using this entrance will mean wading through the water to get to the main beach.

Koh Nang Yuan is a true tropical paradise. A short long-tailed boat ride from Koh Tao, spending a day here is a must do while visiting this area. Stretches of stunning white sand beach connect three rocky islets to make up the island of Nang Yuan, and these sand bars are a perfect place to unwind and catch the sun’s rays. Get yourself a coconut with a straw, and let all your worries slip away. Hike up to the view point on the southern islet for an unbeatable panorama. The path is well market, but does involve a little bit of rock climbing. Make sure to have some water with you, as the climb is short but steep, and the sun is strong here. But remember the island is plastic free, so take your reusable bottle or you’ll be asked to throw it away before getting off the boat.

This restaurant is located on the main road circling the island, rather than on the walking street, and so often gets missed by tourists. But locals know and love it, and it’s a top recommendation for delicious local food. Try the spicy papaya salad, and be sure to let them know if you want it ‘white spicy’ or ‘spicy spicy’. If you’re looking for western food, they also serve some of the best pasta dishes on the island.

It’s an ongoing island debate whether Juicy Burger or Hippo Burger have the best burgers in town. My preference was Juicy Burger, but you can decide for yourself! Juicy has different daily specials each night of the week, and it’s not always burgers – their slow cooked curry is also delicious. The best thing on the menu is actually their chicken strips, and I recommend getting a side of curly fries. They also serve a variety of vegan options, and will deliver for free if you send them an order via Facebook messenger.

This beachfront restaurant has one of the best happy hours on the strip. From 4 to 6pm, try one of their original Asian-themed cocktails for 120 baht – around $3.50. Sink your toes into the sand without even leaving your table, watch the spectacular sunset drink in hand, and enjoy the island lifestyle. With live music from 6pm every night, this is an ideal spot for getting your night started, whether you’re heading on to a party or just planning to chill.

The Local is a popular drinking hole with a different event every night. With karaoke, pub quizzes, bingo, and lots of live music performances, you will always find something going on here. Visit between 4 and 7pm for cheap and tasty mojitos, and stay for the atmosphere.

Stray and abandoned dogs are a problem in many places in Thailand. Koh Koh Pups is a shelter and rescue agency set up to try to tackle the problem on Koh Tao. They work with the Koh Tao Animal Clinic for spaying, vaccinations and any vet care needed for the dogs they house. Koh Koh Pups are always looking for volunteers to help walk the dogs. A small team meets every day at 4pm at the shelter and each volunteer takes only one dog at a time, so you may end up doing three consecutive walks if they’re short on people. Whether you’re here for a day, week or month, this is an excellent opportunity to get involved with helping the community and hang out with some seriously cute pups.