The picturesque bay Ao Tanote on the east coast can be reached by an extremely steep and adventurous concrete road (4,5 km from Ban Mae Hat).

Various resorts offer bungalows situated under the palm trees and on the rocks. The approximately 200-meter-long beach is scattered with beautiful rocks. Many fish can be seen in the different intact corals near the large rocks in the bay.
Here in Ao Tanote snorkeling and diving is possible right from the shore, particularly in the lower water around the rocks in the middle and to the left edge of the bay. A large diversity of species can be found here.

The water is usually very quiet in August but during winter the sea is rough. All bungalows in the bay are often fully booked in August.

Family Tanote Bay Resort

Black Tip Dive Resort

Snorkeling in Ao Tanote

Our team enjoyed this bay the most in all Southern Thailand:

all t-globers were snorkeling enthusiastically here for hours. Gaeng made an underwater video of a passing reef shark, more than a minute long.

If you go snorkeling to Laem Thian, you can see large fish, for example barracudas and non-aggressive reef sharks up to 2 meters in length, which move predominantly at the foot of the reef.

Right on the 200 m long beach there are six bungalow resorts. Only a few bungalows are located right on the sandy beach (especially both bungalows in the front row of Mountain Reef) and are quickly occupied, but you can grab them if you call ahead for reservation.

Family Tanote Bay Resort

Rates from 700 to 2500 Baht

Bamboo Huts

Bungalows

Not Rated

Black Tip Dive Resort

Rates from 400 to 2000 Baht

Diamond Resort

Bungalows

Poseidon Bungalow

Rates from 250 to 2000 Baht

Mountain Reef

Rates from 300 to 900 Baht

My favorite bungalows in Thailand?
Four of them are here in Tanote Bay: To enjoy the view I stay in one of the two simple bungalows of Family Tanote Bay Resort, up on the ridge with fantastic views to the north and to the south as well as to the sea.
For direct access into the water for snorkeling I love the two beachfront bungalows of Mountain Reef Resort.

View to the north

The Bay of Siam

View to the south

Bungalows along the access road:

Belle Vue Camping

Hotels

Not Rated

Island Hill Bungalow****

Bungalows

Tanote View Resort

Rates from 500 to 1000 Baht

Not Rated

Two highly recommended dive schools operate at the beach of Ao Tanote.

Black Tip Diving

Diving

Calypso Dive Center

Diving

At Ao Tanote there is a small minimart in Family Tanote Bay Resort, open in the evenings and on request.

At Black Tip Dive Resort massage of various types is offered by experienced massage staff.

Internet access is possible but quite erratic.
The shop in Family Tanote Bay Resort offers internet service whenever it is working in the evening.

Departure times for the pickups to Mae Haad Town are written on posters in the restaurants. Pickups depart three to four times per day on time to reach the boats leaving the island. The fare is 100 Baht for a minimum of 4 passengers.

Boat trips to the other beaches along the East Coast can be arranged. Just ask in the restaurants.

Snorkeling

in Ko Tao