Why should you go there and how do you do it right?

Shark Bay (Ao Thian Og in Thai) is a small bay on the south coast of Koh Tao, between Chalok Baan Kao and Sai Daeng. Here, you can snorkel with green sea turtles and small blacktip reef sharks right from the beach. The bay is shallow and sheltered, with a gently sloping sandy bottom and coral reefs. The turtles graze in the shallow water. The sharks are shy and harmless. Keep your distance and don't expect to see one, as many snorkelers feel the same way.

Timing is crucial. Early mornings offer the calmest waters and the closest encounters with the turtles, while cloudy, drizzly afternoons are murky. Koh Tao experiences its driest period from February to September, while October to December sees its heaviest rainfall (around 445 mm in November), and rough seas. Keep your distance from the turtles; never chase or touch them, and use reef-safe sunscreen.

It's not a beach for relaxing. The shore is littered with coral fragments and rocks, and you can easily injure your feet, so you should bring water shoes. It also gets very crowded when the snorkeling boats that circumnavigate the island arrive, as most of them make a stop here.

There are three access points. Most visitors use the route via the Haad Tien Beach Resort, about a 15-minute drive from Sairee. Entry there costs approximately 200 baht per person, and day visitors are restricted to a section of the beach. The free access point is the small public beach at the western end of the bay, which Google lists as "Free Beach to Shark Bay." However, swimming from there can be strenuous in choppy seas. Alternatively, you can rent a kayak at the Sai Daeng Resort in the next bay to the east and paddle across. This way, you can also reach Shark Island, a small rocky islet off the coast teeming with coral and fish. Snorkeling equipment can be rented at the resort and at the beach restaurant, where food and drinks are reasonably priced.