Love Koh Tao. You will. If you take a Thailand gap year there with us, you can not fail to fall in love with this island.
Check out the photos on this face book group to find out more.
Programmes that involve Koh Tao can be found here.
William, 19. UK.
Williams is doing his Divemaster course in Thailand with 2 friends on Koh Tao.
We’re having an amazing time, thanks for your help making it happen! We’ve been here just over 2 weeks now. Haven’t quite got there yet buit we’re in no rush! The weather is fantastic and people are all lovely and the nightlife is classic! x
Alasdair, 19. Uk
Alasdair is training Muay Thai in Thailand for 6 weeks with Xtreme Gap:
Well, I’ve been a month here so far on the island of Koh Tao, doing Muay Thai training every day [unless I have a particularly bad hangover!], and it’s been an incredible experience! On the Muay Thai side of things it can be pretty tough, and the trainers definitely know how and when to push you – I’m one of the few people training who has come here as a complete novice, as most people who come here already have a few months or years experience in Muay Thai at home – but that really hasn’t affected my experience as the trainers appreciate everyone at their own level [although it does mean that I end up doing a LOT of situps - so far it's gone up to 200 after an hour and a half session. I have about another 16 sessions left now, which I'm going to double up on so I do morning and afternoon sessions everyday - although I'm not looking forward to getting up at 8 in the morning for the next week, I'm hoping it'll be worth it!
Apart from Muay Thai, Koh Tao is a really nice island just to relax on [which I've ended up doing a lot of after some of the training sessions!] – most of the time you just end up on Sairee Beach chatting to other travellers or reading [I've met some really fantastic people, both at training and just on the island in general], and although I haven’t been out all that much [mostly because I'm too lazy to after training!] the nights I have been out have been really good fun, and there’s always something going on somewhere, even if it is just the fire show at Lotus Bar or something like that! All this, along with the nice accomodation that Xtreme Gap provides and the good restaurants around here, has meant it’s been a really enjoyable time here so far – I know I will probably miss being here when I set off for China in 10 days’ time!
Anyway, just wanna say thanks for the experience and to the people from Xtreme Gap, both here on the island and back at base – everyone has been really helpful and friendly, and they have ensured that my month here so far has gone pretty smoothly! [although with the occasional cuts and bruises from Muay Thai!]
Alasdair!
I tried free diving Thailand on Koh Tao this year, I tried to be a mermaid and swam without any gear but a mask and sins, through the deep blue Gulf of Thailand. I made my chest swell and went upside down into the unknown. I kicked and kicked and tried to remember all instructor had told me.
Not totally relaxed yet, but I did see some amazing fish passing me by and finally when I thought I could not go any further I turned around. The air in my lungs expended as I went up and as I grasped for air sticking my head above the ocean again I felt so proud, and happy I made it back to the surface.
My first water session was an eye opener. Before I could not stay more than 45 seconds under water but after my first water session I already kicked myself with my fins down to 8 meters and stayed with my head in the deep blue for 4 minutes…amazing experience.
Even though I did not set any records in free diving Thailand, this is 9 minutes under water and go to 214 meters, I felt very proud. I did something that I thought was impossible and I loved it.
In the beginner free diving Thailand course you will probably also make it up to 20 meters in the deep blue. The course is well guided and Koh Tao is a great place to learn it. There are three free dive courses. Beginner free diving, Advanced freediving and the challenging master of Free diving internship.
Almost everyone on Koh Tao is there to go diving. The island has over 35 diving schools, but why not try something even more challenging? There is only one free diving Thailand school on Koh Tao and it is run by 2 professional free divers. The school is located by the beach and is also a nice place to relax after a days of hard work in the sea.
After a day of being brave and trying to hold your breath underwater, you can chill by one off he many nice beach clubs. During the day the island is all about sports but in the evening it is about cool music, fire shows, making friends and barbeques on the beach, and if you have nothing to do the next day you can party until the break of dawn.
Are you ready to give it a try?
This is a Whale shark. An it is a monster! The biggest fish in the sea, and the highlight of any scuba divers career in undersea exploration.
Whale Sharks. They are not sharks, or from wales.
These stunning creatures are pretty rare, and you will be lucky to see them while you are diving on your gap year, that is of course unless you go to the right place to see them. We run a Whaleshark conservation project, located in Mozambique, which is the perfect opportunity to swim with and learn about these cool creatures in the wild. Not sure how they caught this guy to the left, considering they grow up to 20 metres, but one thing is for sure, they must have had a really big boat.
Describing the sensation of interacting with a whale shark is difficult, it is such a surreal experience, seeing one rise up from the deep with its huge mouth open, sieving tonnes of microscopic plankton for dinner. I remember when i was lucky enough to dive with one during my Divemaster course in Thailand. I was lucky, i did over 200 dives whilst i was diving in Thailand, and only saw one once.
This highlights how exceptional the Mozambique whale shark project is, the fact that you can dive with these creatures every day and you are guaranteed sightings during your stay: Mozambique’s good fortune to have such generous waters, and exceptional marine life.
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering from this project, contact us and we will be happy to assit.
Xtreme Gap Year are Adrenaline Travel experts
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The Pirate Party. On my way to the beach something caught my eye. “Pirate Party! Tomorrow night at the Castle.” This was too good an opportunity to miss. Time to completely make a twat of my self dressed as the baddest pirate in the south China Seas ( Or Gulf of Thailand to be exact.) The mission was on.
I somehow need to aquire a costume and enough Rum to Drown a small navy. I went shopping in Mae Had – the main town on Koh Tao hoping to get lucky. Considering the town consists of 2 streets you aren’t exactly spoilt for choice here. Incredibly however Mae Had turn out to be the greatest Pirate wear emporium in the world. Apart from a slight blip when I went into a shop that appeared to be about as random as you can get: “Can I help you” said the elderly female Asian shop proprietor. I looked at her and grinned. “I’m after some Pirate stuff.” A look of utter confusion starred back. “Pilot?”
To clear up the confusion I though I would elaborate…“No, No Pirate. You know…Arrrrgh! Me heartys!” I shouted whilst hoping on one leg with one eye half cocked. She was looking a little bit scared by this point, so I said “Do you sell eye patches?”. “Doctor?” Came the response. Pretty much summing up her opinion of what I needed.
I sidled out of the shop disappointed, leaving the shop assistant some what dazed shaking her head. I did not remain disappointed for long. My Spree turned up a parrot, skull and cross bones belt, bandana and all I needed to fashion the worlds largest sword, (amazing what you can achieve with duck tape, card and a curtain pole). I also found an authentic blunderbuss pistol ( which was actually a lighter) but at a little over a tenner seemed a bit much for a fancy dress costume. To this day I regret not purchasing it though. Fishermans Pants and a white shirt that looked the business. That evening I got ready round at my friend Debbie’s house, she wasn’t coming to the party as she had a throat infection, but was more than happy to cover me in Permanent marker pen tattoo’s and eye make up Jonny Depp Style. So there I was. Dressed like a pirate, a parrot stuck on my shoulder with a huge cutlass in my pants. To top it off I popped in some fake teeth that I had found and blackened out. Arrggggh!
The joys of a Thailand Gap Year
Xtreme Gap Year are Adrenaline Travel experts
Xtreme Gap Year are Adrenaline Travel experts
Gap Year Africa | Asia Gap Year | gapyear | Gap Year Diving | Fitness Holiday |
