Koh Tao's most child-friendly hotels

On Koh Tao, you can be absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation. I've put together a list of my top picks and have separated them by the type of places to stay and what each has to offer in terms of comfort, access, privacy and amenities.

Luxury villas

This is by far my favourite choice simply because most of them offer stunning views, have a swimming pool, kitchen and lots of privacy. I like the idea of waking up with the kids and literally jumping straight into the pool only metres from your bedroom or putting the kids to bed and taking an evening dip under the stars with a big glass of red wine. Whilst most villa's don't offer breakfast buffets, breakfast deliveries can be arranged and some villas will offer a hand delivered breakfast as part of their service. If you're like me, having a private villa also gives me the perfect excuse to feed one of my holiday addictions, Supermarkets, I will literally spend hours walking around every aisle trying to find new things to try. Upon arrival, my second call of duty, first being to jump in the pool, would be to jump in a taxi and head out to get provisions so we can live in the comfort of our own space with our favourite treats for at least a few days while we unwind. If we were checking into any luxury villa on Koh Tao I would head to Pod's supermarket, grab a selection of cheese, hams and meats, olives, pickles, apples, crackers, bread, eggs and salad bits. Phoenix and Steven would likely head for the cereal selection and grab the most sugar-packed one they could find along with 2 litres of milk. I'd also grab a load of plain yoghurts, cornflakes and a watermelon for Crew. We'd swing by the nearest 7 eleven and pick up wine and beer, soft drinks, water and ice. I doubt we'd cook in the evening so this would be our first night of trying out the local eats, either some street food, with extra for the fridge or maybe hit one of the many delectable restaurants Sairee has to offer. From there we would spend our days trying out all the new beaches, or take a longtail trip around the island or go on organised snorkel tours... always with the comfort of coming back to our beautiful villa and to take yet another dip in the pool. Simply blissful!

Chalisa villa's $$

These beautifully simple and spacious 2 bedroom villas not only offer everything you can think of in terms of details such as a wide choice of movies and series saved on the TV, an easy check in with the lovely property manager Nicky, umbrellas, power adapters, a phone, delivery menus and special requests such as a baby cot. The location is what makes this great for a family, situated in the heart of Sairee, and just a 2 minutes walk to the Playskool and 10 minutes walk to the beach giving you access to some of the best restaurants on Koh Tao, 7 eleven, touristy shops, beach and swimming pool bars, travel agents and more. They both come with their own plunge pools and offer lots of privacy and safety as these properties have high walls and secure gates. They also offer a third property, the 'Bamboo villa' which is a 2 bedroom bungalow with huge living and kitchen space, beautiful interior with a larger swimming pool, decking and outdoor dining area. These villas are by far our favourite choice as they are extremely affordable and the owner can arrange some great deals for anyone wishing to stay for a longer period. We spent 3 weeks here and absolutely loved it!

Cape shark $$$

These stunning villas overlook Shark Island and each comes with the most incredible design integrated into the mountainous surroundings featuring beautiful boulders and luscious palm trees with a choice of beachfront pool properties. What's great about Cape Shark is they have villas with 1-5 bedrooms and you can choose whatever suits your family needs. When I think of luxury villas, these come to mind. When you swim in your private spacious pool, you simply feel like you're on top of the world. They are well managed, maintained and thought out, they have quite easily thought of everything in terms of comfort and ease. When you stay here you'll wish this was your home and will never want to leave. Their open plan designs offer a huge kitchen with an abundance of utensils, cookware and dining options, dining table, lounge area and glass doors so you can see your children from all angles. We were lucky enough to have visited friends and throw a baby shower here.

Villa del Sol $$$

The Villa del Sol is located on the southern side of the island. You can choose from 3 unique boutique villas that offer you the choice of best location, best view and the most space. We recommend for families the Villa Eleadora- gift of the sun as it's conveniently located just 150 metres above sea level and has the easiest access to all the villas and offers close but separate living space. The Villa does suggest it is not really suitable for children under 5 years old so this need to be taken into consideration when booking. However, we highly rate this gorgeous chic property with its outstanding views. 

Resorts and hotels

If you're looking for the complete rest and relaxation package, booking into a resort or hotel is most definitely the way forward. Most come with daily housekeeping, breakfast buffets, fresh towels, swimming pools, diving schools, laundry services, taxi transfers, spas and many other perks. It truly is the most relaxing experience for mums, dads and their children.  

Jamahkhiri Resort and Spa $$

Jamahkhiri has to be my absolute favourite resorts on Koh Tao, it's stunning views, incredible design and outstanding service are the reason this place is the top of my list. Not to mention it's amazing restaurant and of course, it's 5-star Spa.  They offer a wide range of spa package lasting between 2-3hrs, these include the use of their Herbal sauna and Salinity pool, or you can choose from their 'a la carte' treatment menu. The Spa is conveniently located close to the pool making it easy for mums to sneak off for a couple of hours. The rooms are beautifully decorated in a modern Thai design and have balconies overlooking the ocean. This outstanding resort also offers dive courses and have access to the sea. Jamahkhiri holds a special place in my heart as it's where Steven proposed to me on my birthday, the resort owners kindly had their staff arrange flowers on our bed saying 'Happy birthday' and left a chilled bottle of bubbly with 2 glasses which we enjoyed on our balcony before heading to the pool. I can not recommend this place enough!

Koh Tao Cabana $$

This idyllic resort is a work of art, cleverly designed with natural rustic features, it is fabulously thought out and has the best location on Sairee beach. The rooms come in a variety of styles and they offer a wide choice for families. With the choice of beach or pool, it's location is just one of the many perks of staying here. It also has a quaint playground near the restaurant on the beach and a gift shop where you can buy products which are featured throughout their resort (my go-to for gifts for family and friends). I've stayed here on a couple of occasions, the first we stayed in the round almost African style bungalow which would have easily and comfortably fit a family. The second time we were lucky enough to stay in their private pool villa sitting metres away from the beach. This would be the perfect choice for a family with lots of children, with an outside kitchen and lounge area and 2 large bedrooms divided by a swimming pool. This villa is super comfortable and particularly private. We really loved it.

Haad Tien $$

Firstly, I couldn't find a decent photo that does this resort justice, Haad Tien occupies all of Shark Bay. Whilst I've never been a guest, I have pretended to be on a few occasions and made use of their gorgeous black pool and restaurant. This resort has everything you could possibly need and offers the safety and serenity of being on your own private beach. Shark Bay is famous for it's snorkelling and many people come here to see the reef sharks and, if you're lucky, you'll see some turtles too. You will meet many families here and the kids will make lots of friends as this resort is very family focused.  

Dive centres with accommodation 

Many people come to Koh Tao for its diving, which it's famous for. You'll find even dive schools on Koh Samui actually travel to Koh Tao daily to check out our many dive sites. What's great about Koh Tao is that parents can enrol in a dive course or go fun diving and have childcare options through the Koh Tao Playskool and Daycare. Many resorts here tend to be connected to a diving company and can even offer some great deals for their guests who wish to go explore the ocean.

Sairee Hut and Scuba Shack $$

Rated for its excellent location, it has accommodation to suit all budgets and even offers private pool villas. This has to be my favourite Dive focused Resort. They offer a breakfast buffet, have a swimming pool with a kiddy pool, travel information desk and Scuba Shack Dive School. As you walk down the path you'll be greeted by some unusual friends that speak a few languages. These minor birds amuse Crew, and myself, for hours. The family that owns the resort are usually there and absolutely love children and choosing Scuba Shack as your dive school means you can enjoy smaller groups and a more personalised service.

Crystal Dive Resort $-$$

If you're looking for a Dive school with experience, Crystal Dive Resort is the place for you. It was

established over 20 years ago and offers PADI dive courses and even scuba courses for children. Crystal is more than just a dive centre. It offers accommodation to suit all budget needs including Thai traditional beach bungalows and rooms a short walk up the beach to their partner hotel. When you're not diving you can relax at one of their spacious pools or enjoy watching the sunset at their ambient beach bar. Along with that, you are a short walk away from clothing and souvenir shops, 7 eleven and an abundance of Thai and Western restaurants such as Cafe del Sol, Dolce Vita, Famoso and more.

Sairee Cottage and Dive Centre $$

Sairee cottage makes the list because it's beautiful layout, excellent restaurant, pool bar, well-maintained beach area and its small, intimate dive school. The facilities here are stunning and every single detail has been thought out and planned. You will feel like you're part of the Sairee cottage 'family' if you stay and dive with these guys. I recently saw a 12-year-old boy take his Junior Open Water here, the instructor was kind, patient, fun and clearly liked working with children which was wonderful to see. 

Ban's Diving Resort $-$$$

This resort is by far one of the biggest featuring 3 pools, 2 restaurants, 2 shops, a coffee shop, travel agent and soon will open launching a family-focused hang out at Darawan Restaurant. This was where my journey began on Koh Tao and where I embarked on my diving adventure starting with my open water going up to my Dive Master certification. Ban's have quite literally got everything you can think of, making this highly desirable for families. This is a well established, clean and organised holiday spot which offers something for everyone's budget allowance.    

Budget hotels, guest houses and hostels

Sairee Sairee Guesthouse $

If you're travelling on a tight budget why not stay at Sairee Sairee Guesthouse, it's in a great location and offers rooms with a double bed and the option for an extra bed for children over 5yrs old. Children under 5 yrs old can stay for free using the existing bedding. Everything in Sairee is within walking distance and it has 2 supermarkets less than 100 metres away.




There are many more guesthouses, budget hotels and hostels in Koh Tao, however, I haven't had a personal experience with them so wanted to leave this section. If you have or know a great family friendly budget place to stay, please share your experience in the comment area below.

Thanks for reading!

Koh Tao kids school kids playing african drums

How to order from Lazada

Whilst I wouldn't want to encourage people to abuse this islands amazing order system, there are occasions when it is deemed necessary like, for example when you're running out of nappies and can't find your babies size.  With limited options on Koh Tao, us locals order from a company called Lazada. You can search most baby items, motorbike helmets, cots, pushchairs, carriers, swimming accessories, furniture and more. So don't worry if you did happen to forget a crucial item, it can be easily replaced by using this order system.

1. Choose your item/items
2. Check estimated delivery time
3. Check out and enter your details
4. Add this address and you will need to give a phone number 

Your name

Post Restante

Koh Tao Post Office

Surrathani

84360 

      5. Add payment method, I recommend using cash on delivery, this guarantees you get your item and if it doesn't arrive on time, you can reorder again OR paypal.

      6. Wait for an email confirmation 

      7. Track your package

      8. Pick it up from the post office

And it's as simple as that. The one thing I would say to look out for is items that are internationally shipped, these will take at least 6 weeks to arrive here. Items ordered in Thailand should take 4-7 days. Also, I must say the lovely people at the Post Office have nothing to do with your order so if you do have any problems you need to contact Lazada directly on 020180000

Is Koh Tao child friendly?

Amber and I, Phuket 1990

As I mentioned before in my previous post (child friendly restaurants), Thailand has to be one of the most child-friendly countries in the world. My story begins when I was 5 years old in Phuket with my parents, big brother and younger sister, We were 2, 5 and 7 years old. Coming to Thailand was an unforgettable experience in our lives, we still have all our VHS footage going to james bond island on a longtail, driving around on dirt roads, wild elephants in fields and Patong beach with hardly having any resorts on it! Who knew 14 years later we'd be fighting for our lives in the 2004 Tsunami just 100's of metres from that resort we stayed at! But thats another story...

Amber and Big Bow 1990

Amber and Big Bow 2003

My childhood memories of Thailand are some of my best, I will never forget how every single person I met quickly became my friend, regardless of their age. I remember dancing to Phil Collins with all the bar staff and the waiters at breakfast whisking off my little sister because she was so cute. We have never experienced that kind of friendliness and kindness before in our lives, especially living in Hong Kong which was such a fast paced city. Every day we'd see these Rasta street magicians and they adored my sister, they'd run up to her, and often buy her banana shakes and then play with her for hours. Amber reunited with Big Bow  many years later when she 16 years old, one of the same men that adored her as a toddler, he didn't forget her and was so surprised to see her again. Thai people are just so incredibly kind and caring, their values, especially when it comes to the elderly, should be shared and followed by the world.

A typical sunset 

Koh Tao for me, has to be the most child-friendly place in the world, I've enjoyed parenting here for over a decade. The warmth from the people and the amount of support you get makes this island incredibly enjoyable with kids of all ages. Most afternoons are spent socializing with other parents while our children play freely, with everyone taking a turn at keeping an eye on the them. We don't have to worry too much about our children as it's incredibly safe here but mainly keep a watchful eye on some of the dangers such as unfamiliar dogs roaming the beach or the tree swing flying back into one of their faces. But generally life here is incredibly relaxed. Every year we see more and more families coming and many return year after year which shows what a child friendly place Koh Tao has become. Restaurants are now providing highchairs, resorts offer baby cots and stores now sell more and more supplies for babies and toddlers.

When you bring children to this island it opens their eyes to a whole new world with lots of opportunities to try new things. Your children may never want to leave :)

Phoenix learning to ride the dingy aged 6

"A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine!"

Another beautiful day at the Koh Tao Playskool and Daycare, Koh Tao's original and best childcare, daycare, babysitting and kids camp service

Should you ride motorbikes with children? Is it safe?

This question comes down to personal preference, is it dangerous to ride a motorbike? Well yes, but you also have to think, is it dangerous to walk on the roads or ride a bicycle? For me and many other families living here, cars are just too expensive to buy and Koh Tao doesn't really offer much parking. I ride a motorbike with both my kids, my mum and 3 bags of shopping, admittedly it's not ideal but it's what's practical for us.

Here are some of my tips when making the decision if it's right for you and your family...

1. Ride if you have experience

If you've never ridden a motorbike before, learning with your kids on board probably isn't really the sensible choice.

Koh Tao Kids Muay Thai Class

"Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is the cultural martial art of Thailand. The origin of Muay Thai dates back several hundred years and was, essentially, developed as a form of close-combat that used the entire body as a weapon."

These days, Muay Thai is also known for fitness, fun and as a great opportunity to learn more about Thailands traditions. Kru James (Sapphawut Kantangkun), has many years' experience of Muay Thai training and well over 100 fights under his belt. Since becoming a father himself to the beautiful Lola, James now holds his own Muay Thai classes for both adults and children, in the only Air-con training camp in Koh Tao, where, so far he has ranked up only 5 star reviews and has even trained some of the worlds very own 'stars' here.

Where to buy baby supplies on Koh Tao?

7 eleven (Many locations)

There are 5 shops located around the island but my preferred one is one the Sairee beach main road, it has a good range of nappies but only offers small packs (16-22 pieces). I usually opt for Babylove play pants for my little one Crew, they seem to survive an entire nights sleep and aren't filled with that gel like substance which often leaks and is impossible to clean up. I usually buy from 7 Eleven when my bulk order hasn't arrived. They also have baby milk, follow on milk, Cerelac (like baby porridge you just add water), talcum powder, wet wipes, baby paracetamol (Sara), yogurts, banana's and lots more snacks, some often very healthy.

Chaiwat (Mae Haad)

This shop is a bit of an Aladdin's cave and has everything from stationary supplies to Tupperware and tables. It has a really good range of nappies in the larger packs, a variety of baby milk powder and also has food pouches like you get in the UK, they are not as cheap as you get back home so expect to pay around 60-70 baht per pouch.

Pods (Mae haad)

Located on the main road in Mae Haad, after the turning to the pier on the right side. This is probably the best supermarket for all groceries, it stocks the biggest range of fresh fruit and vegetable, pantry items, cheese, hams, and meats. It's ideal for a family wishing to cook and make their own baby food. I've just finished doing our weekly shop for the Playskool and found they also have a shelf of Heinz baby found jars ranging from 67-78 baht.

Aukotan (Chalok)

This huge general store can be found on the road on the way to Chalok. It has a fairly good range of nappies, mostly Mamy Poko in a good variety of sizes and in larger packs. It also has a great medical section which stocks plasters, baby paracetamol, cotton wool, saline solution, seasickness tablets, charcoal tablets and lots more. You can also buy wet wipes, baby shampoo and body wash, milk bottles, bottle brushes, baby dine wear, food storage and baby nail clippers. 

4P Supermarket (Sairee)

This supermarket offers quite a limited range of baby and toddler stock but does have nappies, size range maybe quite limited though, if you try here and don't have success your best bet would be to check the 7 eleven. 

Penswhole sale (near the Temple on the main road to Mae haad)

A lot like Chaiwat and Aukotan, has a good variety of nappies and also stocks baby formula and follow on milk. They also have many cereals, juices, cracker, pasta, wine, spirits, hardware items and more. You just have to roam the aisle and see what you come across.   

Koh Tao Kids Camp

Weekend camp out with the children from Si Ri Panya School, Koh Phangan

With Phoenix turning 10 years old I started to notice the demand for activities for older children.

It's literally every girl's dream come true

Whilst the Koh Tao Playskool and daycare offers exceptional childcare and education for children under 7 years old, it's just not very fun or practical mixing children in the higher age groups with the younger ones. Which is why we launched the Koh Tao Kids camp back in 2013. We host adventure packed days for children aged 7 years plus (we have taken younger children but this has to be down to our discretion).The kids can pick from a list of themed days such as 'Want to be a mermaid or shark' or want to be a spy, circus performer, pirate and more.