Eating safely on Ko Tao

Ko Tao is a small dive island in the Gulf of Thailand, part of Koh Phangan district in Surat Thani province. Eating there is much like eating anywhere in Thailand, but island life changes two things: how far you are from a large hospital, and how the weather affects the boats that would take you there. For the advice that applies across the country (tap water and ice, street food, vaccines, allergies, emergency numbers), see our page on eating safely in Thailand. As everywhere in the country, drink sealed bottled, boiled or filtered water rather than tap water; our guide to tap water and ice when traveling explains how to judge ice and refilled bottles.

Where to get medical help on Ko Tao

The island’s public hospital is Ko Tao Hospital. Formerly a subdistrict health-promotion hospital, it was upgraded in 2017 to a hospital with 10 beds. When a Thai Senate committee visited in April 2023, the hospital listed among its problems a lack of permanent staff posts and of a CT brain scanner.

• Transfers off the island. Emergency patients are sent on to Koh Samui Hospital by speedboat, navy boat or helicopter, and in 2023 the hospital said transfers between the islands had moved to helicopters.
• Insurance. The UK government advises making sure you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation, and notes that all hospitals in Thailand require a guarantee of payment before treating patients. Keep your policy number and your insurer’s emergency line on your phone, and call them as soon as you are referred to a hospital.
• In an emergency, call 1669 for an ambulance.

Our guide to food poisoning while traveling gives the signs that mean you should see a doctor. On Ko Tao, act on them early: a transfer to a larger hospital depends on boats or a helicopter.

When is the rainy season on Ko Tao?

Ko Tao does not follow the rest of the country. The UK government says the rainy season in Thailand is generally from May to October, but that in Koh Samui and south-east Thailand, where Ko Tao lies, it usually runs from November to March. In November 2024, for example, the Thai Meteorological Department reported that the northeast monsoon dominated the Gulf of Thailand for almost the whole month and that heavy rain caused significant flooding along the east coast of the south.

On an island, the weather decides when you can leave. The UK government notes that boat accidents between the mainland and the islands are usually linked to overloading, poor maintenance or rough seas, particularly in the monsoon season, and advises following the Thai Meteorological Department’s warnings. If you travel between November and March:

• pack enough of your own medicines, including oral rehydration solution, in case boats are cancelled;
• if you are unwell, don’t board a small boat in rough seas: get checked on the island first.

Food allergies on a small island

Advice on common allergens in Thai food and on ordering in Thai is on the Thailand page. On Ko Tao, keep your emergency medicine with you at all times, including on boat trips, because the nearest large hospital is on another island.

On the map, places shown as Low concern are restaurants where safeat’s review found no food-safety concern in the last 12 months. It is a starting point, not an inspection or a guarantee, so check with the restaurant if you have an allergy.