Quick Summary:
Spending Christmas in Koh Tao means waking up to sunshine, visiting Nangyuan Island in the morning, having a chaotic Christmas dinner at your hostel, and ending the night at a beach bar with buckets in hand. It is nothing like Christmas back home, and that is exactly what makes it so good. If you are thinking about spending the festive season on a Thai island, Koh Tao should be at the top of your list.
BANGKOK & BACK TO THE ISLANDS
Back to Thailand, my second home. The 3 Swedes and I had one last night in Bangkok before they flew back to Stockholm. We made the most of it, went out for a few drinks, and said our goodbyes. I’ll be honest, I was gutted to see them go because they’d been great fun the whole trip.
The Swedes tried to drag me to a ping pong show but I’d already heard the Bangkok ones are a complete tourist trap, about 30 minutes away by tuk-tuk, overpriced at the door, and once you are inside they do not let you leave until you pay the full price. Hard pass from me.
After that I flew to Koh Samui and then made my way to Koh Tao for Christmas and New Year. If you are thinking about spending Christmas on Koh Tao, trust me, you are making the right call. It is where everything happens.
Did You Know?
Bangkok is the most visited city in the world and is also home to some of the most famous tourist traps in Southeast Asia. Always agree on a price before getting into a tuk-tuk.
EVEN THE SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS WERE BEING THROWN ABOUT
KOH TAO
Oh, it’s great to be back! I checked into CK Hostel since the last place was a nightmare. It was only about 2 months old and already building a reputation as the best party hostel Koh Tao had at the time. Somehow, they put all the party animals in the same dorm room, which tells you everything. I met an English fella (Phil) and a guy from Wales (Aled), who I traveled with for the next 2 weeks. I’ll be honest, most of the stories I shouldn’t be telling you.
Did You Know!
Koh Tao is a tiny island in the Gulf of Thailand, roughly 21 square kilometres, and its name literally means Turtle Island in Thai. It is most famous for being one of the best and most affordable scuba diving spots in the world, with over 100 dive sites around the island.
16 Strangers, One Dorm, Zero Shame
It was a 16-person dorm, and we all got on really well. It’s not a true friendship until we dish out nicknames for everyone. There was Shagger, a girl who claimed to be a good girl but never stayed in her own bed. Then there was Top Shagger, who was in my top bunk and shook the bed while I was sleeping. I asked her what was up, and she said she just wanted to check its sturdiness. I can only imagine why.
After choosing to stay at a party hostel, she asked us if she’d actually get any sleep. We all looked at each other and pointed her to the door. That night, we took her out, and she spoke to a guy for 5 minutes before going home with him. She was clearly keen on some sleep! You can see where the nicknames are headed!
A WEEK OF SANGSOM AND CHANG
Jason, whom I met last time, is still here, and Sticky Vicky, whom I met in Siem Reap, is heading down for Xmas too. It’s shaping up to be a good couple of weeks.
The next week over Xmas was crazy. Same routine every night. A bottle of rum and Sprite before heading out. Tits (sorry, another nickname) met 2 Welsh guys (Jac and another Aled Roberts!) on the boat over to Koh Tao, who joined the 3 of us and were just as bad an influence as Aled and Phil. They’re only on holiday for a few weeks, so they’re going pretty hard at it.
Quick Glance
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the largest religious monument in the world, built back in the 12th century.
CHRISTMAS DAY
The sun was blazing, which is honestly the best way to wake up on Koh Tao Christmas morning. There was only one way to start the day right: head back to Nangyuan Island, this time without having to kayak there. It was a slow, easy morning before what turned into a massive day and night.
Did You Know?
Koh Nangyuan sits just 1 kilometre off the coast of Koh Tao and is made up of three small islands connected by natural white sand causeways. It is one of the most photographed spots in all of Thailand.
The hostel put on a proper Koh Tao Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings: roast potatoes, mash, chicken legs, noodles, rice, and chicken curry. It was surprisingly civilised, until someone launched a half-eaten chicken drumstick across the room. After that, it was full chaos. Potatoes flying, noodles going everywhere, and even the salt and pepper shakers got thrown around.
Before the food fight, Christmas dinner at CK Hostel Koh Tao
SUNSET BAR
For the night out, we ended up at Sunset Bar, and honestly, it felt like stumbling onto a secret bar Koh Tao style find because it took us this long to discover it. It turned out to be one of the best nights of the whole trip.
The night kicked off at Sunset Bar Koh Tao
Phil, Aled, and I heard about the party and passed the word around the dorm. It’s not advertised as a pool party, but there happens to be a pool right in the middle with a 3-metre diving board, which is either a great idea or a terrible one depending on how many buckets you’ve had. During the day, it’s a proper, chilled-out spot, but once the sun goes down, the deck chairs disappear, and the buckets come out. Each bar on the island takes turns hosting the big night since there just aren’t enough people to fill every bar every night, and Sunset Bar absolutely delivered.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Christmas was always going to be special, but spending it on my favourite island in Thailand made it even better. I got lucky being thrown into a dorm with Phil and Aled, both top fellas, and the two weeks that followed were some of the best of the whole trip. If you ever get the chance to spend Christmas here, just do it.
NEXT UP
I ended up in the worst state of the whole trip. So bad, I did not know where I was or whether I had been drugged. Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
Question Time
- Where do you like to spend Christmas
- Have you spent Christmas abroad before, where was your favourite?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
