So, you’ve come to realise that an average holiday vacation wouldn’t do this time around. Instead, you want to trade in poolside cocktails for a coral nursery and a sun lounger for a dive boat. There’s no better place than Koh Tao to enjoy a meaningful holiday. 

Koh Tao has long been the world capital of obtaining your PADI Open Water Diver qualification, but in 2026, it’s the citizen scientists on the island that truly hold the magic. Marine conservation internships on the island have transformed from a set of niche passions into fully-fledged programs, bridging the gap between recreational scuba diving and scientific inquiry.

Reaching this haven under the sea is part of the adventure. Most people arrive by air on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui before taking the Koh Samui to Koh Tao ferry, which is a 90-minute rush across the Gulf of Thailand and exhilarating in