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The resort is totally
private as it is situated in its own natural bay,
with granite cliffs on both sides and jungle behind,
yet the resort is only a kilometre from the nearest
village with local shops and restaurants. The
beach itself opens out onto a crystal blue shallow
lagoon which is perfect for swimming and snorkelling,
and at night all that can be heard is the lapping
of the waves and the whistling of the breeze.
In keeping
with environmental influences that make the resort
so special, the name “haadtien” derives from the
trees to be found growing at the waters edge,
with their gnarly roots digging into the white
coral sands of the beach.
haadtien
and the environment
The haadtien is built on one of the most untouched
and naturally beautiful bays in Thailand, therefore
the resort has been designed with the environment
in mind. The villas and restaurant building are
low impact and built of natural materials. The
resort has its own flower and plant nursery, to
ensure we have a constant supply of naturally
occurring foliage. The nursery also doubles as
a fruit and vegetable garden, again to ensure
guests have fresh and delicious produce while
maintaining a low carbon footprint.
Water, a
precious commodity on the island is drawn from
our own boreholes sunk deep into the subsoil.
Any waste water is recycled and used to irrigate
the garden and plantings in the resort. Lastly,
any refuse generated in the resort is sorted and
recycled, and the beach is thoroughly cleaned
and swept every day with any driftwood removed
for use as resort fuel.
Facilities
Dining
...inSea
beach bar & grill...
inSea
beach bar & grill,
with its beachfront location and uninterrupted
views across the crystal clear blue water of Haad
Tien Bay, is a perfect place to unwind, kickback
and enjoy anything from an evening cocktail to
a feast for the taste buds. “Pah Yong”, the resident
chef offers a hand selected a la carte menu combining
authentic Thai dishes and international cuisine
with emphasis on fresh local ingredients such
as the daily seafood catch or organically vegetables,
fruits and herbs grown on our property.
Beach
Bar
Similar in
design and facilities to the Castaway villas but
with a little more room these private villas contain
all of the modern essentials to ensure you and
your family have an unforgettable stay, including
air conditioning, open plan living space and huge
covered daybeds. They are situated right on the
waters edge with uninterrupted views right out
to sea.
Activities
Massage
Private masseurs’
are available to book from reception. Trained
in both Thai and Western styles, let them sooth
away the stress and grind of daily life. The resort
is planning a spa centre to be added during 2010,
but in the meantime the island has a wealth of
spa and hollistic treatment facilities, please
ask at reception for more information.
Snorkelling
The resort
has snorkelling equipment available for guests
and with the house reef only a stones throw from
the beach, even the most ardent sunbather may
find themselves tempted to take the plunge. If
you fancy going a little further afield we can
arrange a snorkelling trip on one of the resorts
boats, and arrange a packed lunch freshly prepared
by our chefs should you require it.
Diving
Koh Tao is
reknowed for diving. More PADI open water courses
are carried out on Koh Tao than anywhere else
in Thailand. This is mainly due to the diverse
and safe marine environment around the island
. During 2010 the resort will be building a PADI
dive centre, but in the meantime reception can
arrange contact with a number of local and reputable
operators, who will pick you up and drop you back
to the resort after your trips. All manner of
dives can be carried out in Koh Tao, from beginners
taking there PADI Open Water Courses, to Dive
Master Courses, night diving, Nitrox, and wreck
diving. http://www.asiadivesite.com/thailand-dive-sites/koh-tao/
Mountain
Biking
Koh Tao has
miles of virtually deserted dirt tracks which
can be explored with a mountain bike. Being a
small mountainous island, don’t be surprised if
your route encounters some fairly steep hills,
so for this reason please ensure you always carry
enough water to quench your thirst. Several places
on the island rent out mountain bikes for as little
as 150 baht per day.
Yoga
Classes
Koh Tao has
some of the most amazingly tranquil spots for
yoga. There are several yoga centres on the island
in a variety of settings from mountain retreats
to deserted sandy beaches. Most common styles
of yoga are practised. If you have a specific
requirements please ask at reception and we will
contact the appropriate centre.
Hiking
Koh Tao is
a great place to hike as the routes are short,
the views are amazing and you will always find
something new and unexpected. There is a mountain
chain running down the spine of the island and
the highest point is 379m, so although the hikes
can be testing, they offer wonderful overall vistas
of the island as a whole. Many of the hikes are
also enhanced by Koh Tao’s wide variety of resident
and migratory birds. Sea eagles, Ospreys, Pied
Harriers, Chinese Sparrowhawks, and Black Bazas
can all be seen throughout the year circling around
the rocky outcrops of the island. Several outfits
on the island offer nature walks and early morning
bird watching if you fancy learning more about
the natural wildlife of this beautiful island.
Abseiling
/ Rappelling
Koh Tao contains
of hundreds of natural granite boulders and rock
faces, from high granite cliffs plummeting into
the crystal clear blue sea, to vegetation - covered
hidden gems in the island interior. The island
has several excellent outfits who run daily courses
and trips to these sites, so if you cannot quite
bring yourself to extert all that energy getting
to the top of one of koh tao's peaks for the magical
view, then simply get taken to the top, and then
have the adrenalin rush of abseiling or rappelling
down!
Motorcross
or Quad bikes
Koh Tao’s
roads are 50% paved and 50% unpaved. Even those
that are paved are not exactly smooth and pothole
free! So the best and most widely chosen form
of rented transport is motorcross or quad bikes.
Koh Tao has miles and miles of dirt tracks to
explore, and renting a quad bike is a great way
to get to those inaccessible parts of the island.
There are numerous outlets near the port who rent
out these vehicles. Please do remember that no
vehicles are allowed in the resort, but we do
have a parking area close to the reception for
guests vehicles.
Thai
cooking Classes
Thai food
is always popular and this has in turn led to
several schools that offer cooking classes. This
is a real hands-on experience where you will do
everything from going to the local market to buy
the ingredients to cleaning, splicing & dicing
and of course the cooking itself…
Bouldering
& Rock Climbing
Koh Tao is
fairly unique in that it is made up of hundreds
of granite boulders, both above and below water.
Thereby making it a fantastic island for bouldering,
which is basically as it sounds, climbing up and
around these boulders, and exploring the stunning
scenery on the way. Bouldering is a perfect way
to explore the hidden gems of Koh Tao, with many
courses and guided trips available for both novice
and experienced climber. Naturally with such amazing
and accessible rock structures, rock climbing
on Koh Tao is also popular, with several excellent
operators, running daily climbs or more structured
courses, which teach the knowledge and skill sets
needed to be a confident climber anywhere in the
world.
Thai Boxing
Although
not the mecca for the sport that Bangkok or one
of the other major Thai cities are, the locals
are still very keen on this sport and the matches
that occur every three weeks or so draw huge crowds.
If you are interested in watching a fight then
please ask at reception. Alternatively if you
prefer something a little more strenuous, we can
put you in touch with some of the local clubs
and you can have a go yourself.
How
to get here
Where
are we?
The haadtien beach resort is at Thian Og Bay (shark
Bay) which lies on the southeast corner of Koh
Tao, sheltered from the prevailing winds that
can adversely affect the weather on the other
side of the island. The resort is approximately
twenty-minutes by taxi (pick-up truck) from the
ferry port of Mae Haad, or twenty-five minutes
by taxi boat.
Getting
to Koh Tao
If you want to get to Koh Tao the easiest, quickest
and most comfortable route is via Koh Samui. Bangkok
Airways have scheduled services departing from
Bangkok, Krabi, Phuket, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Via
Koh Samui
The quickest way to Koh Tao is via aircraft to
Koh Samui, the flight from Bangkok is only an
hour and you get to pass through Koh Samui airport
which must be one of the prettiest airports in
the world (as airports go!)
Upon arrival
at Koh Samui, you can arrange transfer to Koh
Tao through the airport information desk. The
island can only be reached by boat, there is no
airport on Koh Tao. We recommend you take either
the Lomprayah Catamaran or the Seatran Discovery
which leave twice daily for Koh Tao. Both operators
offer good clean efficient services. It is also
worth noting that these two operators leave from
different locations on Koh Samui, so included
in your ticket will be a road transfer from the
airport to their ferry terminal. The opposite
applies when you leave from Koh Tao to Koh Samui.
Return trips can be arranged by the hotel as the
haadtien is a Seatran Agent.
Please also
remember that in travelling from Koh Samui to
Koh Tao, the ferry stops at Koh Phangan on route.
Therefore you do not need to change boats. If
you have any concerns just ask the ferry staff.
There is only one stop on the journey, so when
you stop for a second time you have arrived. The
journey takes approximately 2.5 hrs. The ferries
are not that large and onboard entertainment is
limited, so an “Ipod” or similar device is a good
idea. Please also remember that during the winter
months it can be choppy, so seasickness tablets
are advisable.
Once you
arrive on Koh Tao at Mae Haad, (both operators
arrive at the same location) one of our representatives
will meet you from the boat and transfer you to
the haadtien. Please ensure you advise us which
operator you are using and your arrival time to
allow us to facilitate the transfer.
Via
Chumphon
Getting to Chumphon from Bangkok is very simple
either by train or a comfortable VIP bus. Both
options can easily be booked in Bangkok or online.
Again Lomprayah Catamaran offers two trips and
Seatran Discovery offers one trip to Chumphon
daily and the price includes the transfer to Koh
Tao. Again, once you arrive on Koh Tao at Mae
Haad, one of our representatives will meet you
from the boat and transfer you to The haadtien
Beach Resort. Please ensure you advise us, which
operator you are using and your arrival time to
allow us to facilitate the transfer.
Via
Phuket and Krabi
You can travel overland to Suratthani, and then
via boat to Koh Tao if you wish, but this in practice
is a long and at times uncomfortable journey in
a minibus. Boat options are very limited and the
only direct boat is a little dubious even at the
best of times. The night boat leaves Suratthani
every night at 11 pm.
We however
therefore strongly recommend that you fly from
Phuket or Krabi to Koh Samui and take the boat
from there. Bangkok Airlines has daily scheduled
flights from both destinations.
Location
Koh
Tao
Koh Tao means “Turtle Island”, because of the
abundance of marine turtles that used to breed
in its rich and fertile waters. Koh Tao is located
in the Gulf of Thailand approximately 45 kilometers
north of Koh Phangan and 70 kilometers east from
the coastline of mainland Thailand. However given
the new fast ferry services from Koh Samui and
Chumporn, this idyllic unspoilt island is now
easily assessable for the more discerning travellers.
At 21 sq
miles Koh Tao is a small island compared to its
more famous neighbours of Koh Phangan and Koh
Samui, however because of the historical inaccessibility
of the island in the past, it has not suffered
from the overdevelopment of its larger neighbours.
Many tour books sum up the island as being today
as Koh Samui was 30 years ago.
However do
not think that this means there is little to do
on the island apart from laze on its 11 coral
white beaches. As Koh Tao’s reputation for natural
beauty and its stunning marine life grew, it became
one of the major dives sites in Thailand. So today
the island benefits from high quality services,
restaurants and tourist activities ranging from
the obvious large no’s of dive schools, moped
hire, guided island tours, health and beauty spa’s,
fishing and many more.
Island
Facilities
Money and foreign exchange
A few years
ago Koh Tao had no ATM, but now happily they are
situated at convenient locations all over the
island. Koh Tao has three banks - Siam City, Siam
Commercial and Bangkok Bank, opening hours from
8.30am to 3.30pm Mondays to Fridays. BKK bank
is also open on Sundays. There are also several
ATMs and exchange booths around the island, and
for those in need of quick cash, Western Union
is available on several locations.
Hospitals
and Clinics
There are no hospitals on the island, however
there are a number of independent clinics staffed
by medical professionals, as well as this the
island does have a resident doctor for more serious
cases. As well as the clinics there are a number
of good pharmacies which can supply prescribed
medicines and stock the usual pharmaceutical products.
If you have any specific medical condition then
please contact us before arrival and we can check
the provision for treatment here on the island
in advance of your stay.
Shopping
The island has several 7-11 stores for everyday
purchases as well as one “big” department store
for a wider range of items (please do not expect
too much….) Other than this there are numerous
artisans with boutiques and tiny stalls selling
all manner of those holiday purchases that remind
you of your stay, as well as clothing stores,
CD stores, sunglasses etc…etc…
Recompression
Chamber
Koa Tao has two companies that deal with recompression
and diving accidents. A mono-place chamber is
located at the Mae Haad on the island, and the
nearest multi-place recompression facility is
in neighbouring Koh Samui.
Restaurants
The island has a diverse range of restaurants,
from simple beach bars serving a basic selection
of Thai or western food, through to high quality
establishments serving a wide selection of international
cuisine. Some current favourites are the Caf?
del Sol grill house, with a French chef serving
up delectable steaks and homemade Italian dishes
and the open-air Thipwimarn Restaurant on a hill
top at Sairee, offering Thai cuisine with a view.
As Koh Tao
is an island and still has a strong traditional
fishing community, seafood is a particularly strong
item and a visit to the island would not be complete
without trying a dish or two of Spanish Mackerel,
which is a succulent meaty fish that is abundant
in the local waters.
Nightlife
Koh Tao has a wide range of bars and clubs, the
heart of which is Sairee beach, approximately
10 minutes by taxi from The haadtien Beach Resort.
Sairee beach
has a number of beach bars that open out onto
the sand and at night they place cushions and
lights onto the sand itself, which creates quite
a magical environment when coupled with the chill
out music emanating from the bars, and the lapping
of the waves against the shore. Most bars close
at 10pm, but should you wish to continue, as you
head to the far end of the beach there are a number
of late night bars that carry on going until the
morning light.
Koh Tao gets
very quiet around the full moon, as every party
person in Thailand heads to the world famous Full
Moon Party in Koh Phangan, the island adjacent
to Koh Tao. A popular option to avoid being room-less
in Koh Pha-ngan is to actually stay on Koh Tao
and just take the Full Moon "party boat"
over. The boat leaves at 6pm, gets you right to
the party beach by 7:30pm, before bringing you
back at 6am No worrying about trying to find accommodation
at one of the worlds biggest parties.
Gallery
Accommodation
Getaway
Family Pool Villas
Haadtien’s
interpretation of the perfect family seaside villa
with two separate bedrooms each with ensuite bathrooms,
its own private swimming pool, and a large deck
for family fun and relaxation.
Haad
Tien Pool Villa
The ultimate
seaside pool villa, the Haadtien Pool Villa offers
total comfort, privacy and breath-taking views
of the bay.
Castaway
Beach Family
Similar in
design and facilities to the Castaway villas but
with a little more room these private villas contain
all of the modern essentials to ensure you and
your family have an unforgettable stay, including
air conditioning, open plan living space and huge
covered daybeds. They are situated right on the
waters edge with uninterrupted views right out
to sea.
Castaway
Beach Villas
Escape to
a palm - fringed whitecoral beach with turquise
clear waters and beautiful marine life just steps
from your private villa. Dedicated to the art
of relaxation, let the castaway beach villas take
you to another world. Discover The haadtien Beach
Resort - an exclusive retreat on Koh Tao, a small
unspoilt island in the gulf of Thailand.
Haad
Tien Villa
Haadtien’s
interpretation of the perfect seaside villa.
Getaway
Villas
Haadtien's
interpretation of the perfect beach bungalow-meticulously
designed and in harmony with our concept of barefoot
luxury. Individually furnished with a private
veranda and day bed of the ultimate enjoyment
of the wide open ocean vista.
Hideaway
Villas
A private
world awaits you. Unspoilt. Unrushed. Unrivalled.
Hidaway villas are nestled amongst the lush natural
forest of a 45 - acre private estate; harbouring
breathtaking sea views a stones throw from a secluded
white beach and crystal water.
Discover
The haadtien Beach Resort - an exclusive retreat
on Koh Tao, a small unspoilt island in the gulf
of Thailand.
Sea
Balcony
Beautifully
appointed with all the trappings of all of other
villas but contained in a compact room with open
sea vistas.
Cottage
Simple but
homely, these cottages were originally built as
dive lodges for the divers. Nestled between granite
rocks and rich foliage, these cottages all have
sea views, balconies, air conditioning and hot
and cold water.
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