Koh Tao was hit by torrential rain on the 27th March’11 after having had stormy weather for the prior week or so. The down pour was heavy and you can click here to view conditions then. Or here for conditions on the 1st April.
Yesterday saw tourists being helicoptered to Navy vessels lying offshore which seemed a little dramatic. Contrary to media created hysteria, we had power, water and food. We just didn’t have any ferries running, which is hardly unusual in bad weather. In monsoon this has lasted significantly longer without food running out. At least those that had onward connections made it and if you don’t live here then its nice to get home or where you are going !
Local residents have had damage to houses, property and businesses and a few have lost homes too. It seems other areas in Thailand have suffered worse and our thoughts go to all of those people badly effected.
Today, (31/3) the rain has stopped and its bright, the wind has dropped and the sun is trying to break through too. The clean up operation has started in earnest. Master Divers., was lucky, and has been unaffected. In fact there has been relatively little damage to the areas that visitors see, only one resort was badly hit and one short stretch of beach road has been washed away. There is still a little surface water, but not deep, and there is some sand and mud to be cleared but other than that life carries on. Ferries are running and Samui airport re-opened yesterday and dive boats even went out today.
I’ve seen this island dust itself down and pick itself back up again. You can see from the images below, work has already started and, for the majority it will be business will be as usual within as little as 24 hours.
Some of the worst damage we have seen is the road home to our house, which is nowhere near the main thoroughfare for visitors. You can seen photos and video below the photos too. I have not seem it this bad before.
(Don’t forget to sign up to the RSS feed, top left, to keep up to date or you can bookmark the Daily Diving Page to check out the conditions in the underwater world here on Koh Tao!)
hello,this side a chinese girl.I will arrive on the samui airport on 4-4-2011,and will direct go to koh tao if the weather is ok.Can you please send me a email every day till the day I arrive(or some advise)? I am a little worry about the weaher condition, but I really want to go to koh tao although it had just been suffered a terriblly rain.I would appreciate your help.
Hi
We are looking to be in Tanote Bay from the 8th of April with the plan to do some diving, can you let me know if 1. Tanote is still accessable and standing after the floods and willbe most of Koh Tao open? We are getting alot of conflicting information here in the uk as to ferries running from chumphon (could you let me know if these have started yet) and the overall state of the island.
Kind Regards in advance
Marcus Denby
Hello! As far as I am aware Tanote is fine and Koh Tao never really closed – so we are open now – I know there are alot of conflicting reports but I can tell you the majority of places are open and awaiting visitors to come. Im getting on the ferry to Chumphon tomorrow – no Im not leaving !! Ill be back the next day but ferries have been running for a few days. Infact the ferries ran on the day they were airlifting people out !!!!
Please keep checking back here – you can see the small amount of damage and Im just posting an update now – so watch the blog.
Im sorry I cant mail you everyday but do keep an eye on our blog and facebook page which is constantly updated – if you are a twitterer then come follow and you will get instant updates too !