Scooters are the most common form of personal transportation in Thailand and a popular rental option for tourists to explore Koh Tao. Unfortunately, we hear stories where the experience turned sour: an accident ruined dive plans or caused severe damage. The fees have blown the holiday budget. Our general recommendation is not to travel here, especially if you don’t have a motorbike license at home – Koh Tao is not the best place to learn to drive! For those who still want to rent a scooter, check out our handy guide to getting the best rental experience while staying safe:
RENTING BIKES
The standard procedure will be to sign a contract. This should detail any charges for damages, so check what you may be charged before signing. Almost all operations require a passport as a deposit. Regardless of your opinion on legitimacy, this is a standard rental procedure. You will be prompted to inspect the bike.
Usually, both parties take photos or videos of the bike’s condition at the rental location. There are dozens of companies, but we continuously hear positive comments about the following operators:
Tour Start with Coffee:
Once we ordered our scooter, we were ready to go. Martin was, but he needed some coffee and breakfast before going anywhere. Luckily, KP is next to BLUE WATER, one of our favorite spots for breakfast and sunsets on Koh Tao. Although it’s a bit pricey, the money spent is worth it. You can get a table on the beach; the food is well-presented and high-quality!
We love their french toast with granola and caramel banana for breakfast, and it’s the perfect way to start the day!
TURTLES AND SMOOTHIES
If you’re in Koh Tao at the right time, you can visit some baby turtles at the View Heaven Dive Shop and Restaurant, which also runs a turtle conservation project. Expect nothing big; they only have a few sea tanks where they keep the turtles until they are old enough to be released into the sea; However, the employees are pleased about this project and are doing an excellent job here.
Other Drivers:
Expect other road users to refrain from obeying or even understanding the traffic rules. Turn signals are not used often, and there are some surprising right-turn habits, stopping on the left-hand side of the road first—or even into traffic before turning on the wrong side. Suppose you’re worried about riding a bike, don’t! Koh Tao is tiny, so many things are within walking distance, taxis are plentiful, and bicycles are even available for hire in some places.
