Lang Khai & Lad Bay, Koh Tao: Hidden Snorkelling Bays

Lang Khai Bay is one of the most hidden and least known spots on Koh Tao: a tiny rocky beach in a valley between two tall hills on the east coast, just south of Tanote Bay. It is really two small bays, Lang Khai and its neighbour Lad Bay (also spelled Ao Lad, Aow Lad or Aow Lud), with a small rocky beach between them.

This is a lesser-known site, so treat this page as a short guide rather than a full dive briefing. It is mainly a snorkelling bay, with occasional shore or boat dives, and few tourists make the trip. That makes it quiet and good for photography.

Lang Khai & Lad Bay dive site map

1Small rocky beach
2Northern boulders, 0 to 10 m
3Southern boulders, 0 to 8 m
4Sandy bay floor 5 to 10 m

Usual route: Enter at the beach, snorkel out along the north-side boulders, then drift back along the shore. Drawing based on local dive briefings: approximate, not to scale and not for navigation. Your guide's briefing on the day always comes first.

Getting to Lang Khai Bay

By land, the bay is reached by a steep concrete road, about 15 minutes by scooter or taxi from Mae Haad. Take it slowly, since the gradient is serious. You can also arrive by boat.

A resort on the cliff at the end of the road has a path down to King Kong Rock, which makes the area easy to combine into one trip.

Snorkelling and diving in the bays

Large boulders at both ends of the bays continue underwater as rock formations covered in older and newer corals that look largely undisturbed. The seabed drops steeply to about 5 to 10 m.

The best snorkelling is on the north side, where the water reaches about 10 m and the coral and fish are best. Enter from the beach, snorkel out along the north-side boulders, then drift back along the shore. The map here is schematic only.

What is Lad Bay like?

Lad Bay is the smaller, lesser-known sister of Lang Khai. There is very little dive-specific information about it, so expect a quiet stretch of rocky shoreline with boulders that continue underwater, rather than a marked dive site.

On land, the shore rocks near the cliff-top resort are also used by climbers and boulderers.

Marine life

Expect reef fish among the coral and boulders. This is a place for gentle exploring rather than big-animal encounters, and the appeal is the calm, uncrowded water and the healthy-looking coral.

Conditions and best time to go

Go on a calm, sunny day, ideally in the June to September window when the east coast is sheltered. Late October to December is the north-east monsoon, when the bay can be exposed and is best skipped.

Visibility has not been confirmed, so check the water from the beach before you get in.