Sai Daeng Resort

Excellent stay, very comfy beds, very good aircon, beautiful location, spotless, great breakfast and the best snorkelling on the island right on the doorstep. The trade off for this oasis of tranquillity is isolation. If you don't hire a moped, you need to rely on cabs and the hotel shuttle so just be prepared to swallow the cost. The staff are lovely but language can be an issue..if you use their whatsapp messenger service, ask for confirmation of yr request as it wasn't always clear if a cab or class had been booked ( it was). We ate in the hotel restaurant several times. Pricier than in town as you'd expect but not overpriced. Both Asian and western dishes were great, so we're the cocktails and house wines. Lovely ladies in the spa. Again, more than town but beautiful ambiance, you hear the gentle lapping of the sea and birds tweeting rather than mopeds racing past. Use Google translate when booking a treatment to explain if you've had surgery or spinal issues. Thai massage is not for the faint hearted! They can advise on more gentle treatments.
We had 6 nights here and didn't want to leave. Our son is a dive instructor on Koh Tao and said you wouldn't find better snorkelling anywhere else. Kayaks are free but be mindful the weather changes v fast. We kayaked to the island to freedive and snorkel. Half an hour later we were caught in a powerful squall and it was hard work getting back. The sea is like a warm bath and we didn't see a single jellyfish. Best snorkelling is the pool side which is more sheltered. Access is via the rocks. It was sad to see a few ignorant people crushing the coral as they got in. This is the ideal place to teach kids how to get in the water carefully! Invest in rock shoes or better still, fins, the coral is razor sharp if you stand on it, but u shouldn't...
If you want brilliant snorkelling and prefer to mix the buzz of town with peace and quiet, this is a fantastic choice. We really didn't want to leave.
Highly recommend the Ocean Deluxe Villas, we had a beautiful view. We had Room 209 which was perfectly located for the pool (no noise despite proximity, pool bar music stops at 7 pm) and not too many stairs down to the restaurant and amazing snorkelling. Just request a room without too many steps when booking, the staff do their best to help. This really was a special place.

Very nice calm and secluded property. If you want to relax and tune things out, this is the place. It is a one minute walk from your room to some amazing snorkeling. Turtles, small sharks, anemonies, huge tabling Acropora corals, enormous brain corals, multitudes of fish to see. The pool was nice and not overcrowded. It was nice to have free Muay Thai and yoga lessons. The breakfast was OK.

We stayed here for five nights as a couple in April 2026.

We came to Koh Tao primarily for snorkeling and chose this resort because we could enter the water directly from the property. It turned out to be absolutely the right decision. During our stay, we joined a snorkeling tour that covered six different spots, including beaches we had considered staying at, and it only reinforced how strong this resort’s location and house reef really are. The property also shows thoughtful attention to environmental sustainability throughout, which we appreciated.

The staff are consistently warm and welcoming. While some are not fully comfortable in English, communication was never an issue.

We stayed in a corner room with an ocean-view balcony, which was very comfortable. The air conditioning worked perfectly, and the hot water in the shower was reliable.

The breakfast buffet is excellent, with an omelet station, rotating Thai dishes, and even dim sum. There are also lighter options like fresh fruit and chia seed pudding, plus a proper espresso machine. We ended up having all our meals at the resort and found the food consistently good. The room service bento box was also a convenient option.

There’s a spa offering massages and facials, a beautiful pool bar with a view, and a gym, so it’s easy to spend your entire stay within the resort. Complimentary activities are plentiful as well—yoga, Muay Thai, art sessions, cocktail making, movie nights, and more.

Most importantly, the snorkeling here is outstanding. The best spot is behind the pool, where you can also catch the sunrise. Being alone in the water while the fish become active in the early morning is a truly special experience. Even during the day, the beachside offers an impressive variety of marine life—you won’t get bored even after several days.

If you’re staying in Koh Tao for a few nights, I would choose this resort without hesitation. (We also spent five nights on Nangyuan Island afterward, and the snorkeling quality here is easily on par—this place really holds its own.)

There is a complimentary scheduled shuttle from the pier, which is standard on Koh Tao, and going into town is easy if you want to.

(Couple in their late 50s / frequent long-term travelers / generally luxury-oriented; did some backpacking in youth)

2026年4月に夫婦で5泊しました。

スノーケリング目的で訪れるタオ島で、いろいろなビーチの中から「リゾートから直接海に入れる」という理由でここを選び、大正解でした。滞在中に『6ヶ所のスポットを巡るスノーケリングツアー』に参加した際に、宿泊候補だった他のビーチも実際に見て、このリゾートの立地と海の良さを改めて強く実感しました。また、リゾート全体が環境に配慮していて細部まで行き届いていて好感が持てました。

スタッフはいつも笑顔でとても親切。英語は少し不慣れな方も多いですが、コミュニケーションに困るほどではありません。

オーシャンビュー・バルコニー付きの角部屋は快適。エアコンが良く効いてシャワーもお湯がしっかり出ました。

朝食ビュッフェがとても充実していて、オムレツバーを始め、日替わりのタイ料理や点心まで揃っています。各種フルーツやチアシードプディングなどヘルシーメニューがあるのも嬉しいポイント。エスプレッソマシンもあってコーヒー党も満足。私たちは町に出ず食事は全てここのレストランでいただきましたが、どれも美味しく感じました。ルームサービスの弁当ボックスも良かったです。

スパでマッサージやフェイシャルが受けられ、絶景のプールバーやジムもあり、リゾート内で十分に満喫できます。

無料のアクティビティも豊富で、ヨガ、ムエタイ、アート、カクテル作り、ムービーナイトなど、滞在中に楽しめる選択肢がいろいろあります。

何より、ここでのスノーケリングは本当に素晴らしかったです。おすすめはサンライズが見られるプールの裏側のスポット。誰もいない海で魚たちの朝食シーンを眺める体験はとても特別でした。日中はビーチ側でも驚くほど多くの種類の魚が見られ、飽きることがありませんでした。

タオ島に数泊するなら迷わずおすすめできるリゾートです。（引き続きナンユアン島のリゾートに5泊しましたが、スノーケリングは互角といえるほど、サイデンは優秀）

なお、桟橋からの送迎は無料のシャトルが定期運行していて、これはタオ島の他のリゾートでも一般的なサービスのようで、町に出たければそれも可能です。

（50代後半リタイア夫婦／長期旅行多め／昔バックパッカー・現在はラグジュアリー寄り）

Amazing hotel with outstanding views. Rooms are great. Fresch and clean. Good food and drinks. The hotel staff are very nice and helpful. Lots of offers like yoga, Muay Thai, massage etc. We booked their longtailboat for a whole day, went to Koh Tao 5 most amazing snorkelingsites, amazing experience with a super guide.
- for lots of steps and hills. Think twice if you have back or kneeproblems. Not for disabled people.
+would love to go there again
Absolutely recommended!

I feel it is only fair to point out that we visited the Sai Daeng Resort towards the end of our holiday, having previously stayed in some amazing hotels. If this had been our first stop, perhaps we wouldn't be so critical, difficult to know.
Firstly, the many positives. The setting is incredible, literally right on the beach. The snorkeling (the reason we booked here) was amazing - you can swim to the coral reef right from the beach, and we saw a huge variety of colourful fish, a turtle and some sharks! It is incredibly peaceful, and listening to the waves whilst in bed (which was very comfortable) is a great experience. The air con is effective so had a good night's sleep.
The staff are all so lovely, friendly and polite.
The pool is attractive with plenty of comfortable sunbeds. The cocktails are absolutely delicious and reasonably priced, especially during Happy Hour.
We enjoyed some of the many complimentary activities, especially the bead craft.
So why only 3 stars? Our room (a superior sea view with balcony) and the part of the hotel that we were situated in, was very dark and dingy, in fact my husband likened the grey stone corridor to a prison! It was in desperate need of redecoration and a general make over. I REALLY didn't like the bathroom and I think the attached photos will show why. Maybe the grey concrete walls and floor might have appeared stylish when the hotel was first built, but now it is very grim indeed. After reading other reviews and speaking to a guest who was staying in a different part of the hotel, we are wondering if we were unlucky in the room we were allocated. I just know that after four nights, I was relieved to be leaving, which is such a shame! Even the wooden chairs on the balcony were so uncomfortable, even though it was easily big enough for nicer chairs or even sunbeds. There weren't even any cushions in the room to help us enjoy the amazing view.
Breakfast was ok, not quite up to the standard we had started to get used to in some of the bigger hotels, but not a problem.
The sunbeds on the beach were very old and worn, but again, we weren't too worried by this.
Great memories of the snorkeling, but generally disappointed.

Truly a magical place run by warm people with love in their heart. The location is unparalleled in beauty. The service was exemplary in very way. The yoga was my personal favorite. I did yoga every day for 7 days. The restaurants food is excellent and offers a good variety of dishes to suit all tastes. I highly recommend

A slice of heaven! Graciously built into the natural granite formations and a huge natural sandy beach this resort is an ideal zen location. We have an amazing two bedroom villa with an infinity pool to which it seems many of the villas came with pools. The main pool was perched on a cliff that was a dramatic infinity pool so definitely check out their videos as hard to imagine the expanse. Coupled with the best service and most polite staff. The rooms were very clean and well appointed with very update to fixtures. Great value and quite serene!

5* Location - 3* Hotel
This was our last stay in Thailand and we were really looking forward to it...
Sadly I felt it lacked in so many areas - staff are young and poorly trained, usually had to ask 3 times for a drink.
Moved room after day one as no balcony or even chairs in the room - hefty upgrade charged.
Generally a very uncomfortable hotel - hard chairs everywhere apart from the pool.
Sunbeds on the beach need changing - like something from the 80s!
Food is average at best.
No management around to check on staff - I saw staff daily taking photos to obviously send to the boss.
Pool sunbeds not opened until 10.30 unless you help yourself.
Felt generally quite grubby and unloved.
500bht for a taxi (supplied by hotel) is ridiculous for a max 10 minute journey so other than getting the shuttle we felt quite trapped.
It was 500bht in Bangkok for a taxi from central hotel to the airport (45 minutes) as a comparison.

Sai Daeng, located on Koh Tao, has a special charm. It’s nestled in a small bay, giving it a more intimate atmosphere. The hotel offers rooms with stunning ocean views. The ambiance is peaceful, perfect for relaxation. The beach is easily accessible, with great snorkeling spots. The staff is welcoming, and the setting—between sea and greenery—invites serenity. For an even more unique experience, I highly recommend the beachfront cabanas. In particular, room 401, right by the water, with the soothing sound of waves, is truly a little piece of paradise.

This resort has been the highlight of my 3 weeks in Thailand. The service, the food, the views, the rooms, the classes, the gym , the pool...EVERYTHING about this place is superb. I literally didn't want to leave. Only thing is that there are a lot of stairs so I would keep this in mind if I was going with elderly, otherwise the steps are absolutely fine. Thanks for the memorable holidays guys.

Relaxed wonderful atmosphere, beautiful beach and snorkeling paradise, very friendly and helpful employees, delicious food

Great location, beautiful beach, great for snorkeling. I saw a little shark there while snorkeling . Very helpful and friendly staff.
Will definitely return again.

Traveled around koh tao many times but this place to me is the best beautiful people really want to help would go back drop of a hat

Very nice resort. Relaxing atmosphere, beautiful sea view, and good service. The rooms are clean and comfortable. It’s a great place to relax. I really recommend it!

I stayed at Sai Daeng Resort, Koh Tao, and honestly I highly recommend this place, especially if you love crystal-clear beaches, being close to nature, enjoying a full-service resort, staying active, relaxing with spa or massage, and spending time doing outdoor activities like I do.

The resort has its own private beach, which is quiet and never feels crowded. I loved waking up and just walking straight down to the sea. It feels very peaceful and almost hidden from the rest of the island.

The facilities and activities are a huge plus. They offer boxing and yoga classes, and even have an ice bath, which is perfect after a workout or a long day in the sun. There is also a fully equipped gym with a beautiful sea view, so you can work out while enjoying the scenery. On top of that, there’s a pool bar, so you can relax with a drink and enjoy the view. The staff are all very friendly and helpful, which made the stay feel even more comfortable.

The resort also has its own restaurant, and the food is really good, especially the Thai food, which was much better than I expected from a hotel restaurant. I ended up eating there a lot because it was so convenient and tasty.

One thing I really loved is that they provide a snorkeling mask for free in the room as part of the facilities, and also a large beach straw tote, which is really convenient so you can just grab everything and go straight down to the water. The area around the beach is great for snorkeling too.

I stayed in a villa, and the room was really nice and spacious. The bed was very comfy, and the pillow was low, which I personally love. The bathroom was quite big as well, almost as big as the bedroom, and they designed it with separate wet and dry areas, which makes it much more comfortable to use.

Overall, Sai Daeng Resort is perfect if you want a quiet, private, full-service stay with lots of activities, direct beach access, and great food. I would definitely come back and recommend it to anyone visiting Koh Tao.

Out of all our stops in Thailand, this was my favourite. The location is absolutely stunning and the staff are amazing. It was easy getting hold of reception via the room phone or WhatsApp and they were responsive. The shuttle service to the hotel and to the pier was very convenient. The beach/bays either side of the resort was great for snorkelling (the hotel even has complimentary snorkel masks in the room). The room was clean and the beds even had mosquito nets. It was a very nice, chilled and relaxing experience.

What an amazing resort! This was our second stay (2023 first time) and as we thought it could not get better, the beautiful people at Sai Daeng made it Even better than the first time!
- amazing rooms, clean, spacious - good views!
- great food! Breakfast, lunch, dinner….🤩
- lovely staff!!! No matter who or where at the hotel, everyone is lovely and helpful!
- super extras!! Muay Thai, Yoga, Spa, kanoeing, ice bath… and pool DJ! Fabulous!
And - of course- the resort itself! Great beach, great corals, great pool
Definitely a 5 Star rating- we will come back a third time 🐠🩵🐠
Thank you, Sai Daeng

We recently stayed at Sai Deng Resort and there's no denying that the setting is absolutely stunning — the views over the bay are beautiful, and the surrounding nature makes for a really peaceful atmosphere. The snorkelling was also a highlight, with equipment provided in the room and vibrant marine life just steps from the beach.

Unfortunately, the room itself really let the experience down. From the moment we arrived, there was a persistent smell of sewage in the room that didn’t go away. On top of that, the air-conditioning started leaking in the middle of the night all over the TV and our belongings. While staff were friendly and quick to come and fix it (even during the night), it wasn’t ideal as we were woken for it! The next day, we returned to the room to find the staff inside without us being informed, and the entire AC unit had been removed from the wall — again, quite a surprise.

The resort is also quite far out from the main areas of Koh Tao, so taxis can be expensive. They do offer shuttle buses to the pier but you need to book in advance and there aren’t many throughout the day. You have to then get to the town from there.

Overall, while the natural beauty of the place and the helpfulness of the staff were definite positives, the condition of the room and the surprise maintenance work left us feeling disappointed. If the rooms were improved, it could be a really great spot — but for now, the experience didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by the location.

Best Hotel at best location in Koh Tao! Great room, great views, great food, super service and private beach at disposal

Absolutely beautiful resort set on the most gorgeous beach. We stayed in the family beachfront villa with our 2 teenagers, we had our own pool overlooking the beach which was amazing. Listening to the waves at night going to sleep was so relaxing. The villa was spacious & comfortable. The upstairs bathroom was a little hot & dark, but didn’t worry us. Being able to snorkel directly from the resort was the best part, so many fish & beautiful coral on the other side of the resort. Bring beach shoes as it’s quite rocky to get in. The beachfront restaurant was lovely & the service was good, reasonable prices too. When you book directly through the resort you get a private long tail boat tour around the island & massages in the spa included.
Would not hesitate to come back to Koh Tao & Sai Daeng, just wished we’d stayed longer.