Strange, but true, from 1933 until 1947 KoTao housed political prisoners. Being located about 65 km from Suratthani or Chumporn meant it was hard to escape from! Alcatraz...piece of cake. On the 18th of june 1899, the then king of Thailand King Chulalongkorn (Rama V 1868-1910) visited the islandand left his monogram as evidence on a huge boulder at Jor Por Ror Bay near Sairee Beach. From the days of being a prison camp, through to its current development, Turtle islandhas retained it's sparkle, though it now caters for everybodys requirments and budgets. Now a days, you can get everything from cheap simple bamboo huts with palm leaf roofs to elegant up-market villas with their very own private swimming pool. In the late 1990's the islands very first, and until recently, only road was constructed, the road runs South to North from the far side of Sairee beach to the southern settlement of Chalok Baan Kao. A new road is under construction on the way to Tanote Bay, and once completed it will open up the far side of Koh Taofor greater development, it is accessable with care at the moment with 4x4.
Private Beach 
