Sai Nuan Beach

This series of very attractive turquoise bays and palm-fringed beaches can be reached on foot from either Mae Haad or Chalok Ban Kao.

These bays have both advantages and disadvantages - what you gain in tranquility you lose in ease of access. If you're a bit of a night owl, this part of Koh Tao may not be the best choice as stumbling home down the goat-track of a trail in the early hours will be a recipe for disaster.

On the other hand, if you're after a bit of serenity, a lot of hammock swinging and a fare dose of gazing out to sea, then you're in the right place.

In a few spots the beaches around this part of Koh Tao are beginning to lose their sand - luckily a problem that so far hasn't really spread to elsewhere on the island.