KOH
TAO - "TURTLE
ISLAND"
Koh Tao is one of S.E.Asia's most popular travellers'
spots. Yet just a few years ago, "Turtle Island"
was very, very different............
In
the 1930's, the Thai government realised the strategic
advantage of Koh Tao as a penal colony and started to
relocate a number of political prisoners from camps on
the west coast to a new facility built on the island.
From
the island , surrounded for miles by ocean, there was
little or no chance of escape.
 In
1944 with a change of government, after all prisoners
were freed and given an official pardon, the prison camp
was closed down.
As
'regular'
people started to arrive, three main settlements emerged
and to this day, Haad Sairee, Ban Mae Haad and Chalok
Ban Kao.
Unlike
neighbouring Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, Koh Tao remained
untouched by tourism for many years.
Then, in the late 1980's the first Samui based dive operators
began running overnight live-aboard trips and were amazed
by what they saw.....
....crystal
clear waters boasting an awesome array of colour and coral
reefs, alive with an incredible diversity of marine life.
 Soon
dive operators began re-locating to Koh Tao realizing
they had uncovered a wealth of untouched beauty.
Today,
Koh Tao remains one of S.E. Asia's most beautiful islands
and has the image of a "picture-postcard" tropical
escape!!
IDC
Koh Tao @ Crystal Dive IDC Resort
Mae Haad Beach, Koh Tao, Thailand
Tel; +66 77 456107 Fax: +66 77 456105
m@il: matt@idckohtao.com
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