Koh Tao, a delightful island off Thailand's southern coast between Surat Thani and Chumphon, is a haven for families and tourists wanting to chill on white sandy beaches as well as for divers on the look out for gin-clear waters.

It's an easy journey from Bangkok, with combined bus/boat packages offered by tour operators from the backpacker haven of Khao San Road, as well as regular departures from the Southern Bus Terminal and by rail. Ferries and speedboats run by Songserm, Lomprayah and Seatran also depart Chumphon pier at regular intervals. I opted to take Songserm's 6pm bus from Khao San, which got me to the pier at 2am then caught the fast boat at 7am arriving at Koh Tao at 10 for a late breakfast.

Sairee is the most popular destination for tourists wanting a wealth of beach activities, bars, restaurants and shops but Chalok Baan Kao is better for those planning to spend their time diving. We stayed at the JP Resort, which offers rooms and bungalows overlooking the bay and suits most travellers on a budget.

The resort's owner introduced us to the Carabao Dive School and a long-tail boat operator. She and her husband are Thai, but her workers are mostly English speaking Burmese.

A native of Koh Phangan, she was given this strip of land by her parents and has turned it into a small but charming resort. J and P, she tells us, are her parents' initials. "My parents were construction merchants on Phangan. They bought land here and we started with 10 bungalows 10 years ago," she says. "Now we have 60 rooms by the beach and on the hillside.

Room rates at JP Resort range from Bt1,000 to Bt3,000 with fan and air-conditioning respectively during high season (November to February and July and August), dropping to Bt700 to Bt2,500 off season. "Unlike Samui, Koh Tao's clients are backpackers and walkins, so we don't have the same level of competition as the resorts on the developed islands," she explains. JP Resort charges Bt150 to Bt250 for a motorcycle while the Internet is Bt2 per minute.

Longtail boat owner, Pornthep Thongmak, 50, takes out parties of 10 people from Chalok Baan Kao to the famous Nang Yuan islands. Along with his son, he's been taking tourists around Koh Tao for more than 10 years.

Twenty minutes later, the spectacular white stretch of Nang Yuan beach with the blue ocean on each side of it is right in front of us. It's a must for anyone visiting Kao Tao and a great place to spend a few hours.

Pornthep introduces us to Mango Bay, a beach south of Nang Yuan and on the northern tip of Koh Tao. A secluded beach with just one relatively new resort in operation, the bay is dotted with rocks and coconut plantations and is a popular spot with snorkellers and those learning to dives.

From Mango Bay, we head back to Chalok Baan Kao where we meet up with Supakit Juesttluk, owner of the Carabao Dive Centre. He explains why Koh Tao is such a magnet for divers. "To start with, the diving sites are close to the beaches. The coral is beautiful here and we have an abundance of sting ray, barracuda, turtles, cartoon and lion fish as well as blue sharks," says Supakit.

"The water is shallow and clear, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced divers. I recommend the Chumphon pinnacle in the northwestern region, which is famous for its blue sharks."

IF YOU GO

To book accommodation at JP resort, call (077) 4\56 099. Carabao Dive School can be reached at (077) 456 402 or visit www.CarabaoDiving.com.