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Last updated on July 23, 2023
Nestled in a small bay between Tanote Bay and Shark Bay, Aow Leuk is an uncrowded beach on Koh Tao. The beach is nothing spectacular, but the reefs that start at each end of the beach have some good snorkeling.
Aow Leuk is a bay on the southwestern coast of Koh Tao, located between Tanote Bay to the north and Shark Bay to the south.
This location can be reached either by road, about 1.5 miles from the Mae Haad pontoon. There is an entry fee of 50 baht per person. This converts to less than $2 each. You can also reach this location on a , boat tour. If you choose the second option, make sure the tour includes a stop on Aow Leuk Beach.
Water entrance is from the sandy beach.
Once in the water, first explore the sandy bottoms of the center of the bay. It is common to see small blacktip sharks visiting the shallows.
To see fish and coral, head to the two reefs found to the right and left of the beach. The depth here ranges from 3 to 18 feet/1 to 5 meters. The reef on the right when facing the sea has the healthiest coral.
The reefs are in just decent condition overall. Sabella and giant clams can be seen between the coral.
Several species of butterflyfish can be seen in the reef areas, as well as red-breasted wrasse, lots of damselfish, parrotfish, wrasse and schooling rabbitfish. A few blacktip groupers dwell on the sand, and titan triggerfish are frequent visitors to the deeper areas.
Lucky snorkelers might also encounter green sea turtles, which are quite common in Aow Leuk Bay. This spot has no strong current, and the underwater visibility is good.
There are several hotels and restaurants on the beach.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
