Koh Tao By Land: Jumping Into Jaws

By this point, you guys are probably sick of hearing me say it — yes, there is more to do on little Koh Tao than just diving and partying!

In fact, there’s a whole company that specializes in proving it. Technically yes, my good friends at Goodtime Adventures do offer scuba diving; but they also offer a whole array of activities for the land lubbers among us: rockclimbing, abseiling and rapelling, trapezing (one of my favorite islands activities!), cliff jumping, and snorkeling, to name a few. They also offer super popular combo tours that pack a major punch by fitting several activities into one adrenaline-filled afternoon.

I’ve long been itching to try one of their land-based adventures, both for my own entertainment and for my ongoing efforts to showcase Koh Tao’s topside activities. So when my dear friend and (at the time) Goodtime Adventures employee Päivi asked me to join for an afternoon of their popular Jump Into Jaws Tour, I was thrilled to hop onboard!

The day started with one of my favorite hikes — well, half of it at least. From The Goodtime Adventures office, we headed towards Laem Tien beach. Typically, this is a two-hour, in-and-out hike to a remote beach on the island’s East Coast.

But the best part of this tour? A speedboat meets you on the other side! I have to admit, knowing that I wasn’t going to have to hit the trail a second time to get back out made this hike a whole lot more enjoyable. The second best part of this tour? Having Päivi’s sidekick Saya lead the way!

Upon reaching Laem Tien, we were in for a treat. The Good Time’s guides led the way as we hopped from rock to rock over to a remote corner of the bay that I’d never been to, despite having hiked there several times on my own.

And then, it was time to jump!

The guides led us through a series of three, nine, and twelve meter jumps; the adrenaline rising with each height jump. Personally, I nailed the first two leaps but decided the third was just a hair outside my comfort zone.

Thankfully, there was no pressure from any direction to push yourself further than you wanted to go — everyone was in good spirits and cheering on the brave few who made the final jump!

When we were all leap-ed out, we crawled onboard the speed boat that had valiantly appeared to take us to the next chapter of our afternoon. The “jaws” part of the “Jump Into Jaws” title of the tour refers to the goal of snorkeling with black tip reef sharks that’s particularly famous for them. That said, all activities are weather dependent and on the day I took the tour, the conditions just weren’t right to head in that direction.

But fear not! We simply changed course and the captain chose two brilliant new spots for us instead — Hin Wong Bay, one of my favorite coves on all of Koh Tao, followed by the very popular Mango Bay. Saya approved of both.

The weather might not have been the most cooperative that day, but the blue waters below more than made up for the lack of blue skies above. On the way back to the shop, we toasted to the day with a complementary beer.

Want to see me looking more like a mermaid than I’ve ever managed? Check out this twenty second clip below — and don’t forget to set to HD!

Video courtesy of Good Time Adventures

Photo courtesy of Good Time Adventures

Ready to hop aboard? Jump Into Jaws runs seasonally from April to September, when the wind conditions are safe for jumping. A morning version runs from 9am to 1pm and an afternoon version runs from 1:30pm to 5:30pm with a minimum of four people. The typical cost is 1,500 baht or $42USD, but mention Alex in Wanderland and you’ll get 10% off your booking, just as a little high five from me to you. Let me know how you like the tour!

Happy Jumping!

Many thanks to Goodtime Adventures for hosting me so I could write this review. As always, you receive my honest opinions regardless of who is footing the bill.