Koh Nang Yuan is the postcard that sells Koh Tao: three little granite islands joined by a shimmering triple sandbar, just off the northwest coast. It is privately managed, with an entrance fee, and single-use plastic bottles are banned to protect the setting, so bring a refillable one. The classic move is to climb the short but steep path to the viewpoint on the largest islet, where a boulder-framed lookout takes in the whole sandbar and the impossibly clear water below. Down at sea level, the snorkelling straight off the beach is among the best on the island, with coral gardens and reef fish in easy, shallow reach. It gets busy when the day-trip boats arrive mid-morning, so come early or late to have the sandbar to yourself. You reach it by a ten-minute longtail or taxi-boat from Sairee. Wear reef shoes for the rocks and go easy on the fragile coral.
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