Koh Tao: Inside the tiny Thai island working hard to protect the sea life that put it on the map

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Large conservation efforts are being carried out on Koh Tao keep their white sandy beaches clean “When I first moved here in 1994, 750 people lived on the island, now we have half a million visitors a year” muses Devrim Zahir, co-founder of New Heaven Dive School, which opened in 1995 and is one of the longest serving schools in Koh Tao, known for leading the way with their approach to marine conservation ingrained in everything they do. The main issue really is ocean acidification, caused by sea temperatures rising.” open image in gallery Daily beach cleans are undertaken each day as part of eco-tourism targets Alongside the extensive marine research and data collection projects run by the New Heaven Reef Conservation team they also work on boosting the local coral through mineral accretion, using artificial frame structures to give extra nutrition and energy to the coral using electrolysis. open image in gallery Creative workshops offer run eco-friendly activities, such as creating bracelets from sea glass and string “Koh Tao is the first place in Thailand to ban plastic bags,” Pin tells me. Think about yourself a bit less and think about the environment a bit more.” Four simple tips that seem easy enough to remember to me, I hope next season’s visitors to Koh Tao do, too.