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Hiking to Grandfather Rock Lagoon Viewpoint, Koh Tao

Hiking to Grandfather Rock Lagoon Viewpoint, Koh Tao

Olly Gaspar

By Olly Gaspar, full-time traveler for 6 years. I visit every place I write about & share real tips, photos, & advice from my trips.

Looking for one of the best hidden viewpoints on Koh Tao? Grandfather Rock Lagoon is the spot.

Perched high above the northern coast, this abandoned viewpoint offers epic views over Koh Nang Yuan and, best of all, it’s nearly always crowd-free. With a bamboo deck on a massive boulder, the steep hike is totally worth it for the peace and the panoramic views—no entrance fee, no crowds, just pure Koh Tao scenery.

Here’s what you need to know to reach one of the most secluded Koh Tao hiking viewpoints.

Overview: Grandfather Rock Lagoon Viewpoint

There’s a road that leads all the way to the boulder, but it’s very steep and not recommended for motorbikes unless you’re a highly experienced driver. I’d suggest hiking instead. This viewpoint is accessible via the same road as the more popular Top Point and Grape View, just a bit further up.

The views are equally impressive and well worth the effort, here's an overview of the hike to Grandfather Rock Lagoon:

  • Hike Distance: 1.8 km (1.1 miles)
  • Duration: About 40 minutes
  • Difficulty: Short but demanding
  • Elevation Gain: 250 m
  • Access: Motorbike (very steep) or hike (short, concrete path but steep)
  • Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon for cooler temperatures
Grandfather rock view overlooking koh nang yuan
Grandfather Rock view overlooking Koh Nang Yuan

How to Get to the Grandfather Rock Lagoon Trailhead

The trailhead for Grandfather Rock Lagoon is the same access road as Top Point, just a bit further up the steep path near Dusit Buncha Resort. From Sairee, head north past the 7-11, and continue for around 5 minutes (1.1 miles) along Sairee Road. The road is just before Dusit Buncha Resort on the right.

The concrete road is easy to miss—look for an unmarked road on the right about 100 meters before the Dusit Buncha Resort motorbike parking area. If you arrive at the steep section leading down into the resort entrance, you’ve gone too far.

The road starts off fairly level but quickly gets steep. You’ll see a few conflicting signs, some advising against motorbike use and others allowing it. If you’re on a motorbike, be cautious as the incline gets very steep towards the end. Instead, if you must drive, drive up a bit further but park at one of the flat sections before it gets too steep.

Road leading to top point, grape view, and grandfather rock lagoon on koh tao

My Experience Hiking to Grandfather Rock Lagoon

The first part of the hike up to Grandfather Rock Lagoon follows the same twisting, steep road as Top Point viewpoint. It’s a concrete path all the way to the top, but as you climb, the incline gets steeper and a bit bumpy. I wouldn’t want to be on a moped here after rain—it would be a disaster waiting to happen!

Road to grandfather rock and top point, koh tao
Hiking to grandfather rock and top point, koh tao

After about 25 minutes of hiking, we reached Top Point and stopped to grab a drink, enjoy the view, and take a breather. Once we were ready, we continued on:

  • Continue straight past Top Point rock.
  • The road soon starts to descend briefly.
  • Shortly after, you’ll pass a fork with an overgrown trail to the right; this leads to Grape View, another awesome viewpoint on Koh Tao if you’re up for it.
  • Keep left at the fork, where you’ll see an old sign pointing to Grandfather Rock.
  • After about 700 meters (0.4 miles), you’ll come across an abandoned site with a large boulder, a wooden ladder on the side, and a weathered bamboo deck on top—this is the Grandfather Rock Lagoon viewpoint.
Road leading into the forest of koh tao
The road descends steeply after Top Point
Turn off on the trail to grape view, koh tao
This is the turn-off to Grape View on the right, continue on the road to the left to Grandfather Rock
Trail to grandfather rock viewpoint, koh tao
Climbing grandfather rock on koh tao

Although there was a fallen tree blocking the ladder, it was easy to climb to the top of the rock. However, we noticed that it was quite unstable– remember, this is an abandoned viewpoint, visit at your own risk and be careful!

Girl climbing a rock on koh tao
Olly gaspar admiring the view of koh nang yuan from grandfather rock, koh tao

View from Grandfather Rock Lagoon

At the top, the bamboo deck and old chair on the rock offer a decent perch, though they’re a bit wobbly, so be careful. From the rock, we got a direct view of Koh Nang Yuan, framed by some surrounding trees—while not as direct as Top Point or Grape View, it’s still impressive and there is nobody around.

Also, the surrounding trees provide some shade, making it a nice spot to rest and enjoy the solitude. There’s no entrance fee here, no crowds, and no facilities, so be sure to bring your own water and snacks.

View of koh nang yuan from grandfather rock lagoon viewpoint

We spent about half an hour here, taking in the view and flying my drone over to Koh Nang Yuan.

Note: Curiously, despite the name “Grandfather Rock Lagoon,” there’s no actual lagoon in sight. We explored around but didn’t find any but there are some run-down buildings behind it– maybe an old bar?

View of koh nang yuan, thailand

From the rock, the road continues down. While we didn't go all the way down to the bottom, it looks like it leads all the way down to the shore to a rocky, unnamed cove on the northwest side of Koh Tao. Let me know if you follow the road and what you find!

Instead, we chose to double back and take the turn off trail to Grape View, another awesome viewpoint on Koh Tao.

Girl hiking a steep road in the jungle of koh tao

Check out my guide to the best things to do on Koh Tao for unique adventures and hidden gems you won’t want to miss!

Thanks for Reading

I'm Olly Gaspar, adventure traveler from Australia. I’ve spent the last six years traveling the world full-time, sharing my first-hand experiences & photography in over 700 travel guides on We Seek Travel. I visit every destination I write about to bring you unique travel itineraries, epic hiking routes, fun tour ideas, travel & photography gear ideas, & interesting places to stay.

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