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Hiking to Top Point Viewpoint on Koh Tao: Complete Guide

Hiking to Top Point Viewpoint on Koh Tao: Complete Guide

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.

If you’re looking for one of the best views on Koh Tao, Top Point is a must. This massive boulder just above Dusit Buncha Resort offers jaw-dropping views over Koh Nang Yuan and the surrounding turquoise waters.

While there’s a concrete access road that takes you right up to the viewpoint, it’s incredibly steep. Instead, I’d recommend hiking from Dusit Buncha as we did—here’s everything you need to know to make the most of this scenic trek.

Top Point Koh Tao: Overview

With incredible views of Koh Nang Yuan and Sairee Beach, Top Point is one of the best viewpoints on Koh Tao—but getting there isn’t for everyone.

It’s a tough, 25-minute uphill hike, or you can tackle the steep concrete road by motorbike if you're an experienced solo driver or hike. Here's an overview of the Top Point hike on Koh Tao:

  • Hike Distance: 1 km
  • Elevation Gain: 250 m
  • Difficulty: Short but demanding
  • Entrance Fee: 100 THB (includes a free drink at the viewpoint)
  • Access: Motorbike (very steep) or hike (short, concrete path but quite steep)
  • Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon for cooler temperatures and the best light
View of koh nang yuan from top view
Epic views of Koh Nang Yuan

How to Get to the Top Point Trailhead

The trailhead for Top Point is just an unnamed and unmarked road, located just before Dusit Buncha Resort, about 5 minutes (1.1 miles) north of Sairee along Sairee Road. From Sairee, head north past the 7-11 and continue down this route through palm forests, passing a few villas and hotels along the way.

Keep an eye out as the turn-off is easy to miss—look for a small road on the right about 100 meters before the motorbike parking area for Dusit Buncha Resort. If you reach the steep descent into the resort entrance, you’ve gone too far; just turn around.

Tip: Dusit Buncha is another great, more accessible sunset spot on Koh Tao!

Trailhead access road for viewpoints on northern end of koh tao
Trailhead access road for viewpoints on the Northern end of Koh Tao
Road leading to top point, grape view, and grandfather rock lagoon on koh tao

The road up to Top Point doesn’t look too steep at first, but it becomes very steep further up. Signs at the start may conflict, with some advising against motorbikes and others indicating that bikes are allowed. If you’re on a motorbike, be cautious, as the road gets slippery and challenging.

I recommend leaving your bike at the bottom and walking up as the road gets steeper the higher you climb. However, there are also flat sections along the twisting turns where you can leave your bike. About 2/3 of the way up is manageable by scooter if you are confident.

Tip: This road also leads to two other viewpoints—Grape View and my favorite, Grandfather Rock Lagoon (an abandoned but awesome spot). You can easily continue to both after visiting Top Point if you’re up for more exploring.

My Experience Hiking to Top Point Koh Tao

We started the hike around 10 am, and it was already hot—definitely one to prepare for.

The road is deceptive at first, beginning as a gentle incline but soon winding up into a steep climb. Near the bottom, there’s quite a bit of rubbish from construction, likely from nearby buildings and hotels, though it’s worth noting this doesn’t seem to come from the Top Point Lookout owners.

As we climbed, the buildings faded away, and soon, it was just us, dense jungle, and massive boulders along the concrete road.

Girl hiking in koh tao
Girl hiking in the jungle, koh tao
Steep concrete road, koh tao
Girl hiking steep concrete road on koh tao
Girl hiking steep concrete road on koh tao

After a short 20-25 minutes of hiking, we finally reached the large boulder perched on the edge of the road.

At the base is a small bamboo bar, and there’s a bamboo deck built up top for a panoramic view. There’s a worker at the top who collects the 100 THB entrance fee, which gets you a cold drink (Gatorade, juice, or water included, but not beer).

It’s a steep, sweaty climb—definitely a good workout but so worth it for the views.

Top point boulder viewpoint, koh tao
Sign from top point bar, koh tao
Top point boulder viewpoint, koh tao

View from Top Point

Top Point is hands-down one of the best views of Koh Nang Yuan you can get on Koh Tao, with a clear, high perspective over the famous sandbars and bright turquoise water. You can also see around to the left the whole of Sairee Beach and over Mae Haad.

The bamboo deck gives you some shade, and with the ocean spreading out around you, it feels like you’re right on top of Koh Tao. The spot’s quiet too—if you time it right, you might even have it all to yourself like we did.

We ended up spending about an hour here, just enjoying the view and watching the clouds drift by.

View of sairee from top point
View of sairee from top point
Girl standing on a boulder with view of koh nang yuan
View of koh nang yuan from top point boulder

I hope you've enjoyed this quick Koh Tao hiking guide to Top View!

For more options for the best things to do on Koh Tao, check out the guides below!

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.

I only make genuine, worthwhile recommendations based on my experience, expertise, & research. If you buy through my links, I may get a commission, supporting this website at no extra cost to you. Read my Publishing Ethics Statement.