Affiliate disclosure
Some links on this site earn us a small commission. Here is exactly which ones, and what it means for you.
Last updated 26 August 2026
Travel Koh Tao is free to read and carries no paid reviews. Part of what keeps it running is affiliate commission, and we would rather explain that plainly than bury it in a footer.
The short version
When you book a ferry, bus, or transfer through a 12Go link on this site, 12Go pays us a small commission. You pay exactly the same price you would pay going direct. It costs you nothing.
Who we work with
We have one affiliate partner: 12Go Asia, the booking platform for ferries, buses, trains, and transfers across Southeast Asia. We use it ourselves and we send readers there because it is the most reliable way to book a Koh Tao crossing from abroad.
You will find these links on the ferry guide, the transport pages, and the free guide. They are the ones that say something like "check live fares" or "book this route".
What we earn, and what you pay
12Go pays us a percentage of their booking fee when someone books through our link. The commission comes out of their margin, not out of your pocket.
The fare you see through our link is the same fare you would see going to 12Go directly. We cannot raise it, and we would not want to.
How this affects what we write
It does not, and we want to be specific about that.
- No operator has ever paid to be included, ranked higher, or described more kindly.
- Where a route is cheaper booked at the pier on the day, we say so, even though that earns us nothing.
- Where an operator is slower, rougher in monsoon season, or worse value, we say that too.
- If we ever stop recommending 12Go, this page changes the same day.
The guide is only worth reading if the advice is honest. A commission is not worth losing that over.
What is not affiliate
Dive schools, restaurants, bars, hotels, hostels, viewpoints, and beaches are listed on merit. None of those are affiliate links and nobody pays to appear.
If that ever changes, this page says so before the link goes live.
Legal basis
This disclosure exists to comply with the United States Federal Trade Commission guidance on endorsements, the UK Advertising Standards Authority rules on affiliate marketing, and equivalent consumer protection rules elsewhere. It also exists because readers deserve to know.
Questions
If anything here is unclear, email hello@travelkohtao.com and we will answer it. See also our privacy policy.
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