The silhouette in our logo is a White Bellied Sea Eagle. These birds can be seen, and heard, riding the thermals high above the island and over the ocean looking for prey. There are 2 pairs that nest around the area surrounding The Gold Bar, and several more pairs spread across the island.

Rise Above

Rise Above defines The Gold Bar beautifully on at least three fronts.

Physically the venue sits on the hillside above Sairee Beach, or Haad Sairee, affording a sensational, wide open ocean vista, from which the future resort which is currently under planning and construction, gains it's name of Tongtalay Lodge. Depending on the tone with which one pronounces Tongtalay in Thai, it can mean "open ocean" or "gold ocean", both of which describe our views perfectly. From The Gold Bar we can see Three Rocks to the south and Koh Nangyuan to the north. Further away on the horizon, we can observe the hills and mountains of the mainland from Surathani in the south, through Ranong and Lang Suan, to Chumphon and beyond towards Hua Hin in the north.

We have a full view of the sunset all year round, as well as an incredible perspective of incoming and passing storms.

Bird migration routes that follow the narrow peninsular that is mainland Thailand also encompass our little island and twice a year during these periods The Gold Bar can offer a great vantage point to see thousands of Asian Open-billed Storks, dozens of raptors and accipiters, and ever increasing numbers of smaller visitors like flycatchers, bee eaters, hill miners, and imperial pigeons forraging in the fruiting fig and pigeon wood trees that are abundant on our property. To encourage bird life we have planted over 500 trees provided by the Forrestry Department of Chumphon and Surathani provinces in order to rewild our surrounding land and overcome some invasive species of plants, that previously sterilised the area.

Join the Birds of Koh Tao - นกเกาะเต่า Facebook Group to keep up to date with birding on the island.

Secondly, while talking about the trees, we grow most of the herbs that the Chef uses for Trust the Chef in The Gallery Restaurant. We also grow and produce some of the herbs that will help you rise high above, in The Gold Bar. We also import a selection of exotic and top shelf herbs from a grower in Khao Yai and offer a wide selection of different strains that are described in detail in our menu. Our knowledgeable staff can also guide you with any questions that you may have. Should you require we can happily arrange a taxi to get you home as well as a service to deliver your motorcycle or scooter, should you wish.

Finally, and following on from the last point, it is this high level of service and quality that sets The Gold Bar appart from any other venue, bar, restaurant or resort, on the island. We pride ourselves in going a step further, focussing on the details, that make all the difference. Our friendly staff and family run bar, will be sure to make you feel right at home while serving you with only the finest tipples. Indeed we do not stock any cheap spirits, and all cocktails are made with premium and top shelf products.

Quality not quantity, Rise Above!