Losing it on Koh Tao

The sound of motorbikes and the hotel staff sweeping wakes me up every morning.

What is there to do on an island such as Koh Tao besides going mad? It's a small place of only 5000 residents spread on several beaches on each coast of the island. Most people inhabit Hat Sai Ri (or Sairee Beach) and the tourists there are mostly snorkeling enthusiasts or divers looking to get their Open Water Cerfitication (which costs around 9000-9800B). So there's diving, which I'm not here to do, and swimming.

I tried swimming at the beach where I'm staying, Ao Chalok Baan Kao, where the bay looks good but the waters are muddy. It was fun for a while, though the waters are very shallow very far away. Then I hit a sharp-edged rock in the shallow water and an incoming wave threw me against it before I could get away. The result: three, long wounds on the right arm, small scratches above the thumb, a few scrapes on the left hand, a deep slash on my toe and a bloody towel.

So swimming is out of the picture for now. Besides watching Apocalypse Now Redux, what else is there to do?

My guide book tells me that "after diving, Ko Tao's favourite pastime is drinking". Well that's good. Options here are limited. I guess it's either time to get away or make Captain Willard proud.