After booking for 5 nights we ended up staying for 8 at Black Tip as we really loved our stay. We have 4 children and they were very accommodating about fitting us all into one bungalow and there was plenty of room. As far as the diving goes we were extremely happy. The Dive masters and instructors are so welcoming and my kids loved them doing 3 courses amongst themselves. I did my advanced course and found them extremely safety conscious and environmentally concerned. They always had extra time for the kids and were informative as to what was happening each day.
Everything always ran to time. The pool is a bonus here too. it is used for divers from 1-5pm but thats a good time for some snorkling or getting a massage on the beach
The restaurant was great. We couldnt fault the food and found it hard to believe other comments about the restaurant here. The staff were sooo friendly, the service excellent and we made great friends with them. My youngest (7) was almost in tears when we left.
Tanote Bay is on the quieter side of the island which was perfect for us. We enjoyed a drink or two at night but were not looking for parties. We all loved the snorkling and the bay is safe for kids. They also loved the beach. There was always something for them to do.
Yes there may be a lizard in your room if you are lucky and the road in is a bit hairy, fans work but until after 6 when the resort uses its generator there is no airconditioning, but that is Koh Tao not just Black Tip. If you want constant nightlife and shops you wouldnt stay here. Mind you it is easy to get to if you do. We spent 3 hours in Sairee on afternoon but that was enough for us and we were back in 20 min.
At this was the end of a 7 week trip we decided to stay is some luxury villas for 2 nights before heading home. While it was beautiful we still had lizards, the rough road trip and no air conditioning during the day. Believe me we paid a lot more! But like I said thats Koh Tao and if you dont like that perhaps somewhere else may be more suitable.
We definitely would stay here again.
PS rooms arnt cleaned ever day but if you want it cleaned just ask, and a smile can go an awful long way. ( from the guests as well!)

my son (21 yrs) and i came to Black Tip i n mid July. First impressions . . . . an hilarious and in the end almost non-existent road must be taken to get into Tanote Bay. IF you are freaked out by rough steep dirt-track roads go somewhere else! You are going to a remote bay, where the jungle comes right down to the sea. It took us a day or two to orient ourselves and then we fell in love with it. The place and the people. The accommodation is not fancy. It's simple in fact. Water is not in plentiful supply, air con only works in the evening . . . but STOP . . . you are in a seriously remote dive school sleeping in the jungle. After a couple of nights you will come to appreciate what a good place you have landed in.

I would suggest traveling with mosquito nets (i always do in jungle areas) . . . but then i like sleeping inside the net anyway and i know that nothing gets into my bed, day or night. But hey i'm a lightweight. Yes, there are big geckos. They are totally harmless. There are big spiders. They are totally harmless. There are clouds of beautiful butterflies, they are harmless too. Even the Black Tip shark after which this bay is named is . . . erm . . . harmless. The restaurant serves decent food and there is a choice if you need it in the bay 2-3 other bars and places to eat. Free wi-fi aside there are no other striking amenities - EXCEPT for the infinity pool and . . . the SEA!!!! So, Black Tip has really GREAT dive instructors. You will get high quality teaching. The teacher-student ratio is very very good . . . the two of us had one instructor and i can verify that the largest group we saw during our week-long stay was 4. A very cheerful and friendly and knowledgeable and patient bunch of enthusiastic divers go diving daily. It's a great place to do your Open Water or your Advanced courses. Then if you just fancy a snorkel Tanote Bay has top class snorkeling only about 50meters from the beach. NO, it's not a luxury resort . . . it's all about diving and learning to dive in a warm and relaxed and switcthed-on diving atmosphere. If you get all wound up with the sea exercise take a beachside massage, sip a cocktail as the moon rises on the water. Just remember that the jungle goes right down to the sea here. Some people who have reviewed Black Tip end up opting for the options on the west side of the island at Sairee Beach (for example) . . . where it's far more crowded, die school is just about rushing as many people through as fast as possible; where you are in a busy noisy and yes smelly town with tons of touristy shops and all mod cons . . . where there is no soul in evidence whatsoever and where everything is all false smiles and rake in the bucks pronto. Make your choice. If you want the real thing in a chilled and serious setting GO to Black Tip Diving, relax, pay attention and enjoy what the sea has to offer.

I was recommend to come to Black Tip by a friend of mine who has been visiting the resort for the last 8 years. I hadn't read any trip adviser reports beforehand or may not have gone. But I'm glad I did! I stayed for about 3 weeks in Tanote bay doing a dive course and some fun dives after wards. I got a 50% discount on the rooms for doing a course and a discount on the dives as well. My room was cleaned nicely whenever I requested and sheets/towels were changed at request as well. Yes, there where some lizards in my room, but I have never stayed anywhere in asia without having lizards in the house. As well, your in the middle of the jungle so what do you expect? There is beautiful garden all around the resort so you really feel the nature! There is a nice quiet beach in Tanote with amazing coral reef right in front of you. The road is not the best, but all the resorts in tanote (about 5 resorts) all have taxis going and coming all day, so no problem. Also, I think it helps keep this place secluded and quiet. I went to Sairee sometimes also. there is easy to get to, but way to crowded!!! All the resorts in the bay have restaurants so you have choice, but it is easy to go to the other side of island if you want some more choices.

The staff were very friendly to me. Of course I was polite to them also. I see someone swearing at the staff and they did not get the help they would like. But my mother taught me you get back what you put out!! But any info I asked for (renting bike, booking hotel on other island, booking tours, etc) they helped me alot with details and calling. As of course, the dive staff were very friendly. I like to thank my instructor Pheung for helping me get over my fear of being underwater and also Mickey and Ben for the great dives!!

I will defintely be back!!!

My hgusband and I are travelling for 6 months with our 2 young children, we began our trip in June in Thailand. I booked Black Tip as a surprise for my husband and was planning to buy him a dive course for his birthday. I had been in contact with Id from Black Tip for sometime as I wanted to check resort was suitable seeing as when my husband was diving I would be left on my own with a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old. I was assured everything was fine, the room etc would be adequate. From the moment we arrived it all started to go wrong!
Firstly, although lovely once you're there, is practically inaccessible unless you have a jeep/ 4 by 4. The 'roads' were not even roads, just tracks with huge potholes in and rocks sticking out. Once we got there I was basically a prisoner as there was no way I would be able to take a pushchair or even walk on my own in such roads! The bay had little amenities - shops, pharmacy etc which I needed because of the kids.
Our room - which was supposed to be 1500 baht, but was reduced by 50% as we were doing dive couse was horrible! It stank, old, damp and musty. The sheets had not been put on freshly,just obviously chaged after the last person and then the bungalow must have nbeen left locked up for sometime as it was dusty and smelly. There were also stains on the bedding.The air con didn't work and the fan didn't turn, not good in 30 degrees with 2 kids, one who has a temperature!
Anyway, we though we'd try and make the most of it. Asked for a reduction and then a room change. The staff were very unhelpful and we were told someone would get back to us. They didn't so after some time we went to investigate, everyone had left and reception was all locked up. When we went back to the room what we found was the final straw!!!
There was fresh poo on the pillow. When I looked up to see where it had come from there was a HUGE lizard, the biggest I'd ever seen on the ceiling and then we noticed a massive hole in the roof. The room stank and I think that must have been what the other stains were too.
There was no way we were staying. We had to find someone in the restaurant, who came with a torch and saw the lizard but just shrugged. Eventually we got htem to contact the manager who was very unapologetic and unhelpful and would not reimburse our deposit. We managed to get a taxi and had to make the same treacherous journey at 9 0 clock at night in the pitch black, with a tired grumpy toddler and a teething 1 yr old.Not fun!!
DO NOT STAY HERE! We got dropped off at Sairee Beach and my husband is now diving at Asia divers, much more helpful and comfortable.