Like many other destinations in Southeast Asia, Thailand is one of the best places to scuba dive. Many travelers love to dive while in Southeast Asia as the prices to get your scuba diving certification and to join fun dives are super affordable.
Since my trip to the Philippines a few years ago, I was pretty curious about this underwater world. I had met a lot of divers during my travels and they got me excited about the potential things I could see while scuba diving.
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As there’s no better time as the present, I was trying to organize my next travel plans when I got an opportunity to do my PADI in Koh Tao. It sounded like a great opportunity.
Let’s discuss what it’s like to do your PADI in Koh Tao and why you should pick Koh Tao for your scuba diving certification.
Then, we’ll discuss a bit more about diving in general in Thailand and, of course, in Koh Tao.
What It’s Like to Do Your Open Water in Koh Tao
To get your scuba diving certification, you’ll have to go through different steps.
- Theory & Quiz
- Exam
- Practice skills in the pool
- Practice skills in open water
- Certification
You can get certified in about 3 or 4 days, depending on if you’re doing the theory online or at the diving centre. I did my open water course in 4 days and it was divided this way:
- Day 1: Theory for a few hours
- Day 2: Skills in the pool in AM, theory and exam in PM
- Day 3: 2 dives in PM
- Day 4: 2 dives in AM
The goal is basically to practice all the skills necessary to scuba dive safely up to 18 metres.
STORYTIME: Personally, I always have been quite nervous in the water. I was then quite anxious about getting my scuba diving certification.
As Koh Tao is a great destination for beginners, it made me feel quite safe. Also, Juan, my instructor, was patient and very helpful.
This helped me be more confident when I was feeling nervous especially since I had to practice a few skills with my eyes closed as I wear soft contact lenses.
I remember taking my first breath underwater (in the pool) – it felt incredible but so weird at the same time. It felt even weirder when we got in the open water and I had to equalize.
It was such a cool and fun experience and I can’t wait to dive more. Getting my PADI opened a whole new world for me when it comes to finding new destinations and travel adventures.
Koh Tao Diving Review
When it comes to picking a diving centre in Koh Tao, you want to make sure you’ll stay safe the whole time and you want to make sure you have a great instructor. Reading reviews is definitely helpful.
As Koh Tao Diving Academy was quite a new scuba diving school, they didn’t have tons of reviews yet, but the ones they had were surely great and reassuring.
All the staff was passionate about scuba diving, very helpful and dynamic. If you’re looking for the best diving school in Koh Tao, look no further!
I really enjoyed my training, I felt safe the entire time and I would highly recommend them if you’re thinking of getting your diving certification in Koh Tao. If you want to do other diving courses or enjoy a few fun dives, it could also be a great option for you, of course!
Koh Tao Diving Academy also offers accommodation at their affiliate resort and is located next to a sandwich shop, which is ideal for a quick lunch during your course!
They offer their courses in different languages too, which is another great bonus.
Update in Feb 2022: Koh Tao Diving Academy is closed for good. As an alternative, consider going to La Bombona Diving shop.
Why Choose Koh Tao for Your Scuba Diving Certification in Thailand
Koh Tao is one of the top spots to learn to dive in Thailand. Imagine a tiny island where you can appreciate divine views, but also discover a whole new world underwater.
The Gulf of Thailand is an easy spot to learn to dive and Koh Tao has pretty affordable prices when it comes to doing your scuba diving certification.
Koh Tao Dive Sites & Diving Season
Photo by Kuba’s Journeys
Koh Tao has around 25 dive sites. If you’re visiting the other islands around like Koh Phangan or Koh Samui, there’s a high chance they will bring you around Koh Tao for your dives.
As the water is quite calm around Koh Tao, it makes it perfect for a good dive!
Here’s a list of the popular dive sites in Koh Tao:
- Chumphon Pinnacle
- Twins
- White Rock
- Green Rock
- Shark Island
- Southwest Pinnacle
- Sail Rock
The best time to dive in Koh Tao when it comes to visibility is from May to August.
If you’re lucky, you could spot whale sharks which are normally around from February to May.
FAQ Diving in Thailand
Where can you scuba dive in Thailand?
You can either dive in the Gulf of Thailand (where Koh Tao is) or in Andaman sea (around Koh Lanta).
How long does it take to get scuba certified in Thailand?
It takes around 3 or 4 days to get your PADI in Thailand. It depends if you’re planning on doing your theory online or at the dive centre.
How much does it cost to get scuba certified in Thailand?
Koh Tao is the cheapest place where to do your open water in Thailand. You can expect to pay TBH 11,000 to get your certification, which is about USD 350 or EUR 300.
FAQ Diving in Koh Tao
How to get to Koh Tao?
There’s no airport in Koh Tao, although you have a few options around Koh Tao. You could either fly to Koh Samui, Surat Thani or Chumphon and then take the ferry to get to Koh Tao.
You should know that some of these airports are quite small, which means the flights could be a bit more expensive. You can check the flight options here. It could be cheaper to fly to Krabi or Bangkok.
Check out the buses and ferries here.
I personally went from Koh Lanta to Koh Tao (via Krabi), which took about 7-8 hours to reach the destination.
Is Koh Tao a good scuba diving spot for beginners?
Yes, Koh Tao is a good diving spot for beginners as the water is quiet and you won’t have big currents as you can have in Indonesia.
It’s the perfect destination for those doing their open water course and the ones who want to enjoy fun dives without any serious challenges.
Where to Stay in Koh Tao
If you’d rather book your own accommodation while in Koh Tao, you could either find a good Airbnb or a fun hostel at affordable rates.
Hostels: The Dearly Koh Tao Hostel / Savage Hostel / BP Hostel
Mid-Range: Ananda Villa / The Miracle Guesthouse / Prik Thai Resort
Luxury: Jamahkiri Resort / Phandara Luxury Pool Villas / Sensi Paradise Beach Resort
Are you Scuba Diving Ready?
Here’s what to pack for your upcoming scuba diving trip in Thailand:
- Travel insurance that covers diving: make sure your travel insurance covers your diving adventures too. Get a free quote on SafetyWing.
- Underwater cameras: Make sure you can capture your underwater adventures.
- Underwater filters: Having colored filters help you get better captures!
- Underwater pole: don’t lose your camera while diving!
- Dry bag: keep your valuables safe… and dry!
- Quick-dry towel: keep your cute face dry too.
