Divemaster in Koh Tao.

[Prent23]

Hi, i'm looking at heading to Koh Tao next month to do my divemaster. Can anyone recommend or give me any tips on a good dive company there to do it with? Any other general tips in regards to the island and accomodation etc. would also be welcome. Cheers

 

[DevonDiver]

Go to Tao, spend some time walking around the island and checking out the different dive operations there. You'll get a far better appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses, plus an ideal of your personal 'match' with the instructors, by meeting with them face-to-face.

Gauge the overall professionalism of the dive centre. Talk to their current DM trainees. Have a look at the quality of their regular students, their rental dive equipment, their dive boat, their shop etc etc. Judge for yourself which centre produces the most high quality divers. Be wary of the 'sausage factory' dive centres. Some are good, but you won't ever be treated as an integral part of the team. You can normally spot a good or bad 'ethos' the moment you walk into a dive shop... trust your judgement and don't be swayed by cheaper prices.

Do some research here on Scubaboard to identify what constitutes a 'good' and a 'bad' diver. Apply that judgement to the dive shops you visit.

When you first arrive, get some cheap accomodation in Mae Haad. You get more for your money there. Rent a moped to get around. Spend a week visiting dive centres (and go diving with the good ones for a more in-depth evaluation). Also..talk to the dive staff around the island about available long-term accomodation. The cheapest deals are normally away from the main tourist areas and are a fraction of the cost of short-stay rental rooms and bungalows.

Shops to definitely check out:

Master Divers (Mae Haad). A small, highly professional shop. Ayesha Cantrell (manager) is here on Scubaboard.
Crystal Divers (Mae Haad). A large dive resort. Not as personal, but maintain good quality standards.
Seashell Divers (Sairee). A small dive shop, very friendly with a very motivated manager (Mike).
Big Blue (Sairee). A large resort, very active and a friendly bunch of people.

Ones I don't Like:

Scuba Junction (Sairee). I always found that the manager had an 'attitude' when it came to DM training.
Bans (Sairee). A very large resort. I found that they did too much partying. Over-large courses, consquently their students were bottom churning rototillers.

 

[ayeshacantrell]

Hi there !

I would second Devon Divers advise.

I am from Master Divers, as he says, we do offer you the opportunity to come diving with us, to have a look around. You will pay for your dives but if you choose to take your Dive Master Course with us then the cost of these dives will be deducted from the cost of your Dive Master course.

Simple accommodation in Mae Haad - 400B a night - can be found a Save Bungalows which is very close to the pier. Monthly accommodation is between 6000 and 8000B - depending on what you want.

Master Divers is also very close to the pier too and we are happy to welcome you, look after your bags and help you find some accommodation too - without any obligation - we do this for many visitors here weather diving or not as we are so close to the pier. Its nice to have a destination and somewhere to grab a cold drink and some info before heading off again. We have a motorbike rental place just up the road too who is honest and fair - happy to point you in that direction too - if renting a bike is what you want to do. Please dont do this if you are not a motorbike rider already ......

On a different note, I can tell you that the management at Scuba Junction has changed recently and the person who I believe Devon Diver is referring too is no longer part of the centre.

Good luck and please message me if you want any more specifics.

Ayesha

 

[limbo]

Prent 23, visit all shops incognito and don't let the cat out of the bag that you want to complete your DM training, value them on the way they serve you and treat you during check dives as a 'normal' customer, not as a potential business object in the form of a DMT.

Follow DevonDiver's advice but incognito, narrow your search down to 2 or 3 centers and do a check dive with them. Than decide, check all centers out on DD's list and any that stumble over. Before you visit Koh Tao, know what you want, a big school with big turnover or a small shop/center with lots of personal attention.

 

[lord khram]

Prent 23, visit all shops incognito and don't let the cat out of the bag that you want to complete your DM training, value them on the way they serve you and treat you during check dives as a 'normal' customer, not as a potential business object in the form of a DMT.

Excelent advice.

 

[jamiemac]

All good advice.

But I think in Scuba Junction's case, the horrible manager is long gone!

 

[samtihen]

I did my DM with a little shop called Sairee Hut Dive Resort at the north end of Sairee and had a great time last year. There are only 3 or 4 full time (really awesome) instructors there the atmosphere is quite relaxed. Worth a look, in my opinion.