A career as a dive instructor - realistic or idealistic?
- Thread starter Sirenita
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Hello Casey!
I looked at this thread about a year ago when I was decided if I wanted to go to Mermaids in Thailand and do the SCUBA thing. I left for Thailand in December and spent a total of 7 months there. I went out as a Divemaster, spent 3 months doing fun dives and learning all sort of skills to prep me for the IDC. I rocked the instructor course and came out with so much confidence in my ability to teach and work in the diving industry. There are a ton of dive operations in Thailand that offer the internships. Mermaids quality of instruction was amazing in my opinion. I had so much fun as well. Pattaya is quite the party city. Loads of people head over there for the internship, make it to Advanced certification and get lost in the party scene. One of the head guys that runs the internship told me on my first day that I will get out of this what I put into it. Sounds cheesey but he was right in so many ways. I got to party hard when I wanted to and other times study hard and dive hard. I took time off the internship to travel around, had friends come out and visit, and even did a liveaboard trip for like 400 US. After my instructor course I stayed on a taught with them for 4 months - experience only/no pay. But I felt I got to practice my teaching skills before applying them to a "real job."
As for the price/savings. Your on the right track. That was about the amount I went over with. And I had plenty for travels and to get me to my next destination. You can eat really cheap over there if your not to picky.
I went back to the states in June and got a job on a liveaboard in July. Right now I'm cruising the Bahamas and about to reposition to Puerto Rico! I'm pulling in around 500 US/week. I get fed and have a place to sleep all included in my job. I love it! Im currently saving all my paychecks to go back to Thailand and work the Similan Island season next year.
As for some of my other friends - and very close ones I made in Thailand. Two are currently working in Thailand. One in in Greece, three are in Mexico, two are in Grand Cayman, and one is on the same boat I am. All those people I met are now 'connections,' if I wanted to I could probley get 'hooked up' with a job in any of their locations.
Sorry I dont have any advice on any other of the internships. Mermaids worked for me and I loved it. PM me or post if I you have any other questions.
-Ryan
I looked at this thread about a year ago when I was decided if I wanted to go to Mermaids in Thailand and do the SCUBA thing. I left for Thailand in December and spent a total of 7 months there. I went out as a Divemaster, spent 3 months doing fun dives and learning all sort of skills to prep me for the IDC. I rocked the instructor course and came out with so much confidence in my ability to teach and work in the diving industry. There are a ton of dive operations in Thailand that offer the internships. Mermaids quality of instruction was amazing in my opinion. I had so much fun as well. Pattaya is quite the party city. Loads of people head over there for the internship, make it to Advanced certification and get lost in the party scene. One of the head guys that runs the internship told me on my first day that I will get out of this what I put into it. Sounds cheesey but he was right in so many ways. I got to party hard when I wanted to and other times study hard and dive hard. I took time off the internship to travel around, had friends come out and visit, and even did a liveaboard trip for like 400 US. After my instructor course I stayed on a taught with them for 4 months - experience only/no pay. But I felt I got to practice my teaching skills before applying them to a "real job."
As for the price/savings. Your on the right track. That was about the amount I went over with. And I had plenty for travels and to get me to my next destination. You can eat really cheap over there if your not to picky.
I went back to the states in June and got a job on a liveaboard in July. Right now I'm cruising the Bahamas and about to reposition to Puerto Rico! I'm pulling in around 500 US/week. I get fed and have a place to sleep all included in my job. I love it! Im currently saving all my paychecks to go back to Thailand and work the Similan Island season next year.
As for some of my other friends - and very close ones I made in Thailand. Two are currently working in Thailand. One in in Greece, three are in Mexico, two are in Grand Cayman, and one is on the same boat I am. All those people I met are now 'connections,' if I wanted to I could probley get 'hooked up' with a job in any of their locations.
Sorry I dont have any advice on any other of the internships. Mermaids worked for me and I loved it. PM me or post if I you have any other questions.
-Ryan
OP
Ryan - hey 
Your friends in the Cayman's - do you happen to be talking about Jake and Delcie?! I'm here at the moment, havent had chance to catch up with them yet Also - the Bahamas boat - is that Chris?! The world after Mermaids becomes very small doesnt it, hehe
x
Lisa
Your friends in the Cayman's - do you happen to be talking about Jake and Delcie?! I'm here at the moment, havent had chance to catch up with them yet Also - the Bahamas boat - is that Chris?! The world after Mermaids becomes very small doesnt it, hehe x
Lisa
Hey Lisa,
No. Kyle and Samantha on the East End. I was at Mermaids Dec 07 to June 08. As I said in my last post, I was reading this thread before I even started my journey. It was comforting to hear about your experiences before I hopped on a plane to Thailand. So for that - THANK YOU! Glad to hear your back in the diving world - loving it myself. Maybe see you when I get over to GC one of these days and we can swap Mermaids stories!
Take care,
Ryan
Edit: Also, no. In the Bahamas its Eric.
No. Kyle and Samantha on the East End. I was at Mermaids Dec 07 to June 08. As I said in my last post, I was reading this thread before I even started my journey. It was comforting to hear about your experiences before I hopped on a plane to Thailand. So for that - THANK YOU! Glad to hear your back in the diving world - loving it myself. Maybe see you when I get over to GC one of these days and we can swap Mermaids stories!
Take care,
Ryan
Edit: Also, no. In the Bahamas its Eric.
Last edited:
- Messages
- 21
- Reaction score
- 1
- # of dives
- I'm a Fish!
Lol @ Humu, thanks for the suggestion but I was so bad at physical education that I used to even fall over the skipping rope on sports day at school, and if somebody kicked a ball at me too hard, I ran the other direction
tjc, thats an interesting point you make regarding the fact a dive master does more diving and has less insurance, and certainly one I will remember when the time comes! Thanks!
Does anyone know if Mexico is a good place to work? I speak intermediate Spanish, and I was hoping this may give me a small advantage, and the opportunity to become fluent.
I made the jump to Florida where Instructors are a dime a dozen but I live frugely and enjoy life. remember that most divemasters on the charters are Instructors so the oppournity is there and if you are cheery outgoing and helpful tourists tip well .
best wishes in your endevors
E
QLittlestar
Registered
I am waiting to hear from my friend on Koh Tao and Khao lak , so you should be able to contact them directly. One of my friends who is leaving to Oz, started as a divemaster and has been working for over a year and now will move on to the lovely land down under.
Last edited:
Sirenita, you look like a pretty girl, and that certainly helps a lot. But, I'm sure you know that. Here are some of my observations:
1) There are lots of pretty girls in Thailand, and they are willing to do deplorable acts in order to make a few baht. Surely, some of them know how to dive as well.
2) Being a business owner, I've learned that the best way to earn money is to get other people do do the work, while you collect the money.
3) Without a command of the Thai language, it's impossible to get people to work for you.
4) Thailand is a rough place to live.
I lived in Thailand, as an American. I found it a struggle to find gainful employment in a third world country. Plus, by health was always bad due to the latest mosquito bug, or stomach infection. Not a very clean country.
I wish you well. Its just my thought that there are easier places for a pretty scuba instructor to make money. How about St Thomas, St Martin, Guam, Monterey Bay, Florida Keys.
1) There are lots of pretty girls in Thailand, and they are willing to do deplorable acts in order to make a few baht. Surely, some of them know how to dive as well.
2) Being a business owner, I've learned that the best way to earn money is to get other people do do the work, while you collect the money.
3) Without a command of the Thai language, it's impossible to get people to work for you.
4) Thailand is a rough place to live.
I lived in Thailand, as an American. I found it a struggle to find gainful employment in a third world country. Plus, by health was always bad due to the latest mosquito bug, or stomach infection. Not a very clean country.
I wish you well. Its just my thought that there are easier places for a pretty scuba instructor to make money. How about St Thomas, St Martin, Guam, Monterey Bay, Florida Keys.
Irrelevant
No ****, Sherlock
Not true.
Thailand is a great place to live, and is not a third world country. I've spent the best part of six years in Thailand, have had no health problems, found the people friendly and co-operative, and they have no winter.............
OP
Nice work Jeff, though clearly you weren't involved in the SCUBA industry in Thailand or I'm sure your experiences would have been much different.
Although there may be many pretty girls in Thailand willing to do deplorable acts (and I'm sure you've employed many) there are very very few who can dive (most Thais can't swim, especially when there speciality is pole dancing) those that can most likely don't have enough grasp of the English language to pass an IDC and IE. Therefore the number of Thai instructors in Thailand is amazingly small. Pretty dive instructors often get hired, but unless they are good they don't last long, deplorable acts or not!
Back to the topic, I know and work with a few ex-Mermaids most of them loved the place and it does get a good rap. However...it does cost you a lot more to do it that way, and there are many ways to gain experience while still getting paid. All dive shops have hierarchy and the new instructors are helped out and given guidance until fully confident. Check out the large operations but don't forget that there are many small operations that can do just as good a job.
I'm rambling so I'll stop.
Similar threads
