Koh Tao - Dive center and DM courses

[Goodie]

Dear Scubaboard members,

I've been searching the internet, this board and talking to some dive schools but the massive amounts of info available has overloaded me so I need to ask your advice.

I've decided to travel to Koh Tao to train and purse a career in diving. It's something I've always wanted to do but not had the time, now I've lost my job I've got loads of time (see, every cloud has a silver lining!). I've been diving for a few years around Asia but never been to Koh Tao.

I'd like some advice on good dive centers to do my initial EFR, rescue and dive master courses. Criteria
- A reputable medium to large school with good instructors
- A good social side after diving (as I plan to stay for a while)
- Employment opportunities / links / support into dive career
- Cheap convenient accommodation

Can anyone recommend anywhere? I'll probably get to Koh Tao before booking anywhere but would like to know what board members think. Also, internship or just do the DM and try to get work / experience after?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated and will get you a beer in a couple of weeks.

Cheers, Iain

 

[jlovold]

I believe Ban´s Diving may be the place to go for the instructor-course...

But everything up to DM you can take almost anywhere.

I have had a good time diving with Master Divers (with my CCR), but they may be too small if you want to gain a lot of DM-experience from courses in a short time...

 

[vdonick]

you will get lots of people saying go to the school that they did theirs at as thats always the way, best thing to do is get to Koh Tao and go to some of the dive schools and get a feel for the place and go with the one you like the feel of.

I did mine with crystal dive and loved every minute of it, busy school, very professional instructors and a really good DM course made it my choice and the social side is really good too. On the subject of accom, once doing the DM course most dive centres will expect you to find accom off resort, so u would have to find a room or a house share etc but this works out relitively cheap if u look around.

I would recommend doing an internship after as it will help in getting a job and if your lucky you might get offered work at the dive centre you do it with, crystals internship is really good aswell.

anyway, thats my recommendation but there are other options, being big blue, asia divers, planet scuba, scuba junction, seashell, simple life, DJL etc etc, personally i would avoid the bigger schools like Bans and Budda view, as they just annoy people with 100 of divers on the same dive site, again just my opinion!!

 

[chrisinthailand]

Ko Tao is a very small Island with a lot of dive shops, so you don't need to make any decision up front based on either info you've Googled or recommendations you've heard from other divers or from forums.

Go to Ko Tao, walk round the island and visit all the dive centers (it will take you no more than an afternoon), to get a feeling for how each operation is run and have a look at their facilities.

Make a shortlist of the ones you like the most, and if you have the opportunity to actually dive with any of your shortlisted centers do it before asking them about your DM course. Then you can make a decision. Please also remember that just because a dive center is bigger and shinier doesn't mean it has better instructors, go with you gut feeling on this one and choose whoever you feel has the best attitude.

 

[ayeshacantrell]

Hey there !

I live and work here as a dive instructor - at Master Divers. I always advise people to come and check the different dive centres out for themselves - that way you get to meet the team and be sure that the environment is one that suits you.

As you have to complete your EFR and Rescue first you could always do these courses at 2 different dive centres as a way of checking them out before committing to your DM.

Wherever you choose be sure to pop in and say hi and ofcourse have a beer !

See you soon
Ayesha

 

[Goodie]

Thanks Jlovold, Vdonick, Chris and Ayesha for the replies. Good advice....I'll have a saunter round the island, check out a few places and try to get some dives in before making decisions.

Cheers

 

[bgrindberg]

That's probably the best way to do it. Lot's of good advice already.

Let me just get one thing straight: We at Buddha View don't annoy other divers with 100+ divers on the same dive site. And neither does Bans, I believe.

None of our boats fits that number of people and it is shop policy not to send two boats to the same site. In fact I believe the Crystal boat is way bigger than our biggest boat.

To the original poster: I hope you make the right decision and good luck with your dive career. If you want to check us out, feel free to pm me.

 

[stiggy]

Ok so its not raining divers when the big 3 arrive at the same site ? I had to switch to Macro the other day as it was pointless trying wide angle.

But back to topic.

Id recommend Crystal from the big schools, as they have a good program running for Dm training also the CD there Matt is professional as they come.

Scuba junction bit smaller but very professional outfit with great service.

But as others have said show up and see for yourself.

 

[Law5Guy]

Anyone on Koh Tao know what happened to Taa Toh Divers? Seems that they have closed the dive shop, but the hotel part is still open as Freedom Beach Resort.

Scuba Diving Koh Tao Thailand | Choose your Dive Center from a great variety.

 

[Law5Guy]

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