koh tao or phuket??????????

[jiveturkey]

I kind of agree with you ssra30 but kind of don't. I did a nitrox course on koh tao and had an excellent instructor. She was an extremely skilled diver and a very good instructor. She was very topshelf. I'm sure there are lots more like her in the other shops.

However, I met a lot of divers who landed on the island and went straight through from open water to dm. They had very limited experience. I was not impressed by either their knowledge or skills. Had 2 different dms literally get lost within 3 days. But I was truely appalled at the maturity levels of some of these guys. It often seemed like a big frat party. Some divers were more interested in the social side of things than the diving. There's some of that on the west coast too but I found the DMs there were generally serious about diving and had more professional attitudes.

I spent about a week and only dived with one outfit so maybe it's not fair to judge them all on the basis of that one shop. If I go back, I'll dive with a different shop.

 

[TomvdH]

I kind of agree with you ssra30 but kind of don't. I did a nitrox course on koh tao and had an excellent instructor. She was an extremely skilled diver and a very good instructor. She was very topshelf. I'm sure there are lots more like her in the other shops.

However, I met a lot of divers who landed on the island and went straight through from open water to dm. They had very limited experience. I was not impressed by either their knowledge or skills. Had 2 different dms literally get lost within 3 days. But I was truely appalled at the maturity levels of some of these guys. It often seemed like a big frat party. Some divers were more interested in the social side of things than the diving. There's some of that on the west coast too but I found the DMs there were generally serious about diving and had more professional attitudes.

I spent about a week and only dived with one outfit so maybe it's not fair to judge them all on the basis of that one shop. If I go back, I'll dive with a different shop.

jiveturkey,

While I am not a fan of bad mouthing people, I am very much for letting other divers know who I feel has done a good job. You were impressed with an instructor and I would like to suggest that you 'name names' and let those on the board who follow this thread, or search in the futue, know the instructor's name.

 

[TomvdH]

I did not say that but I would expect that someone who has a training of a DM should have enough experience diving in variety of conditions. One of my problem with Koh Tao is that many DMs are people who started from open water and stayed on the island for months and go through all the way to DM and instructors. Sure they will get in hundreds of dive but only at a handful of sites where diving is generally very easy.

By all mean, Koh Tao is a good place I think for openwater, advance and all the beginning level as diving condition is quite easy and beginners can get comfortable in the water and more confidence before going elsewhere but I would think that a higher level trained divers who will be responsible for other would benefit from some other diving exposures beside the easy diving at Koh Tao.

All else being equal, I would expect someone who completed his/her DM in the surf zone oh Oahy's North shore to be a more capable diver than DM from Koh Tao!
Bottom line, I think if I am hiring a DM, all else being equal, I would prefer a brand new DM trained from a location that has some exposure to tricky diving situations and variety of diving condition than a brand new DM trained from a nice and relax generally very easy diving conditions with not a lot of exposure to other diving condition.

SSRA30,

In considering hiring a DM, 'all else being equal', and assuming that they are of a maturity level that I would trust my students with, the most important characteristic that I look for in a DM is - does the DM know the area and environment where he/she is working.

Knowing the area where they work is not limited to knowing "the sight seeing aspects" of the area, but also knowing the currents, knowing what sites are appropriate for what level of divers, knowing how to get help when needed, and so on. So, while I appreciate your view and am not rejecting it by any account, I would only like to point out that knowing the area where the DM is to work is critical and in fact there may not be any surf issues, or rip tide issues, or whatever. Bottom line - having experience where they are going to work and appropriate maturity is what I look for.

 

[ssra30]

SSRA30,

Knowing the area where they work is not limited to knowing "the sight seeing aspects" of the area, but also knowing the currents, knowing what sites are appropriate for what level of divers, knowing how to get help when needed, and so on. So, while I appreciate your view and am not rejecting it by any account, I would only like to point out that knowing the area where the DM is to work is critical and in fact there may not be any surf issues, or rip tide issues, or whatever. Bottom line - having experience where they are going to work and appropriate maturity is what I look for.

I totally agree with this. In previous posts, I also did mention that I found the qualilty of DM/dive guides around other places superior to Koh Tao DMs, not because I was in an emergency situation and needed help but to see how those DMs displayed their knowledge of marine life, local geography, ability to assess current and come up with a dive plan according to divesite condition. At Koh Tao, at least, everythings was rigid, the boats almost always leave at the same time everyday, decision on sites are made a day in advance, there does not seem to be much of an issue with currents, rip tides etc, no need to plan which direction to dive, just follow the DM like a puppy and many DMs seemed to think that being a diveguide means diving straight from point A to B and back in a championship race and rarely ever show any knowledge of marine life beside occasional pointing out triggerfish, angelfish, butterfly fish etc. Going through this kind of diving, I am not sure how one would learn to assess the current, tides etc in places where diving is so friendly.
To be fair, I did find some very good DMs and instructors on Koh Tao but like Jiveturkey, I found a good deal of DMs that left much to be desired, more so than many other places that I have been to.

 

[DORSETBOY]

you caught me on a bad day yesterday so i was a bit snappy (sorry!)... can kinda see your point if the dm / instructor has little or no experience outside of a comparatively small area. I know several instructors / dm's there who like you said have no experience whatoever off the island.. they themselves will be the first to admit that their experience is limited. Conversely, like myself the majority of dm's / instructors trained there have experience of diving / working outside of Tao.

 

[DORSETBOY]

just to clarify the point on rigidity of dive site selection... there were many occasions when we had to change the dive sites we selected cos the waves were too rough or viz had dropped on one part of the island.. generally coinciding with the peaks in the lunar cycle. Chumpon in particular is not a pleasant place to be if the water is rough, esp the journey out there.

Agreed knowledge of marine life is esp important, I'd be concerned if anyone dived Twins for example without the dive guide showing them the scorpionfish (having briefed them of the dangers) as it is important to watch your bouyancy in these areas.

 

[jiveturkey]

jiveturkey,

You were impressed with an instructor and I would like to suggest that you 'name names' and let those on the board who follow this thread, or search in the futue, know the instructor's name.

My instructor's name was Zoe and worked at Ban's. She gets the Official Jiveturkey Seal of Approval.

 

[TomvdH]

If we can rate equipment, cameras, resorts, live aboards, dive sites, etc., I see no reason not to be saying good things about those people that deserve it as well.

Thanks for 'naming names'.

 

[stevenl]

There is one more questiuon from the OP not answered, and that is about Racha Yai.

It is more an upscale islands these days, and the diving there is limited to Racha Yai and Racha Noi. So I would not stay there if I were you.

Make the choice between Phuket and Koh Tao, and you will find some excellent places to stay with a mellow atmosphere on Phuket as well. Check out the Kata/Karon area, with most of the backpackers staying in Kata. I think you'd enjoy your stay here, and you definately would enjoy the diving.

 

[waikatoboy]

No worries,
finally getting some where.
Hey everybody thanks for the imformation and veiws, I think i will like koh tao but phuket definitley is the place to further my training, but i will be stopping of at koh tao for a dive and some atmosphere.
But that brings me to the question which i have seen come up alot on this forum over which dive shops to go through for diving and live aboards in phuket which i have looked at, but does anybody have recomendations or first hand expereince with Dm's courses in Phuket?
Specially any shop offering the variety of dives and situations mentioned earlier in this chapter. I am planning on diving as much as possible in thailand and every other place i go to with my travels i want to experience as much as i can thats why i would love to know a company that is offering an extensive course.
Hey thanks anyway. :10: :10:
Is koh lak not got more to offer than phuket?
Or is that the same story as koh tao?
Or just not got enough to offer as a location other than diving?