where to "go pro" in Thailand

[dna77054]

I am looking to "go pro", most likely in Thailand. I am open water and have about 280 dives. Any areas/IDC programs/internships you all would recommend. I will likely spend at least 3 months there.

Koh Tao seems to be the best bang for the buck. The programs/internships at both Crystal Dive and Buddha View Dive look very good and comprehensive, at least on their websites. But I read that the diving in Koh Toa lags behind the Andaman sea. How is food and laundry handled/priced in Koh Toa? Grocery is to find? Easier/cheaper to just eat out? Is Koh Tao dive still better than Caribbean diving?

Phuket obviously has all the amenities anyone would need and access to better diving, but that SEEMS to come at a price. I am considering Scubacat, who seem to have an excellent reputation, but the equivalent training there is almost double the price of Koh Tao. Who else is recommended in Phuket?

First and foremost, I want to get good, thorough, comprehensive (including compressor, opportunity to get experience assisting and perhaps teaching open water classes, gas blending, equipment repair, etc...) training. IF only doing 3-6 months of training, how important is the quality of the diving.

What are your thoughts and recommendations concerning locations, programs, other locals like Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Khao Lak etc...?

There are just so many option is Thailand, I need some help to narrow down my choices.

Thanks
Mike

 

[limbo]

Hi Mike,

Some of the price difference is because of the logistics, if you go to Phuket, their boat travel is much longer compared to boat travel around Koh Tao, that makes a big difference in course price. Looking at the courses that you still have to take, that will make a difference with the current gasoline/diesel prices.

Koh Tao is all about diving, if you opt for one of the dc's there, you will most likely end up in a big(ger) group of IDC candidates and very likely have a good time with your fellow candidates. Probably the same goes for your other courses. The diving around Koh Tao is OK, there are some good dive sites and all of them are nearby.

Phuket is Thailand's biggest island and if you end up living in or near Patong (not that I would recommend that) you are close to all conveniences. There are other options and areas for living though and still all conveniences are not far away. The boats leave from Chalong and a lot of people that work in the dive industry live in nearby areas. Diving in general is good in the Andaman Sea but the boat rides are longer, up to an hour and a half to two hours one way, pending on where you go that day.

All over Thailand it's probably cheaper to eat out compared to cooking for yourself. Since Koh Tao is an island, everything is a little bit more expensive compared to the mainland. There are markets though and groceries can be found relatively easily.

For both locations you most likely will need some form of transportation, like a motorbike.

Koh Phi Phi is very small, I did my DM course there, but for my liking too small. Good diving and a good CD is on the island, a regular poster here; Bubble-Junky. Diving more or less same sites as Phuket but shorter travel distance.

Koh Lanta is very laid back and has access to Hin Daeg and Hin Muang, two top dive sites (Manta's). Very relaxed life style, long boat rides again.

Khao Lak is located opposite the Similan islands and has some good local diving. very quiet and relaxed, you will have the option to visit the Similan during your courses but it will also come with a price tag.

Did you consider Pattaya in Thailand, that may be interesting from a price point of view but most likely not as good value compared to Koh Tao.

Hope this helps for now, please feel free to pm me if you have more questions.

 

[Quero]

Mike, there are as many opinions on this as there are readers of the forum! Some people will tell you that Tao-trained instructors are not respected elsewhere because so many of the open water courses are run like a cheap-toy factory in three days (and it's true that the two schools you've identified are noted for being factory-like), and others will tell you that Tao is perfect because of the huge number of open water students who are certified there every year so you get a ton of experience. Some will say that Phuket is great because you've got so many different IDCs that you can go interview all the course directors and see which one you click best with, and IDC groups are small so you get a lot of attention, and others will say that Phuket is overbuilt and overpriced. Some will tell you Lanta is perfect because it's what the islands used to be like 20 years ago with no huge crowds, and others will say that IDCs get cancelled there for lack of interest. Some will say that Phi Phi is great with excellent diving and fun topside, and others will say you get bored of being stuck on a small island with very few options. Some will tell you to go to Khao Lak because it's the jump off point for the Similans, and others will say the place is a huge yawn other than the Similans.

The thing is that you've got a lot of courses to do before you get to the pro-level ones, and I personally think it's a mistake to buy the packages that take you from where you are to pro level because if you don't like that particular school and want to change, either you're stuck there or you lose a lot of money in the process (refunds are hard to come by). Why not come to Thailand and do some diving at the places you're interested in and then pick one of them for your training?

There are a couple of course directors who read this forum regularly, so you may want to touch base with them--limbo (aka Camille Lemmens) and Bubble Junky (aka Rich Reardon). I've worked with Camille and I can tell you that he really cares about his candidates, and while I haven't worked with Rich (yet?) he is a funny guy, so I'm betting his IDC is also a blast. Camille runs IDCs on Samui, Lanta, and at Khao Lak while Rich runs IDCs on Phi Phi.

 

[Sam_The_Submersible]

KOH TAO!

Heaps of schools, allows you to shop around and find the school/instructor that you feel comfortable with. Also plenty of places to buy gear and quite well priced.

The diving can be better elsewhere, but the choice of training facilities and amount of courses makes up for it....

 

[chrisinthailand]

Nobody mentioned Krabi (Ao Nang / Klong Muang) yet, which is understandable as it's fairly new on the IDC scene. There are a couple of IDC Centers here, Aqua Vision and Kontiki, and it offers the best of both worlds - fantastic diving with more choices of sites than anywhere else in Thailand, including Hin Daeng / Hin Muang / Ko Ha Yai if you go with the speedboat option, has low cost accommodation, 3 large shipping outlets (Tesco Lotus, Big C and Makro) plus Mom and Pop shops, loads of restaurants, shops and nightlife, and is a couple of hours drive from Phuket if that's not enough for you.

Google IDC Krabi Thailand to find more info...

Best of luck and great diving!

 

[ozzydamo]

"Khao Lak is located opposite the Similan islands and has some good local diving. very quiet and relaxed, you will have the option to visit the Similan during your courses but it will also come with a price tag"

And price tag is bugger all less then lesser site(like bugger the gulf really!).

But going pro isn't about having fun dives yourself is it?
what you want is problems with nub divers doing it cheaply!
I would go to patong and do it with Seaworld dive team- talk to Phillipe hes a great guy easy to talk with a man of experience and very human-
Scuba diving Phuket Thailand - Similan liveaboards, Padi courses in Patong

PADI IE September 2012 | Facebook

going pro- bugger that dive for fun, photos and to find yourself again!

The reason I LIKE seaworld is they have real empathy and respect for thailand, they want it to be a great dive destination! I love those people!
They have put more thai people thru the padi system then most others, and that will make thailand better for all divers in the future!
good onya Phillipe!

 

[limbo]

Feeling better now ozzydamo?

 

[ozzydamo]

Feeling better now ozzydamo?

yes!
the factory trawler FV Magiris(was an american vessel once apon time) has been stopped!

 

[lord khram]

Is Koh Tao dive still better than Caribbean diving?

Koh Tao whilst it has some good diving, in my experience doesn't come close to diving in the Caribean.
If the quality of diving is important to you, the Andaman Coast diving is by far the best Thailand has to offer.
With regards the diving in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao is probably the best on offer, closely followed by Koh Chang, Pattaya simply is not a serious dive destination.
Where ever you consider, most of the diving in Thailand is seasonal (apart from Pattaya its just crap all year round) so it is worth considering the time of year that best suits the different destinations.

 

[Scuba Cat Diving]

What you need to look at is not just what diving you get but the instruction and experience you will have.
Koh Tao from my experience is busy and large classes, pro's and con's to that, would you like being in a factory environment or prefer something more personal.
There are so many options in Thailand, Khao Lak is great, but small, Phi Phi the same, Phuket has more to offer in terms of amenities and general life but can be more expensive in certain area's, not all.
What time of year will you be here? This will make a difference to where you choose due to the seasons we have.
You are an open water diver, why not narrow down to a region, start emailing potential dive centers, you will get a feel for which ones will suit you best.
When you arrive go talk to them, spend a day on the boats and meet the instructors. 3 to 6 month is a long time to be somewhere that does not suit you.

Good luck and enjoy Thailand wherever you end up.