Sponsored by
Calypso Diving
Calypso Diving is in Tanote Bay, owning a diverse
range of marine life where shore dive is possible.
Calypso Diving Koh Tao offers quality over quantity.
Sponsored by
Big Blue Diving
One of Koh Tao's best known dive centres in the world
diving every morning and afternoon at dive sites
you want to dive at. Small groups. Great prices.
Sponsored by
Ban's Diving
Koh Tao’s largest dive centre — Ban’s Diving Resort
has more than 200 rooms, 5 pools and 4 boats.
Ban's Diving Koh Tao is a world in itself.
Scuba Diving Koh Tao
Have you ever considered there is a whole other world within our reach? When scuba diving Koh Tao you experience weightlessness while exploring the stunning visual display of the underwater realm.
Koh Tao dive sites are perfectly suited for all scuba diving courses, considering depth, clarity and calmness of the dive environment. The conditions are generally very good making it possible for everyone to dive Koh Tao. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors PADI and Scuba School International SSI are the two predominant certifying organizations in the +80 dive shops on the island, so opportunities to scuba dive Koh Tao are literally around every corner!
Scuba Diving Courses on Koh Tao
Recreational Scuba Diving Courses
Discover Scuba Diving Course
To experience what it feels like to breathe underwater, the half-day Discover Scuba Diving Course is a great option to see what it’s like to dive Koh Tao. Here you will learn how to use scuba dive equipment and enjoy an underwater tour to a maximum depth of 12 metres under the direct supervision of a certified dive professional.
Open Water Diver Course
Koh Tao’s most popular scuba diving course — Open Water Diver is a 4 day program where you will receive a qualification to scuba dive to a maximum depth of 18 m. This certification is recognized worldwide and provides the foundation for all future dives. Generally, this course is conducted in a shallow confined environment (swimming pool or bay) where you begin with basic skills, followed by classroom presentations from an instructor, along with four open water dives. Minimum age for this course is 10 years old.
Advanced Open Water Diver Course
The Adventures in Diving or Advanced Open Water Diver Course helps broaden your scuba diving knowledge and underwater experiences. This takes you to the next level of depth and challenges your dive skills while exploring all the extra curricular dive activities available. Included in your 5 Advanced Open Water dives, you take the plunge and go deep to 30 m and expand your underwater navigation skills. The 3 other dives are up to you!
White Rock is a spectacular dive site to visit when diving Koh Tao that is mostly visited for the night adventure dive due to the charismatic behavior of the marine life that become active at night. Scuba divers enjoy exploring the reefs there to witness the hunting patterns of the great barracuda, blue spotted stingrays and view the brilliant phosphorescence. The options for your elective choices include Wreck Diving, Digital Underwater Photography, Search & Recovery, Buoyancy Techniques plus more. Minimum age is 12 years old.
Rescue Diver & EFR Courses
If you are currently an Advanced Open Water diver and would like to learn how to help others, your next challenge is the Rescue Diver Course. This 3–4 day program provides you with the necessary skills to assist, supervise and take control of an emergency situation. You will need to have a certification in CPR and First Aid/Secondary Care to be able to attend this course. The Emergency First Response Course (EFR) can be integrated into the rescue program. EFR is an internationally recognized certification for CPR, AED, Primary and Secondary Care. To learn more about Diving Medicine, you may be interested in the O2 Provider Course, an independent program that can also be integrated in the EFR or Rescue Programs. Minimum age is 12 years old.
Photo: Jingyu Li
Kids Scuba Diving Programs on Koh Tao
PADI Bubblemaker and PADI Seal Team
Similar to the Discover Scuba Diving Program, the PADI Bubblemaker Program gives kids the opportunity to experience breathing from S.C.U.B.A. underwater to a depth of 2–4 metres. The minimum age is 8 years to participate. Conducted in either a pool or at shallow water dive site such as Mango Bay or Japanese Gardens, you will have the chance to feel the same excitement that certified divers experience. The benefits of getting into the shallow open water environment is that you see the beautiful creatures that live beneath our ocean surface. These programs incorporate a series of games to enhance buoyancy control and breathing techniques that can be beneficial to underwater enthusiast of all ages.
The PADI Seal Team Program gives children ages 8 years and above the opportunity to experience scuba diving in a confined pool environment. Here they practice skills used in the open water through several structures sessions. Furthering their knowledge they may progress to the Master Seal Team Program whereby these new divers can take on challenging skills diving at night, developing navigation and buoyancy skills – and all in the secure settings of a swimming pool. Parents can participate or enjoy their time exploring other avenues of diving on the island while the kids are directly supervised by their diving instructor.
Professional Level Scuba Diving Courses
If you’re looking for a new place to call home, Koh Tao is renowned for its longterm diving experiences. The affordable accommodation and food options available allow many travellers and avid divers to remain on the island to dive Koh Tao and continue their scuba diving education to the professional levels of Divemaster and Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor.
There are a few schools on the island that have PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Ratings to offer these accredited professional programs that are recognized worldwide. This level of training opens up the opportunity to work on the island and around the world. The average time spent for these programs are from 3 weeks to 6 months or more, depending on the individual.
Technical Diving at Koh Tao
Recreational divers are limited to the maximum depth of 40 m, however with the introduction of Technical Diving the opportunity exists to extend limits to depths of 50 m and beyond. Koh Tao’s diving sites provide appropriate training grounds for these courses, along with the option to take 4 day trips to Khao Sok National Park where the fresh water dam provides numerous cavern and cave diving experiences.
If you are interested in keeping up with the scuba diving trends, there are always new programs being developed. The most recent being the Recreational and Technical Sidemount Diver Course. The experienced diver has the chance to try using different equipment and learn new diving procedures.
Photo: Michael Richardson
Photo: Jingyu Li
Fun Diving Koh Tao
All dive facilities on Koh Tao ave their own boats, provide scuba dive equipment and professional guides for the daily dive trips around Koh Tao. Some excursions include fruit and soft beverages where as others provide drinking water, coffee and tea. Weather permitting, local dive sites are visited twice daily, regular schedules include 2 x dives in the morning (07:00 – 12:00) and 2 x dives in the afternoon (12:15 – 17:30), along with night dives (18:00 – 20:30) every other day.
Most dive sites surround Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, but there are special day trips organized for Sail Rock and Samran Pinnacles and Ang Thong National Marine Park at most dive resorts. These full day trips leave in the morning and include lunch and dive equipment.
Ticket must be purchased at least 3 days before departure date.
The voucher must be printed out and reconfirm at Lomlahkkhirin check-in counter on departure date. Passenger must check-in 30 minutes prior to departure time. Failure to do so, the ticket will not be refunded.
Baggage allowance is 20 kg/person. Extra weight cost 20 Baht/kg, but not exceed to 30 kg in total.
Destination and route are not allowed to be changed.
Cancellation 3 days prior to your departure date and not longer than 180 days after purchase, 50% of your payment will be refunded. Tickets booked on long holiday are non-refundable.
Lomlahkkhirin High Speed Ferries reserves the right to cancel their service due to poor weather conditions or any circumstances beyond the reasonable for any safety reason. Departure and arrival times may be subject to change due to weather conditions without prior notice. Please be advised to allow 12 hours minimum for connecting flight.
Discover Koh Tao and Koh Tao Complete Guide do not take responsibility for any expense, loss, damage or injury which may arise in the event of cancellation or delay of Lomlahkkhirin High Speed Ferries service.
Price does not include Koh Nang Yuan landing fee 250 Baht/person.
Snorkelling spots may be subject to change due to weather conditions without prior notice.
Oxygen Tour reserves the right to cancel their service due to poor weather conditions or any circumstances regarding safety.
To possess a 50% refund for your cancellation, you must inform us two days before the trip and no longer than 180 days after the deposit payment. Snorkelling trip booked on long holiday are non-refundable.
To possess a 50% refund for your cancellation, you must inform us seven days before the tour and no longer than 180 days after the deposit payment.
KOH TAO : a Complete Guide reserves the right to cancel our tour due to poor weather conditions or any circumstances regarding safety. We then refund 100% of your deposit payment.