Full Diving Instructor Courses In Samui..

[meatgrowler]

: A good friend of mine is preparing to leave the uk.....he has dived before but a few years ago....he would like to learn from scratch again and do all the courses that would take him upto being able to instruct others,and obviously start to earn some baht....he wants the full package,accomodation,bike{poss}diving equipment the lot.....he is a hardworking lad and will im sure pass with flyin colours.Can anyone suggest and maybe help my friend...he will be arriving in 6-8 weeks time....thanks in advance to any helpful replies

[JimsKnight]

Samui strong point is that it has an airport and is a local transport hub, if he enjoys a high standard of living and infrastructure then that might be a consideration.

However the dive sites are all way too far to be going about getting himself trained up through multiple courses.

Koh Phang Yan is close to Koh Tao but still the island has very few dive sites and the divers there tend to travel via diveboat to Koh Taos dive sites instead. It is a big time party island and is full of farang doping about, especially at the full moon party.

Koh Tao. He'll be in time for the start of high season, if he's lucky he might be able to get his OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor) ticket and a job out there. This is the best place to learn to dive. Good dive sites, small island and generally cheaper than rip-off Samui.

My advice, go to Koh Tao!

Be warned theres about 5,000 other divers (of varying skill competancy and proficiency) all scurrying about to do the same on the Islands. The islands are pss wet through and will be until early to mid November.

He's gonna need a lot of money as Koh Tao is not a cheap island to live on anymore either. Without knowing his appitite for spending, drinking and wooing I'd say he'd need to be taking at least £10,000 sterling to pay for his courses and get himself set up with accommodation, motorbike living expenses and get his dive equipment.

Any less than that and he'll need to budget.

I've seen to many poor saps out in Koh Tao drink/spend/fck all their budget money away. To be fair though Koh Tao is a 'party island' and there is a big party in at least two or three bars every night. Some wannabe DMs and Instructors can end up practically begging for food, trying to get work as a pretend teacher on the mainland etc.

Now if he already holds his PADI Open water course he should be able to blast through all the courses in about a month and a half. Thats solid diving though and includes a DM internship so he needs to be quick. If he hasn't yet got a PADI open water ticket then he's sht out of luck as he'll have a six month wait from getting his Open Water ticket to taking his OWSI course.

I could sell him some of mine but I live way up in the north of Thailand these days so I doubt it.

He needs to buy his equipment in the UK if possible as it's cheaper. Most of the thai stuff is imported and is massively taxed.

I've not stayed on Koh Tao since 2005 but keep in touch with a few of the divers there I expect the prices are much more than when I was there.

The 'farang politics' are quite active on Koh Tao (A good and a bad thing). The trend in 2005 tended to be left-wing happy hippy dippy types (left overs from the backpacking days). Led by the Koh Tao Dive Operators Club they tend to be champagne socialist types,They can be a pain in the ass but just humour them and they usually bimble along in their own little world, but they usually mean well!

On the other side of the fence are the even handed and right-wing capitalist style folks who love to party!

The tourists and divers who come to Koh Tao are for the most part friendly, young and eager to dive so theres an interesting crowd that makes the island a bit of a success story.

I took about £4,000 and even with work as a divemaster still found keeping the expenditure down was tough (and I'm a kee-neow!). It's a good life on Koh Tao but unless he's got a natural affinity with the sea (Most of the long-termers have this on Koh Tao) then he will likely get island fever after a few months and want to travel about a bit.

I met some good people on Koh Tao and the diving colony vibe is very strong there.

Wish your friend luck, he's gonna need it.

I'm PMing you some more 'details' that may aid your friends quest...

Edited October 25, 2007 by JimsKnight

[meatgrowler]

Samui strong point is that it has an airport and is a local transport hub, if he enjoys a high standard of living and infrastructure then that might be a consideration.

However the dive sites are all way too far to be going about getting himself trained up through multiple courses.

Koh Phang Yan is close to Koh Tao but still the island has very few dive sites and the divers there tend to travel via diveboat to Koh Taos dive sites instead. It is a big time party island and is full of farang doping about, especially at the full moon party.

Koh Tao. He'll be in time for the start of high season, if he's lucky he might be able to get his OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor) ticket and a job out there. This is the best place to learn to dive. Good dive sites, small island and generally cheaper than rip-off Samui.

My advice, go to Koh Tao!

Be warned theres about 5,000 other divers (of varying skill competancy and proficiency) all scurrying about to do the same on the Islands. The islands are pss wet through and will be until early to mid November.

He's gonna need a lot of money as Koh Tao is not a cheap island to live on anymore either. Without knowing his appitite for spending, drinking and wooing I'd say he'd need to be taking at least £10,000 sterling to pay for his courses and get himself set up with accommodation, motorbike living expenses and get his dive equipment.

Any less than that and he'll need to budget.

I've seen to many poor saps out in Koh Tao drink/spend/fck all their budget money away. To be fair though Koh Tao is a 'party island' and there is a big party in at least two or three bars every night. Some wannabe DMs and Instructors can end up practically begging for food, trying to get work as a pretend teacher on the mainland etc.

Now if he already holds his PADI Open water course he should be able to blast through all the courses in about a month and a half. Thats solid diving though and includes a DM internship so he needs to be quick. If he hasn't yet got a PADI open water ticket then he's sht out of luck as he'll have a six month wait from getting his Open Water ticket to taking his OWSI course.

I could sell him some of mine but I live way up in the north of Thailand these days so I doubt it.

He needs to buy his equipment in the UK if possible as it's cheaper. Most of the thai stuff is imported and is massively taxed.

I've not stayed on Koh Tao since 2005 but keep in touch with a few of the divers there I expect the prices are much more than when I was there.

The 'farang politics' are quite active on Koh Tao (A good and a bad thing). The trend in 2005 tended to be left-wing happy hippy dippy types (left overs from the backpacking days). Led by the Koh Tao Dive Operators Club they tend to be champagne socialist types,They can be a pain in the ass but just humour them and they usually bimble along in their own little world, but they usually mean well!

On the other side of the fence are the even handed and right-wing capitalist style folks who love to party!

The tourists and divers who come to Koh Tao are for the most part friendly, young and eager to dive so theres an interesting crowd that makes the island a bit of a success story.

I took about £4,000 and even with work as a divemaster still found keeping the expenditure down was tough (and I'm a kee-neow!). It's a good life on Koh Tao but unless he's got a natural affinity with the sea (Most of the long-termers have this on Koh Tao) then he will likely get island fever after a few months and want to travel about a bit.

I met some good people on Koh Tao and the diving colony vibe is very strong there.

Wish your friend luck, he's gonna need it.

I'm PMing you some more 'details' that may aid your friends quest...

many thanks for your welcome info...he is considering living in samui and diving daily in ko tao,as another m8 of mine does,as you say ko tao island fever is possible,samui is bigger so less chance.....he has around....£10k....he has learnt that BIG BLUE do a full course for around £3.5k...inc 6 months accomodation...free diving gear{that you keep}....books etc...he was hoping to do it a bit cheaper.....

[JimsKnight]

Hmmm, Big Blue... Never worked for them, but I know them, they are one of the 'big 4' dive operators on the islands so bear in mind he's going to be doing courses in what could be termed a 'diving factory.' Advantages are they usually quicker and speedy but quite a few divers are prima donna types who think of divers being trained from the 'big 4' dive operators to be inferior than ones being trained from smaller schools. This can affect being employed with some dive companies.

If he lives in Samui then he's going to be commuting daily via speedboat to Koh Tao's dive sites more often than not. Sail rock is a bit closer than Koh Tao (its just north of Koh Phang Nan).

Samui suffers from a severe lack of depth in it's surrounding waters (no more than 18 meters ish) which makes it no good for deep diving.

Speedboats are cool for the first five trips or so but they lose their appeal when ride comfort, cramped conditions and sun exposure become a daily grind.

£3.5k for Open Water, Advanced, Rescue Diver, EFR, Divemaster and OWSI! Thats rip-off factory prices! Even with six months accommodation (no food), equipment (likely to be ex-rental) and materials it's still a bit of a rip off! 250,000 baht!

On Koh Tao, I reckon it would cost you about £2.5k tops as the place is a diving colony with tourist prices but the diving was and is pretty cheap, Samui is a huge tourist sponge!

Edited October 26, 2007 by JimsKnight

[Pilchard]

Hmmm, Big Blue... Never worked for them, but I know them, they are one of the 'big 4' dive operators on the islands so bear in mind he's going to be doing courses in what could be termed a 'diving factory.' Advantages are they usually quicker and speedy but quite a few divers are prima donna types who think of divers being trained from the 'big 4' dive operators to be inferior than ones being trained from smaller schools. This can affect being employed with some dive companies.

If he lives in Samui then he's going to be commuting daily via speedboat to Koh Tao's dive sites more often than not. Sail rock is a bit closer than Koh Tao (its just north of Koh Phang Nan).

Samui suffers from a severe lack of depth in it's surrounding waters (no more than 18 meters ish) which makes it no good for deep diving.

Speedboats are cool for the first five trips or so but they lose their appeal when ride comfort, cramped conditions and sun exposure become a daily grind.

£3.5k for Open Water, Advanced, Rescue Diver, EFR, Divemaster and OWSI! Thats rip-off factory prices! Even with six months accommodation (no food), equipment (likely to be ex-rental) and materials it's still a bit of a rip off! 250,000 baht!

On Koh Tao, I reckon it would cost you about £2.5k tops as the place is a diving colony with tourist prices but the diving was and is pretty cheap, Samui is a huge tourist sponge!

good advice , totally agree, Also your mate should note that when the weather closes in the boats from samui will not run every day so he would be stuck in samui waiting to build up his dives to the required amount.

If he stayed on KT there are many local dive sights only 10 mins away that are still drivable in the rainy season. I would suggest he stays on koh tao and takes a few days or weeks off in between the different levels of the courses and comes to samui for R & R.

Many kt dive operators give free accommodation with the course if you book all the way from open water to instructor.

Last bit of advice , don't hand over any cash until you have seen the facilities and met the people , including the course director who teaches the final instructor level

cheers

Edited October 26, 2007 by Pilchard

[gunter vanpamel]

Hi dude

This is not the good way to give you advices. There are a few good dive centers here on the island.

Btw , there is no Big Blue anymore on the islands( big 4)

Coral Grand Divers, in Ban Rak, Chaweng is top

[JUDAS]

I live on Koh Tao, been here eight years and know the place inside out, the good and not so good. I would say that if your friend is looking to go from novice through to instructor in the minimum time, only a couple of schools would be able to offer him everything needed for him to come through as a good "new" instructor. PM me if you want any advice etc

[meatgrowler]

I live on Koh Tao, been here eight years and know the place inside out, the good and not so good. I would say that if your friend is looking to go from novice through to instructor in the minimum time, only a couple of schools would be able to offer him everything needed for him to come through as a good "new" instructor. PM me if you want any advice etc

hi judas,

my mate keeps getting advice to do his full training on ko tao,as he can do more dives each day,4 instead of 2 if he travels daily from samui...do you know of a well priced school on ko tao that could help him...a full price list would be appreciated....you can send this to my email....***email removed per forum rules***...i will give him all the information...his name is damien..

kind regards

graham

[limbos]

meatgrowler,

If he travels daily to Koh Tao from Samui he can't do more than 2 dives a day. He can only do 4 dives a day if he lives on KT.