I'm going to Koh Phangan to join the full moon party with a friend in march this year. Since most of the hotels there have a minimum booking of 4 or 5 days I wondered if there are some diving schools around you could recommend for beginners.

My friend made a diving course years ago and I never dived before, would be nice to get some information if there is any place around Koh Phangan...

Regards Chris

Moved to the Diving in Thailand forum.

There are several on the island. Just have a look around the place when you arrive at the beach you choose. There's sure to be an outfit not far from where you are staying. Since you are basing your diving around the fact that pre-booked accommodation has minimum stay requirements, sort out your accommodation first. Then, ask when you know what part of the island you will be spending most of your time. There are free guidebook magazines on the island that will have a list of the dive operators, their contact information, and their location. Select the one closest to your accommodation. Of course, check out the listings online for their reputation before handing over your money. There are generally several options to choose from regardless of where you stay on the island; although, these outfits will share the same dive sites used by shops on Koh Tao. Koh Tao would be a cheaper alternative for the same instruction.