Been wanting to learn diving for the longest time! Since march last year.. but having to wait for friends or dive partners.. I keep having to put it off! Well not this time!! Will be in bkknext fri. 13th to 23rd! By hook or by crook I have to learn it this time!!!  Even if I have to drag my poor mom along with me.. well will teach her to snorkel first... still have yet to decide the location.. but has to be near BKK.. well not further then 5hrs by bus... or poor mom will be complaining!!  Good thing she's a good sport!! She would rather be hitting the pubs though! Have to have her on a leash at night.. LOL!!!  Still wandering where to go.. have to find a good dive school first. have only 15th night till the 19th to learn.. do u think I can get it done by then? Have tried the pool lesson already though.. I hate the theory part!!!!! Thats the only thing hindering me and a dive license!!!

Phuket is a very good place to learn to dive.

Khun Lynn,

By default it would seem Pattaya would be the only (?) location suitable in your time frame. Chumphon is about 6 hours by bus and not sure if Hua Hin has any dive operations (under 3 hours by bus from Bangkok).

However, in terms of choice, Koh Tao has to be the place to aim for, with more than 40 dive operations on the island. Here you have the option of going with more quiet, small operators or one of the larger schools. Depends on whether apres dive is important to you! If so, then one of the larger schools might be to your liking.

PM me if you want specifics.

Good luck and best regards,

Robert Stockfis

PADI #481498

How far is ko tao? Heard abt it.. well if the travel time is at night I guess a bit further should be okie... but abt how long is the bus ride? Yeah think ko tao sounds good.. would u happen to know what they charge for diving there?

chocolate lady thanks for ur mail regarding my thread on diving.. but all the stuff is in thai... I cant read thai babes... hehe.. wish I could though...

think the last time i took a bus to ko phangan took me 9 hours ? to the ferry pier? can't remember the name..

ko nang yuan is it nice there? Just stopped over to drop ppl of the ferry.. but that was in july.. was raining every day... so went fishing once..

Lynn I have same problem want yo go diving and never have time last time in Thailand i brought all mt diving gear from home so much weight and did not go diving , Will be there in November put up a date in November I already sign up )

most prob will be in chiang mai in dec... and end jan early feb for full moon party... dun want to go to ko phangan for the full moon party this time.. most prob prefer somewhere in ko lanta... and would prob end up in chiang mai or wherever again in april for songkran... hehe... seems that I have all my trips fairly planned out....

im on koh tao now

a previous entry said you can fly to chumphon-not any more you cant

pm me if you want any info

or look at www.kohtao-online.com

regards

steve

after u get license SHOUlLD we have Scuba driving Trip hehe.. good idea huh

Khun Lynn,

As Khun Nuy mentioned, Koh Chang might be a possibility but if Koh Tao is within your time frame and you want to travel by bus, I recommend a bus-ferry combination from Bangkok via Chumphon.

Not the cheapest option, but a good service, is through the Lomphraya company, which has a bus departing from Bangkok at 6.00 am (6 hours to Chumphon); then their high-speed catamaran ferry (1.5 hours to Koh Tao). You are usually disembarking at Maai Haat, Koh Tao before 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Undiscounted price is around Baht 850 per person. They also do a night bus and you arrive in Koh Tao early the next morning, around 8 o'clock.

In terms of prices for an Open Water Diver course (or PADI equivalent) you are probably looking at Baht 9,000 - 10,000 per person. As a rule, the main differences in the pricing package relate to the resort /accomodation options. This price includes all tuition, hire of equipment, the PADI 'pic' (personal identification cards) and Open Water manual.

As I mentioned to you before, there are many dive schools in Koh Tao and a wealth of teaching experience too. Depending on what type of group you want to join (busy, busy or someting more quiet) that should determine the dive school you should join, other things being equal.

Many good names I could mention, so if you are interested I can post you. Wherever you decide, enjoy!

Regards,

Robert

#481498

PS If you go to my profile photographs, one of them shows a baby blue spotted sting ray (taken in Koh Tao, July 2006 by my fellow instructor Khun Som).

Jomtien might be easiest for u. Personally the thought of diving terrifies me.....snorkelling is my limit.

I did my PADI in Pattaya / Jomtien. The dive shops there are some of the best in Thailand, BUT the dive sites are the worst in Thailand. Poor visibility and not much to see. Same applies to Koh Samed and Chang. If you've got your heart set on doing it in Thailand, I'd take Grooved's advice, fly to Samui, take the fast boat to Koh Tao and do it there, or just go the extra mile to Phuket.

Although if you'Re in SP, I would just forget about doing it on your vacation, and take a few days over in Malaysia and do it there. Or fly to Cebu and learn in one of the best dive areas in the world. Anyway, you're going to love diving regardless of where you go

Cool.

Koh Samui & Koh Tao is nice.

15 days .... hmmmm More then enuf to get Open & Advance Diving licensed (PADI).

Koh Samed ... hmmm dun recomend i just went the on the July. The visibility is very poor.

I more prefer Koh Samui.

Enjoy ur Diving.

ops ... i just see ur profile. Singapore got Direct fly to Samui. There is nice.

Did my open water/advance diver in Koh Tao and it was quite good (I did my open water for 7000 baths all inclusive and it wasn't the cheapest choice on the island. Koh Tao is the cheapest place to do your courses in Thailand because it is very close to the diving spots, which means it's cheaper for the boats, and competition is fierce. On the other end,

This place is totally devoted to diving. Problem is, it will take more than 5 hours to reach the place.

However, to respect your "Less than 5 hours drive from Bangkok" thing, Pattaya is pretty much the only choice, and from what I heard, not a bad place... to dive that is. ;-)

Unless of course you are willing to pay for a plane ticket in which case Phucket, Koh Chang and Kraby get within range.

I wouldn't recommend Koh Chang. Nothing much to see there, and the "wreck dive" they advertise don't really exist (One is below diving range in a low visibility area, and the other one is a piece of wood surrounded by antiques, such as a VCD player that looks like it might still work).

Khun Lynn,

Sylver mentions Baht 7000 for an Open Water course in Koh Tao. Not sure when Sylver completed this course but that price seems more indicative of the Advanced Open Water course - as a rule, the AOW course is less expensive than the OW course. If price is the key parameter in your choice of dive school, it is worth checking whether the OW manual is included in the cost or not.

In addition, it is worth bearing in mind that if you complete the Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses back-2-back (or PADI equivalent, through SSI for example), many dive operations will offer a 10% discount on the second course.

Please let everybody know where you get to!

Regards,

Robert Stockfis

PADI #481498

Now I really feel like going to Ko tao.. since the majority of u are saying that it's worth a visit.. but if the dive costs 7000baht.. it might be a bit steep.. Because if I were to learn to dive In Pulau Tioman.. like for beginners course it costs abt 10,350baht.. and that includes the 3hr ride/1hr30min ferry from Singapore, breakfast, lunch and dinner for the 3days, 2 nights trip, hotel and equipment. There we get to dive with reef sharks as well.. So it's like paying for a holiday. But who knows now that you guys have really got me revved up about ko tao I might just do it!!! At last!!!

Over here.. we have a choice of Malaysia- either.. Pulau Redang or Pulau Tioman. Think those places are not bad too.. but all I did there is snorkel in tioman.. but the visibility from the top was fantastic though.. managed to see a reef shark. In Langkawi I tried snorkelling with abt 20 reef sharks, barracudas and huge groupers.. that was what really made me seriously think abt wanting to learn to dive.

Pulau Redang is still the best. But Pulau Tioman is also ok.

Tioman got something that Redang did not have. HamHead Shell.

Redang Can go on July. Then u can touch and fell the Nurse Shark during the dive (if lucky)

Dive enthusiasts,

I have recently had some correspondence from a diver wanting some advice regarding Koh Tao. Below, I reproduce the salient points for any other TF members who may be considering diving there.

Although the diving in Koh Tao during December/January may not be the best in terms of visibility and species of fish seen, it is certainly a great time to visit the island (high season) and especially the New Year celebrations.

On the West side of the island there are two main deep dive sites: 1.) South West Pinnacle (and the 'secret' pinnacle off that one); and 2.) Chumphon Pinnacle to the North West of the island. Time to each site from Maai Haat is approximately 30 minutes and 45 mintutes respectively. Other dive sites tend to be closer, although this depends on where your dive school is actually located. Most of the big dive schools are clustered in Maai Haat/on the main Sairee beach (West of the island).

If you have not dived for two or three years you will in all likelihood be asked to complete a Scuba Review (and as an instructor I would highly recommend you do this). Don't forget your PADI/SSI or other certification, as the dive operation will need to see it.

Most dive shops run their own boats, either dedicated dive boats or converted; normally their are two dives each day and on alternate days there are night dives. If you are interested in night dives, you may wish to look into this aspect and whether the dive shop offers this facility.

Some of the longest established dive schools include Master Divers, Crystal Divers, Phoenix Divers and Bans Diving, to mention four representing the larger schools, but there are also a plethora of other excellent smaller outfits.

During December I hope to be in Koh Tao and will be based around Bans Diving, as that is where I completed my IDC and IE. www.amazingkohtao.com will get you to the Bans Diving web site.

If TF members have any queries re: diving in Koh Tao, please post me and I shall try and answer them.

Good vis and regards,

Robert Stockfis

PADI #481498