Dive Ops on Koh Tao?

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Susiewah

Registered
Messages
8
Reaction score
1
Location
Fairfax
# of dives
200 - 499
Fairfax, California
Apr 19, 2017, 11:31 PM
Hi there,

Can anyone recommend a dive shop that takes out a little bit more experienced divers? I would prefer not to be on a boat with first time open water divers. Love them, just don't want to be out numbered by them. And do the Koh Tao dive ops pick you up at your beach side resort?
Thank you in advance
Susie
 
It has been quite a while since I dove Koh Tao with Planet SCUBA. I wouldn't recommend them because their gear was so ratty I had trouble finding the arm holes in the first BC they gave me and the first stage on one of their regulators blew at 100 fsw diving Chumphon Pinnacle. The boats I saw didn't pick up at any resorts... you had to walk to the operator's location. However some might today.
 
Fairfax, California
Apr 19, 2017, 11:31 PM
Hi there,

Can anyone recommend a dive shop that takes out a little bit more experienced divers? I would prefer not to be on a boat with first time open water divers. Love them, just don't want to be out numbered by them. And do the Koh Tao dive ops pick you up at your beach side resort?
Thank you in advance
Susie
For more experienced divers, the Andaman Sea has much more to offer than Koh Tao and surroundings. So if possible, consider going there.
 
I have had good experience with Simple Life (22 days diving). They will pick you up from their resort. I stayed at Blue Wave guest house and it was a 10 minute walk to Simple Live. They mostly cater to new divers but have experienced guides/instructors who are very, very good.

Andaman is also a good alternative.

Best

GJS
 
koh Tao diving is really far from the best Thailand has to offer, the Andaman sea is far superior to anywhere in the Gulf of Thailand.
My experience of KT diving is overcrowded boats, overcrowded dive sites and many shops seem to concentrate on bargain basement open water courses to backpackers.
Personally I do not like KT, I have been several times with friends to dive and have no plan to return. That is just my preference, but many do seem to like it there.
Sail Rock and Chumpon pinnacle are really the only two dive sites I enjoyed, the rest were very run of the mill and always crowded.
 
If you have an option of either Andaman Sea/Similans or Koh Tao, obviously goto Andaman Sea.

I did both. (Wanted to get a quantity of dives out of my system!)

From a recommendation on this board (a technical diver) they suggested Master Divers.
I would also recommend Master Divers as they are on the quiet side of the island, and, as a result there are less divers there. There were good diverse range of guides from all over the world.
I completed the EAN Enriched Air Nitrox course with them.

I also brought my own gear, but it did seem like their other gear was kept well. If you are unhappy with any equipment, they would be happy to change it.

Master Divers have regular 'island clean up' sessions. They also have an agreement you can 'sign' to pledge that you will ask to not have a straw in your drink, as they tend to end up on the beach and in the reefs.

With their location, they are only about a 150m walk from the main ferry terminal (turn right when exiting) - I also stayed down that side of the island.

In the evenings, it is much more quieter than if you were to turn left when exiting the ferry terminal.

The Coconut Monkey Cafe is quite nice - they use reusable bamboo straws.

If you have any other questions about getting to Koh Tao, please feel free to ask me. I tried to get there with minimal time on those ferries. I flew to Koh Samui with Bankok Air (they are quite a nice small airline - you will be impressed!) - then a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao.

<Edit>
I forgot to mention about the ratios. I think they have a 1:5 ratio.
During my trip there, it was a 1:3 ratio (myself with two friends!) - and the other guide was a 1:2 (due to language) - After every dive, there was fresh fruit, biscuits, electrolytes, tea/coffee.

They have big boats with WC.
 
Last edited:
Fairfax, California
Apr 19, 2017, 11:31 PM
Hi there,

Can anyone recommend a dive shop that takes out a little bit more experienced divers? I would prefer not to be on a boat with first time open water divers. Love them, just don't want to be out numbered by them. And do the Koh Tao dive ops pick you up at your beach side resort?
Thank you in advance
Susie
Hi,

I've been th KT four times. The first was a washout a the island was hit with 7 days straight rain and was cut off for five days.

I've used Master Divers for the last three trips. Not the cheapest, but often dropped me in the water first for a longer dive and areas not dived by the masses.
 
Master Divers are a great outfit in KT. Very professional. I dove with them twice in the past, even did my rescue cert 5 years ago. But after diving in Indonesia, I rarely dive in Thailand anymore. It just doesn't compare... Even the Andaman Sea has not much to offer...
 
Can definitely back up SerraD's comments on Sairee Cottage Diving and how they organise their boat - they're really hot on making sure people in a group are at a similar level, and the numbers in the group stay smaller than some of the larger operations on the island. Another 'plus' (for me, anyway) is that they have their own long-tail to go from the beach to the boat, so you don't have travel to the pier first... may or may not be a big thing for you, but I didn't realise some only go from the pier until I got there.
 

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