Divemaster in Thailand

[JoshGodd]

Hi,

Im looking to do my Divemaster in Koh Tao and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations

Im interested in a website called Xtreme Gap Year thats around £2600 for everything except flights, visas, insurance and food...my question is would it be cheaper to book it individually?

Also does anyone have any recommendations or knowledge regarding 'free divemasters' such as Princess Divers on Phi Phi Island where you work for 3 months, for example, after you complete your course?

thanks

 

[stevenl]

By working that way you pay more than if you were to work 3 months at home and save that money. You do get more experience though, but it is illegal in Thailand, since you'll be working without a workpermit. Having said that, on Koh Tao and Phi Phi that is the norm anyway.

Yes, will be a lot cheaper to book it individually.

 

[limbo]

Divemaster courses go for around 35,000.-THB around Thailand (give or take, pending on location), which is roughly 700.-GBP and most of the time that will also include the required training materials but not the application fee which is 154.-AUD.
For the remainder in balance you should get state of the art dive equipment, coming from the expensive end of the line. I would doubt that though.

You're much better off booking the course separately, it looks like you will save a lot of money.

 

[Bubble Junky]

It ill definitely be cheaper to book it individually. I'd also recommend booking and paying for it rather than 'working it off'. Princess are a nice shop, with good staff, but on an internship you will be required to work in the shop a fair bit. You will obviously get to dive too, but long shop shifts can be a drag, especially if you're not earning from it.

The DM course is around 35,000 Baht on Phi Phi and you can live well on 30,000 Baht/month for food, drinks and accommodation...

 

[limbo]

And as already mentioned, these kind of 'work it off' schemes are illegal in Thailand (as well as in most surrounding countries). Something to keep in the back of your mind.