Diving in Koh Tao, Thailand

[stiggy]

Why does every Thailand thread have to eventually ref to Lk and his experiences in pattaya ?

Last time I looked this thread was about Koh tao !

I can see that you have had a bad time once or twice agree with some if not a lot of points you have made about general standards and the attitude of many operators.But trust me this isn't unique to Thailand ! or even unique to the diving industry.

I have had bad days diving and believe me some terrible experiences but i move on and keep positive.You should try the same it makes life a lot easier....

So how about promoting those that have given you a good service and you are happy with.....get them some extra business and reward there efforts instead !

Happy diving .

As for wannabediving diving comparing Galapagos with Koh Tao really at least on tao they don't have those dirty Iguanas pooing in the water and getting in the way.

 

[Apecks]

I shall not mention the location of this shop in this instance because there is a special thread for pattaya.

LK,

I think you just did! :mooner:

 

[DevonDiver]

So glad he is on my ignore list. Now...if only people would stop quoting him...I would be free completely of his whinging.

 

[bjexpat]

So glad he is on my ignore list. Now...if only people would stop quoting him...I would be free completely of his whinging.

Big apologies for that and taking this thread off topic. I wish we could "completely ignore" so that ignored users' entries wouldn't appear at all in the list. It's too tempting sometimes to not peek and this one "pulled me back in".

back on topic...sort of...

The reality of many destinations in SE Asia is that they are purely "market economies" and that quality of the services are based upon the demographics of their consumers. Thus, on an an island full of budget-conscious long-term tourists and backpackers, you will see the largest operators succeeding with "price competitiveness" and volume business. The small shop has to reduce their margins if they wish to differentiate themselves on something other than price - quality, boat, food, equipment, etc.

My understanding is that the operators in Koh Tao are operating at such a low margin and likely couldn't go any lower.

If for example, the Koh Tao government made it more expensive for visitors to stay in Koh Tao, let's say by taxing hotel nights, port fees, etc. then the market would shift towards a more affluent market. It wouldn't take much - just enough to cause a penny-counting tourist to go somewhere else. The more affluent will not only be ok with the additional costs to stay in Koh Tao but they'll be ok with an additional 15-20% premium service will be better quality. Shops would see a higher revenue per-person and could justify better equipment. Hotels would experience the same phenomena and could afford to invest in their facilities. The entire island would be transformed over time to include a higher proportion of upscale resorts because some would renovate/build and the low-end properties would close.

Sorry for the economics study but I'm trying to illustrate why wannabediving and others find certain operators to be mediocre sometimes.

 

[DevonDiver]

If for example, the Koh Tao government made it more expensive for visitors to stay in Koh Tao, let's say by taxing hotel nights, port fees, etc. then the market would shift towards a more affluent market. It wouldn't take much - just enough to cause a penny-counting tourist to go somewhere else. The more affluent will not only be ok with the additional costs to stay in Koh Tao but they'll be ok with an additional 15-20% premium service will be better quality. Shops would see a higher revenue per-person and could justify better equipment. Hotels would experience the same phenomena and could afford to invest in their facilities. The entire island would be transformed over time to include a higher proportion of upscale resorts because some would renovate/build and the low-end properties would close.

Not much government influence on Koh Tao! ha ha

The market there is changing noticebly over recent years....less backpackers...and more people strolling off the ferries with roller luggage and children.

 

[bjexpat]

Not much government influence on Koh Tao! ha ha
The market there is changing noticebly over recent years....less backpackers...and more people strolling off the ferries with roller luggage and children.

That's interesting. It would probably be in the interest of a dive operator to market themselves as "kid / family oriented" - like non-smoking shops/boats. Parents are definitely a market that can handle higher prices in exchange for the perception of safety, instructor role models, etc. The team of gals who did my 10yr-old's OW certification could team up and own that market with a simple website.

But on that note, a funny thing happened at the shop in Koh Tao. While cleaning my gear at the shop, I smelled some smoke that was um...not traditional coming from a beach bar next door. My 10yr old daughter who just finished her OW walked over and said "mmm....something smells really good". All I could do was laugh.

 

[Dive~Bunny]

Thanks for all this advice! I'm planning my trip to Thailand, and I keep switching back and forth on whether I would rather dive out of Phuket, Samui, or Ko Tao. I've eliminated Phi Phi and Krabi as a base due to my schedule and availability of flights and stuff. I really can't decide between the three! Timing would be first week of November. Appreciate your thoughts!

 

[jamiemac]

West coast is out, full of lady boys and instructors with no work permits, koh tao is brilliant, 150m vis, guaranteed whale sharks, sperm whales, WW2 wrecks on each and every dive, one customer per dive boat, three Course Directors taking care.

Dive boats are all Mega Yachts, each customer has their own master suite with butler service,

Only US$20 per dive, OH, forgot, we've got the best IDC internships too

Go on, West Coast Hi-jackers, beat that

Jamie MV. Trident

 

[DevonDiver]

Jamie, you forgot to mention that the Thai bar girls on Koh Tao are free for divers....

...and whale sharks and sperm whale encounters are covered by a full money-back guarantee (except during the spring, when migrating schools of thresher and hammerhead sharks obscure the view).

I heard it said that Jacques Cousteau wanted to retire to Koh Tao, but he couldn't live with the speedo ban.

 

[alc16]

The market there is changing noticebly over recent years....less backpackers...and more people strolling off the ferries with roller luggage and children.

I was originally one of those backpackers and the mindset was (and prob still is) cheap & cheerful. Like most newcomers to diving you're likely to be influenced by the sun and the sea more than anything else. After all, who wants to learn in cold water...definitely not me!

As a tourist one mostly won't have a clue what one should ask/look out for (apart from those who have a genuine interest for diving & will research it) as diving seems 'ace'. Sounds stupid but it actually took me a while to really suss out diving can be a risky pursuit and still to this day I come across divers who seem oblivious to the dangers. You're in holiday mode and you want to look at fish so it's no wonder.

I certified on Samui for my o/w and did my advanced in KT with couple of yrs gap in between. I conciously made the effort to understand diving better & fit in more dive experiences before taking the adv but having said that, most people won't and I don't blame them.

Although both schools I used at the time churn students out I did feel both sets of instructors were as good as the questions asked by the students.
To this day I felt they were very professional and genuinely had their experiences / skillls to share - I presume instructors have to deal with all sorts of cr@p daily so I applaud them regardless of where they teach.

KT may change over time as the above quote does indicate that but it'll take time. Businesses have to make money just to survive and whilst the global recession won't help, we know that could just drive in more budget concious tourists into Thailand.

I'm no longer the 'backpacker' type clientele although I know, with good research, KT can offer a bit more than what most people see there. However that depends if one is willing to research in the first place and how keen one really is for diving!