Diving in Koh Tao

[leolo]

Does anyone have any updated info on the best dive operators in Koh Tao. With the wide range and huge selection out there, it would be helpful if anyone can point me in the right direction. Going from mid-December to mid-February.

Any help would be appreciated.

Leolo

 

[OnTheSpot]

Koh Tao is a small place, so I tend to advise people to just look around when you get there and go with whoever you personally prefer. If you want a suggestion, then I'll say Planet Scuba. I recently referred some of our customers to them and they were very happy with the service. Jim Hutchinson is the guy to talk to if he has a free moment - he's a course director there (instructor trainer). Nice guy who taught me a few things when I was a DM and he was instructing in Utila (Honduras) some years ago.

 

[mase]

If you want to get out of Sairee Beach, the main tourist town, Taa Tao lagoon Resort in Chalok Baan koh( 2nd main Beach) is a small operation that does a great job. The Bungalows are adeaquate and cheap. A fun place, far enough out to get away but close enough to do what ever you want.

 

[slipslop]

i will probably see you there in January! i was there in feb this year, buddha view gets great reviews but i would go with easy divers on nangyuan but only because i love it there. there are over 40 dive operators on koh tao. some of the better known ones are planet scuba, crystal dive, asia divers, buddha view, black tip, bans and the list goes on and on.

 

[Chuffy]

I would go with Easy divers. They are the only centre to have their own pier. All boats leave from mae haad, so if you stay in Sairee or chalok, you sit in a pick up, with all the gear and drive to mae haad. You then have to carry the gear across several boats to load your own. Easy divers has it's shop in mae head at the end of it's own pier. You just pick up your crate and walk down the pier onto the boat.

 

[thomjinx]

I have had good experiences recently with both Asia Divers and Big Blue on Koh Tao. As others have stated, most of the operators there are good. There is so much competition that a bad shop wouldn't last long, IMO.

Different people have different preferences. Some people like the comfort of a larger, more stable boat. Others prefer a smaller boat with a smaller group of divers. I have even gone around looking at the boards outside the shops and gone with the operator that ws going to the site I wanted to dive the next day.
You do get a better rate by booking more dives with the same operator, however.

If you are taking a course, as opposed to just diving, find an instructor you like and go with that operator.

I love Koh Tao and have been there many times.

 

[bubblemonkey]

personally I would stay away from the big dive operators and their cattle boats, you will get a much more personal service at the smaller dive ops.

 

[eagleandy]

Simple Life Divers

I did 4 dives with them due to the bad weather at the end of October 2007. They're in the middle of Sairee Beach. It's a fairly small dive school owned and run by a couple of English guys Luke and Hayden. I was impressed with the set up. It was a lot cheaper than Easy Divers as well with each dive THB700 instead of THB1000.

They may not have their own pier but that doesn't really matter. You walk across the beach and load up their longtail boat and then take it out to the dive boat.

I met someone who'd dived with Bans and Easy Divers. What she said re-enforced what I'd read on here about impersonal big dive schools.

The dive school is behind the Simple Life restaurant which is a really cool place to chill out with free pool table, chilled music and good food.

I'd recommend it and the other more experienced divers I met there were very impressed as well.

 

[andshand]

Hi there, i did my OW with carabao then many more dives with them b4 moving around thailand a bit and IMHO they were soooo safe to learn with. A canadian called Adam tough us and he was a top bloke and v good at his job. The dive shop is located right next to tropicana bungalows on the beach at tat too bay (spelling way wrong but should do franetically) anyway the main resort is north from the ferry, this area is a lovelly bay south of the ferry, just go up to main road t junction turn right then turn right at the 7/11.

Good food to be had in the whole island, i would agree go with a smaller outfit as some of those boats are v busy.

U will enjoy wherever u go. . .have fun

 

[bgrindberg]

For fun dives one of the bigger operations might be the better option, as they simply have more and bigger boats and therefore can offer you more choices on where to go. Pricewise all operations are pretty much the same 700 Baht per dive if u buy 10+ dives, 1000 for a single one. I did my diving with Buddha View, think they were okay but then again I did not test any other operations. If its courses you might be better of with one of the smaller shops, as they are more personal. But as somebody mentioned before take a look around and see what suits you best. Beware if you come to the island for Thai new year, as it can be quite crowded and hard to find accommodation. However, if you want to stay with one of the really laid back shops - in a positive way - Carabao might be the option. Great people...