Ko Tao dive resorts away from the crowds?

[jullay71]

Hi

My daughter (12) and I are going to Ko Tao to do a Padi open water diving course in early August. I was just wondering if anybody could recommend a dive resort that is away from the crowds and nightlife but still offers the same sort of prices with free/cheap accommodation as part of the deal. Also ideally it would be a dive operator that only dives in small groups.

Many thanks

Martin

 

[TheWartHog]

Hi

Here are a few dive resorts which have good reviews which you might like to consider:

Master Divers in Mae Haad which is near to the pier where the ferries dock, they aren't a dive 'resort' as such but can help/book accommodation on all budgets, highly thought of.
Alvaro Diving in Chalok Baan Kao in the south of the island.
Seashell Divers which is on the northern end of Sairee Beach.
Also Sairee Cottage Diving which is a little south of Seashell.

Try contacting a dive shop to get a feel of how they are to see if you fancy diving with them or not. Maybe try to avoid the big 'factory dive' shops that have many people learning to dive in big groups and go for one which has a more 'personal feel' and service.

Sairee Cottage Diving I know has free accommodation when doing their dive courses (as may do other dive shops, I don't know) - they also have garden and beach bungalows and a great restaurant.

Sairee Village and Beach is the main visitor area on Koh Tao, it gets a bit crowded at night but it isn't exactly Picadilly Circus either and is lovely during the day.

Hope you have a great time and enjoy diving.

 

[jullay71]

Hi warthog

Thank you for that, I've just checked some of those out, Seashell Divers looks good. It's hard to get a feel of an area until you get there, I was just a bit concerned that the Sairee beach area would be a bit too party orientated for us to get a decent nights sleep there, it sounds like it isn't quite as hectic as I've heard.
Thanks again

 

[8u88les]

if you havent payed any money to koh tao yet, please change your plans! koh tao suuuuuuuccccccckkks! its one big dirty crowd. what a sespool of an island! and nothing to see at the dive sites except 100's of other divers like you who don't know any better. are you flying into thailand? most of the islands on the west coast are much better than east coast koh tao, but out of season in august. try the islands on east coast of malaysia, they are even better diving than the west coast of thailand. its just a cheap airasia flight from bangkok to kl. i spent a few months doing my divemaster course in koh tao. i wish i knew before i signed up, cus that was a few months too many!....and that was 8 years ago! cant imagine how much worse it is now. even then we would see 5 other big boats that each hold 50 people at the dive sites, swim on the surface for ever to get in line and wait forever til its our turn to go down the line. then you just see a bunch of divers down there, most of the life is dead. back then they had just one clownfish in the whole area and put a ring of rocks around it so divers wouldnt get too close. everywhere else in s.e. asia clownfish are everywhere! do yourself a favor and change your plans!

 

[chillyinCanada]

I found staying at the north end of Sairee Beach to be quite peaceful and lovely. Koh Tao is a very beautiful island. While I agree the diving is not all that, inasmuch as, you are just learning, your focus won't be on the fish and formations anyway.

You may want to consider staying at a non-diving resort that is near to Seashell, instead of actually staying with them. (still dive with them)

Don't think you'd want to stay in Mae Haad.

 

[jullay71]

Thanks for that, I realise that there will be a bit of a conveyor belt feel to learning on Koh Tao but it's relatively cheap, and we are in Thailand for a months holiday not just to learn to dive so won't be heading off anywhere else to do it. Thanks for all your comments.

 

[supergaijin]

Really depends on the season and proximity to the full moon. The day after full-moon is a bit quieter normally as the kids are still up to their eyeballs in Chang and Vodka Redbull. Personally with time in Thailand, I'd arrive and have a look around. There's no need to book courses in advance, however depending on high/low season, it could possibly be a mission getting a 'cheap' room if you arrive later in the afternoon. Higher priced accom will probably still be available for a night or two until you get your bearings.

Koh Tao can be a factory- I worked there.

I have heard some operators don't cater to the mass, mass tourism. Normally the course will be $25-$50 more expensive, but that is a bit of extra money well spent and all but guarantees that you won't be training 8-1 ratios like the factories. Gap-year backpackers would never pay more than the minimum- that would be stoopid

 

[Quero]

Normally the course will be $25-$50 more expensive, but that is a bit of extra money well spent and all but guarantees that you won't be training 8-1 ratios like the factories. Gap-year backpackers would never pay more than the minimum- that would be stoopid

No, they certainly would not! Paying for a quality course would eat into their dope and booze budget! And the schools that offer free accommodation to students are marketing precisely to those kids, packing them in at the maximum ratio of 8 students per instructor. I had a niece staying with me for several months here on Phuket, and although I taught her to dive at my cost, she seldom went diving once certified because, as she said, it's expensive and she couldn't afford it. Even so, she had enough money to go out and party every night. Every night! It's just a question of what to spend on, actually, and I agree wholeheartedly that a quality course represents a good expenditure.

 

[lord khram]

Or just go and buy your PADI card in Ko Sarn Road. That would be even cheaper. No idea how much things like that cost these days, but I would think still less than 1000bt even for the most gullible of tourists.

 

[FettSolo]

Master Divers is a great op, definitely recommend. I also think Phoenix Divers and Roctopus are great (disclaimer - I have worked with both of them in the past). Both ops offer accomodation, though Roctopus' is a decent way out of Sairee (enough that it will be dead quiet at night, but you can also walk to Sairee in less than 10min). Phoenix is a mid-size op, Roctopus is small. I would highly recommend them - feel free to PM me with any questions, recommendations of specific instructors, etc.