Ko Tao or Bali for Divemaster Internship?

[CoralReeferMadness]

Hi All,

I am new to ScubaBoard and looking for some advice: I am a science teacher in the California looking for a way to use my summer vacations to travel the world. As a teacher, I don't make much and was looking to complete a Divemaster Internship this summer (and later my Instructor Cert) as a way to work each summer in different parts of the world to help offset the cost of travel.

Right now I am considering Ko Tao, Thailand (maybe Sairee Cottage Divers) or Bali, Indonesia (TBD) and looking for advice from people that have experience diving these areas. I am looking for an inexpensive, but quality course that is not a factory-like setting. I don't mind a bit of a party scene from time to time, but I am 35 and more interested in a quality course with excellent diving- as this not an insignificant investment given my school-teacher salary.

I am interested in S.E. Asia as I was blown away by my diving in the Philippines, but would like to experience a new country. Most of my diving has been in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the California coast. Since I have 6-weeks for the internship, I'd rather spend that time in a region that that is new (as much of the motivation for doing this to explore parts unknown).

My experience:
Open Water cert in 2003 (Burlington, Vermont).
B.S. in Marine Science in 2011 (St. Pete, Florida).
Advanced O.W in 2016 (Palawan, Philippines).
>50 free dives/spearfishing (Fort Bragg, California).
Rescue Cert in 2019 (San Fran, California).
65 Logged dives total

Any advice on specific shops or internships? I am up to a challenge if need be- I am accustomed hard labor, working on boats, cold water diving in kelp with 7mm suit, poor visibility, free diving, etc. I am also not opposed to alternatives to Ko Tao or Bali if the total cost is comparable.

I welcome all thoughts and advice.

Thank you!

 

[Centrals]

Master Divers in Koh Tao. They are NOT known as dive factory on an island packed with many.
I have dived with them previously.
Leave your 7mm at home.
Stay away from the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan.
Unfortunately the diving quality is pretty poor if compare with Philippines or Indonesia. Another drawback is lack of current.

 

[GF99/99]

Agree with the above comment. Dive quality in Koh Tao is really not that great (well Koh Tao people will tell you other wise)

If you have a BS in marine science why not pick a spot that like Komodo or Raja. Personally if I were doing my DMT I would pick somewhere like that. But I think the location depends more on what you are trying to get out of your DMT. Place like Koh Tao or the Gili Islands are so popular for DMT's because most are 0-hero backpackers looking for a cheep way to dive a lot and have a good time (think party island) so places like this crank out DMT/IDC's and thus become a very popular and rank very high however this is just because of volume and ease/availability (Koh Tao and Gili's have IE's every month)

From a pure learning point dive factory shops that are cranking through 100+ roster sheets and doing 3-5 dives every days is great as you get so much hand on learning and exposure with with all kind of people, personalities, language barriers, learning abelites, etc as well as learn from many many other instructors and there teaching styles. So if you are trying to focus going down the instructor route and make a carrier out of it this is the best route but if your just looking for something fun to do over the summer I would purely pick somewhere that I think would be an amazing place to dive. Yes you are still going to have a great DMT course, no your not going to get as much hands on exposure with customers as you would in Koh Tao but its a trade off on what your trying to get out of your DMT.

 

[Centrals]

Scuba Junkie Komodo can offer DMT course with great dives throw in for part of the fine.
Komodo Dragon is an added bonus.
Current is one thing that any DMT will learn how to handle the situation with an inexperienced diver.
I would borrow the money to attend the course in Komodo.

 

[Searcaigh]

If you thought that teaching down't pay much wait until you see how much a DM or Instructor pays

Seriously though I'd head to Bali.

DMs coming out of Thailand don't really carry the same value as elsewhere due to the factory production line of divers in Thailand whereas Indonesia is a bit more respectable IMHO. Not saying everywhere is bad in Thailand, but as @Centrals mentioned above you'll get a much better experience in Indonesia.

 

[CoralReeferMadness]

Thanks for the info, guys- Indo sounds like the spot. Searcaigh, I know that DMs don't get paid much, but it's a way to make a little money to offset the cost of traveling while getting access to boats, equipment, etc. I'm not planning on giving up the teaching career just yet...

As for Bali or Komodo, (getting to Raja Ampat is a little too costly for this summer) does anyone have suggestions for dive ops? I reached out to Scuba Junkie on Komodo and am waiting for a response. Any recommendations for the Bali area or elsewhere in the region? I'll be flying into Denspasar (mid-June through the beginning of August)

Cheers!

 

[Kupu]

For what its worth. During a stint working as DM/ Instructor at a moderately busy shop in the Philippines, salary as instructor was $500 - $1000 per month which included some DM work. Strictly DM work paid about 1/3 the amount.
DM work almost covered cost of living in a fan cooled nipa hut with a bucket of water for shower, and 3 decent meals plus the end of day beers. Instructor was enough come out ahead and put save a few $ for the low season.

 

[CoralReeferMadness]

For what its worth. During a stint working as DM/ Instructor at a moderately busy shop in the Philippines, salary as instructor was $500 - $1000 per month which included some DM work. Strictly DM work paid about 1/3 the amount.
DM work almost covered cost of living in a fan cooled nipa hut with a bucket of water for shower, and 3 decent meals plus the end of day beers. Instructor was enough come out ahead and put save a few $ for the low season.

Again, not trying to be a DM as a full time career, just a way to partially offset the cost of summer travel (I am teacher). I am more interested in hearing about quality DM internships around Bali or Komodo if you know any. Thanks for the response, though.

 

[CoralReeferMadness]

If you thought that teaching down't pay much wait until you see how much a DM or Instructor pays

Seriously though I'd head to Bali.

DMs coming out of Thailand don't really carry the same value as elsewhere due to the factory production line of divers in Thailand whereas Indonesia is a bit more respectable IMHO. Not saying everywhere is bad in Thailand, but as @Centrals mentioned above you'll get a much better experience in Indonesia.

Any suggestions for specific shops offering DM internships in Bali or Komodo?

 

[CoralReeferMadness]

Agree with the above comment. Dive quality in Koh Tao is really not that great (well Koh Tao people will tell you other wise)

If you have a BS in marine science why not pick a spot that like Komodo or Raja. Personally if I were doing my DMT I would pick somewhere like that. But I think the location depends more on what you are trying to get out of your DMT. Place like Koh Tao or the Gili Islands are so popular for DMT's because most are 0-hero backpackers looking for a cheep way to dive a lot and have a good time (think party island) so places like this crank out DMT/IDC's and thus become a very popular and rank very high however this is just because of volume and ease/availability (Koh Tao and Gili's have IE's every month)

From a pure learning point dive factory shops that are cranking through 100+ roster sheets and doing 3-5 dives every days is great as you get so much hand on learning and exposure with with all kind of people, personalities, language barriers, learning abelites, etc as well as learn from many many other instructors and there teaching styles. So if you are trying to focus going down the instructor route and make a carrier out of it this is the best route but if your just looking for something fun to do over the summer I would purely pick somewhere that I think would be an amazing place to dive. Yes you are still going to have a great DMT course, no your not going to get as much hands on exposure with customers as you would in Koh Tao but its a trade off on what your trying to get out of your DMT.

Raja Ampat looks a little pricey... any suggestions for specific ops for DMT on Bali or Komodo?