Looking for a dive center in koh tao that wont...

[lanshark]

I'm heading back to Thailand for the month of April. From the 13th to the 22nd, I should be in Koh Tao. During this time I will more than likely do the Advanced Open water course (just to get it over with and get a certification for Nitrox as well).

Here's the thing... currently, I have 115 logged dives (+ about 25 through Discover scuba (1995-2001) before I got certified in 2002 in Venezuela). Not having an Advanced certificate has not been an impediment to any of the recreational diving I've done to this point. I own all my own gear and will be dragging it to Thailand with me. I'm extremely comfortable in the water (Some times more so than land).


my experience so far...
-I've been on 2 Liveaboards (1 in the Similans(4 day), The other in the Bahamas(7 day)).
-I've Done a Shark feeding (no cage in the Bahamas)
-I've been to 130 feet several times (Buddy with dive master)
-Most dives have been to 80-100 feet or so.
-I've done mostly drift diving (Cozumel)
-I've done Cavern diving (2 Cenote's in Mexico (Daylight Zone))
-I've done wreck diving (Bahamas (Daylight Zone)).
-I'm a avid Photographer
-I'm an avid Night diver


What I'm looking for is a dive shop in Koh tao (With basic Accommodation including AC) that will not treat me like some sort of absolute beginner. I have a lot of experience diving in many different environments. I prefer to put together/look after my own gear etc.

Any suggestions for a good dive shop which will meet my requirements?

 

[ladyarkles]

Try Master Divers, small operation. Very friendly and personal service.
Max group numbers of 4, definitely not a "dive factory".

They helped me get some cheap accommodation as well, a few hundred yards from the shop.
Clean, simple room with A/C .... all you need!


Master Divers Dive Centre: Scuba Diving in Koh Tao, Thailand | Dive School | PADI Open Water | SSI | BSAC | Tec Diving | (hope I'm allowed to post links! if not, sorry!)

Wish I was going with you. I love Koh Tao.
Have fun!

Rach xx

 

[aquamarin]

I'd go for New Way - New Way Diving - awesome people with a great attitude.......

Enjoy Tao

Karin

 

[TomLansford]

I am doing the IDC with Crystal which is very easy to dive from and has good accommodations with good instructors.

Very close is planet scuba - a small shop with very good, experienced instructors - I know them personally and have dived with both.

BTW, Planet Scuba has Nitrox for Free... !

Both are easy to find on the web and contact via email. Go for it.

Most shops will look at your logbook, assess your diving skills very quickly, and treat you accordingly - most love to have good, safe divers in the water. It is more fun for them, too.

Good luck

 

[jamiemac]

Try Master Divers, small operation. Very friendly and personal service.
Max group numbers of 4, definitely not a "dive factory".

They helped me get some cheap accommodation as well, a few hundred yards from the shop.
Clean, simple room with A/C .... all you need!


Master Divers Dive Centre: Scuba Diving in Koh Tao, Thailand | Dive School | PADI Open Water | SSI | BSAC | Tec Diving | (hope I'm allowed to post links! if not, sorry!)

Wish I was going with you. I love Koh Tao.
Have fun!

Rach xx

Yep, you look like a Master Divers type of customer.

All the staff dive deep, dive caves and will treat you like a diver

 

[ayeshacantrell]

HI there !

I work at Master Divers.

We are a smaller dive center which means more personalised. We cater to the individual and will treat you as a diver for sure!

We have a number of tec instructors.
I am a published underwater photographer and journalist.
We are the base for the cave and cavern trips to Khao Sok National Park and offer courses too.
We are the base for the gulfs only tec liveaboard - these are the guys that found over thirty wrecks in the gulf - MVTrident - we have worked closely with them and our techies have been on many exploratory trips.

Some links for you to browse.

U.W.P.Mag. Khao Sok Learn To Dive On Koh Tao

Sub vision off Koh Tao - Divernet

As Ladyarkels said we can help you with accomm and you can night dive your booties off !

Hope to see you soon !

Ayesha

 

[jkaterenchuk]

lanshark

As a fellow Canadian, dive instructor and someone whom has visited Thailand numerous times I will chime in here with my advise.

I do not know Ayesha or Master Divers personally. However, I have taken some time to research some of their details and what I can say is this.....

There are many benefits that come from taking an advanced course from an instructor whom has such a breath of dive experiences. She has done deep technical dive. She has been in Caves and she is involved in UW Photography to mention a few. I have been involved in each of these also. In fact I have been diving on the exact same US Sub wreck she wrote about in one of the links. It's 240 ft deep.

You cannot help but benefit from her bringing this experience to your Advanced course. It could come in the form of tweaking your buoyancy skills (since Cave and UW photographer have some of the best buoyancy control of any diver). Helping you to understand the physiological and planning requirement for deep diving. Or just helping to open your vision of what else can been seen of done within the diving sport.

Good luck with your choice. I might even be on Koh Tao at the same time as you.

John

 

[lanshark]

Thank you all for the advice, I'll be doing some reading on the various pages suggested.

I'm looking forward to this trip.. It snowed here in Toronto today..