Thailand dive school

[Tag]

I am looking for a good dive school in thailand. prefer phuket area

 

[scottdmacd]

What have you found so far? I'm heading over to Thailand around the start of Feb. for around two months. Thinking of Koa Tao as I've heard the diving is great, it's relaxed and lots to do..

 

[Mako Mark]

Koh Tao is a magical island with great diving, but the best diving in Thailand is in the Andaman sea and the burma banks. If you want to go to hang out, hang out in Koh Tao (I lived there for five years) if you want live aboard diving, go to the other side.

 

[CoolWater]

There are so many dive schools here..but there are some that you might be interested: 1. Scuba Cat Diving (www.scubacat.com) 2. Rayadivers-Koh Raya (www.rayadivers.com). Scuba Cat does have live-aboard to Similan while Rayadivers can provide daily dives with different branch locations. I Just had a great dive holiday in Raya.

 

[DORSETBOY]

from experience would recommend either Asia Divers on Koh Tao or Kingfisher divers from Phuket (for a liveaboard). Do both?!

 

[Tag]

///have a friend whom dives quite a bit as he is a dive specialist in the Canadian navy. He recomended patong , phuket and diving andman. All my research keeps coming up with scuba cat. about night life and social I am not itrested so I have not checked into that. Thank You

What have you found so far? I'm heading over to Thailand around the start of Feb. for around two months. Thinking of Koa Tao as I've heard the diving is great, it's relaxed and lots to do..

 

[Zippsy]

Patong is ONLY about the nightlife. If you don't want that, you can still stay in that area but you may also decide to stay closer to the jetty from which the LOB's leave from (which, I am embarrassed to say, I can't remember the name of that beach - help!)

 

[chinadan]

I am looking for a good dive school in thailand. prefer phuket area

Hi, just wanted to share my 2 cents...

I went with West Coast Divers in Patong/Phuket who seem to be the only dive school to do advertising around Patong (that's how I have found them).

According to my instructor, there are about 180 dive schools on Phuket Island...

They seem to be quite famous as I just finished my AOW in the Philippines and they actually knew West Coast Divers.

Patong is quite well developed and it is "touristy", and about 30 min drive away from the jetty at Chalong bay.

Couple of questions you should ask:
- which course are you getting (i.e. do you get to keep the books and study materials or are you working off copies). I paid US$300 for PADI OW and got no books to keep, not even a lousy PADI sticker
- as few dive schools have their own pool for confined dives, ask about this as well. It can go from right at the main traffic road along Patong Beach (and I mean inches away from the sidewalk) to some backyard pool that is so heavily chlorinated that you will be begging to get into salt water
- how many (if any) boats do they own and how big are they; most open water dives are about 1h boat ride away, and I had very different boats and if you easily get seasick, this may matter (although now the weather is calm)

Hope this helps...

 

[CoolWater]

My instructor just recommended another one..diveasia. check it out at its website. It's also in Patong. However, you don't need to stay at patong in order to join the trip. Kata and Karon are quieter than patong. Also, the dive-day trip should include "hotel transfer". But hey..check the website of diveasia. They will tell you all what you need to know.

 

[Ian T]

About an hour north of Phuket, you have Khao Lak which is a really nice resort. Priced dirt cheap and about 2 palm trees from the water's edge. There you can find a couple of different dive cetners as well... I used SeaDragon dive center (http://www.seadragondivecenter.com) and went on their 4-day Liveaboard to the Similan and Andamon Islands. Good from all points of view.
They also have day trips etc.
I'm sure they can help you book a bungalow. I stayed at the Garden Beach Resort - cheap, great food and staff, a bit spartan - but then you want to dive or relax on the beach.