Looking to obtain PADI licence in Thailand - With whom Do You Recommend?

[sambrincat]

I'm new here, I just signed up for some advice form my partner and I. We would like to plan a trip to Thailand in April this year (2014) we live in Australia.

We would like to obtain our PADI licence over there. We have looked a a few places online where you do the theory on shore and in the pool and then go out on the boat for a few days. They all look fantastic but.... so many to choose from.

We would like some recommendation on somewhere over there where we can obtain our licences that are:

- Reputable
- Nice people
- Good facilities
- Great location where we can see lots of activity

Your help would be much appreciated.

Regards, Sam & Gle

[String]

I would say avoid Koh Tao like the plague unless you want conveyor belt factory diving with awful teaching quality with many standards ignored completely.

Thailand has good and bad areas and good and bad centres in those areas. I'd say theres more of a chance getting a good quality course via a 5* IDC centre than a lower level one in terms of standards so maybe start looking at those.

[Richard Mason]

Why limit yourself to PADI? There are plenty of SSI centres too, or even centres which do both; not only in Thailand but here in Aus too. They're basically identical teaching/syllabus.

The best dive centre/shop for dive courses here in Hobart used to be a PADI centre; now it's SSI but it's still the best in town.

I wouldn't be limiting myself to one particular agency.

Whereabouts in Australia are you?

[Divemouse]

Why not do the theory and pool stuff at home and then have more time in the sea when you get there?

[Richard Mason]

awful teaching quality with many standards ignored completely.

Yes, he could stay at home and have that.

[Stew W]

April is end of season in Thailand, where ever you choose make sure that they are open. Big areas won't be a problem, but small islands may shut down for monsoon season.

Not koh phi phi or koh Tao

Sent from my couch using tapatalk

[sambrincat]

Thanks for all the replies guys - We are looking for a holiday also in a tropical location away from Australia - We live in South Australia so the water is very cold.

I have taken you advice and the advice of many others and will avoid Koh Tao as its seems very busy there. We like the idea of the other side of Thailand "Surin - Richelieu Rock - Koh Tachai - Koh Bon - Similans" and have found a 5 star PADI liveaboard that we can do our ticket on and they don't just smash out the dives. It consists on 1 day theory on shore, half day in pool onshore then 4 days and 4 nights with 14 dives on the boat, there is one instructor for 4 people max and you have the same instructor for all of the 4 days. For us this sounds like we will be able to achieve our license (not rushed) as well as have lots of great dives in some great locations. Then stay another week and enjoy the holiday ashore. Thanks for your help.

[sambrincat]

Yes they are open, this is their schedule:

DQ 22 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 20.03.14 24.03.14
DQ 23 Surin - Richelieu Rock - Koh Tachai - Koh Bon - Similans 31.03.14 04.04.14
DQ 24 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 05.04.14 09.04.14
DQ 25 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 10.04.14 14.04.14
DQ 26 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 15.04.14 19.04.14
DQ 27 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 20.04.14 24.04.14
DQ 28 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 25.04.14 29.04.14
DQ 29 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 30.04.14 04.05.14
DQ 30 Similans - Koh Bon - Koh Tachai - Richelieu Rock 05.05.14 09.05.14
CLOSED

We will be going on the 31st March

[jturner]

Well, if you're looking for a place, I'd recommend Scubacat but it sounds like you might have already found somewhere.

[sambrincat]

Well, if you're looking for a place, I'd recommend Scubacat but it sounds like you might have already found somewhere.

I'll look into it - website looks good!!! thanks

[Rhys]

Master divers on koh tao, small groups, well run, instructors know what they are doing. Choice of Padi or ssi, I've done a couple courses with wilco before he moved there and my girlfriend did aow with them a few months ago

[rubber chicken]

Try http://www.bigbluediving.com/ , Ask for Dave Ashmore.

[jturner]

I'll look into it - website looks good!!! thanks

They are too! We've been out diving with them several times now and I'd go again tomorrow (if I could get the time off work!). Very well organised and friendly bunch.

[Richard Mason]

Thanks for all the replies guys - We are looking for a holiday also in a tropical location away from Australia - We live in South Australia so the water is very cold.

Hmmm, where will you be diving after you have your ticket? If you'll just be doing FNQ, SE Asia etc, then fine but if your intention is to dive in SA, I'd be doing your training there too. If you're doing a course in April, well the Sea Surface Temperature in the Gulf is about 20 degrees C which really isn't cold.

Tropical diving is very, very, very easy, cooler waters, a little bit more difficult due to thicker suits, buoyancy more difficult to control etc. but if that's what you learn in, you'll get used to it very quickly, however the transition from learning in warm water to diving in cold/cool is often difficult.

I'm in the Uni of Tasmania Dive Club and we see lots of this - kiddies come to Uni after the obligatory gap year/SE Asia trip, having done an OW course in Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam etc; they join our club with only tropical experience and find themselves in a 7mm wetsuit, 25lbs of lead etc and find life very difficult. If possible, I always encourage these guys to see a local instructor to do some familiarisation/refresher dives to get them to the point where we feel safe to take them diving.

I know from my own experiences on my June/July dive trips to Bali/Thailand that my buoyancy control etc is about rooted after just a week a week or two away.

Anyway, up to you how you do it. Personally, I'd be more inclined to find a good instructor locally in Adelaide (worth asking on here) and then go to Thailand to just diiiive!