The 12 Best Scuba Diving in Koh Tao

1.Open Water Course – Become certified diver in 3 days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,137 reviews · from $358Our pick

Meet at Koh Tao Scuba Club at 9:00 am for three days of small-group scuba training. With no more than four people, instructors such as Tom and A can give close attention as you learn in Koh Tao’s calm, clear waters and finish with a digital certificate.

“Tom was an amazing instructor. He was so calm and laid back which made everything feel much less scary while also keeping us educated and safe . I was so nervous but I signed up for an advance course right after I finished .”

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2.Ko Tao: Try Scuba Diving 1-Day Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 452 reviews · from $77Best value

Spend a full day learning basic scuba skills at LBD Diving Koh Tao in Sairee. You will practice in shallow water, then reach up to 12 meters with an instructor such as Nico, Armand, or Alberto. The second underwater session costs 1,000 baht and is often the highlight.

“amazing day, got Arland the guide and he was fantastic, everything was really well explained and the theory portion was overlooking the beach which was nice. the dives were fantastic (definetly do the optional second one) and I had an amazing time, my only disappointment was that I wasn't in koh tao longer to be able to do the full course they offer”

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3.Basic Diver ( One Day Experience)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 205 reviews · from $127

Meet an SSI professional at Koh Tao Scuba Club for basic theory, equipment practice, and a first underwater session to 5 meters. If you feel ready, add a second outing to 12 meters with no skills practice. The group limit is four people.

“Really cool. They have patience with beginners, even if you are scared like me and start panicking:)”

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4.La Bombona Diving Koh Tao Open Water Course

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 172 reviews · from $423

La Bombona’s Koh Tao Open Water Course combines classroom lessons, pool training, and four ocean sessions in a small group of up to four. You receive scuba equipment, course materials, and PADI certification preparation, with instructors such as George, Nico, James, and Koldo available through the school.

“Had an amazing experience and an fantastic instructor!! (Julian is the best🤪). I recommend everyone who wants to dive in Koh Toa, to have your experience by this company”

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5.Become certified diver in 3 days – PADI Open Water Diver course on Koh Tao

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 104 reviews · from $375

Learn scuba skills with PADI 5 Star IDC Center Scuba Birds in Koh Tao. Instructor Dominik Maier may lead your training, which combines study, shallow-water practice, four open-water sessions, a final exam, and certification. The center is a short walk from Mae Haad Pier.

“What a unique experience! My instructor was Dominik Maier who was an equally hilarious yet stern when needed teacher. I was very nervous at certain points as I have never scuba dived before, and he was able to calm both myself anRead more”

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6.Ko Tao: Open Water Scuba Diving 4-Day Course

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 60 reviews · 84 hours · from $353

Spend four days learning scuba with LBD Diving Koh Tao. You’ll begin in a pool, then complete four ocean sessions around Ko Tao, reaching 18 meters on the final day. Instructors including Adrian, Juan, Joe, Az, Nico, Armand, and Elena teach in English, Spanish, or Catalan.

“ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND!!!! Our instructor, Adrian, was amazing from start to finish! He made the entire Open Water 20 certification process feel comfortable, safe, and incredibly fun!! Adrian was patient, knowledgeable, and always encouraging. He explained everything clearly, answered all our questions, and made sure we felt confident before moving on to the next skill. You can tell he genuinely cares about his students and loves what he does!Thanks to him, we not only got certified but also had an unforgettable experience!!! If you’re thinking about getting your Open Water certification - this is the instructor you want!! Couldn’t have asked for a better experience!!!!”

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7.Koh Tao: PADI Premium Open Water Diver Course

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 54 reviews · 3 days · from $353

Learn scuba skills with Ocean Sound Dive + Yoga in a three-day PADI course on Koh Tao. You’ll train in a pool, complete four ocean sessions, and earn certification to 18 meters. Small groups, English-speaking instructors, new equipment, insurance, and underwater photos are included.

“I had an outstanding experience with Ocean Sound and can’t recommend them highly enough, in particular my instructor Nick. The whole team were professional, calm, and genuinely supportive, which made a huge difference as a new diver. Nick was exceptional: clear explanations, patient coaching, and a strong focus on safety without ever making the experience feel stressful. I felt confident and well looked after at every stage, and they built my skills step by step in a way that really worked. The dives themselves were fantastic and it genuinely felt like I’d been introduced to a whole new world underwater. In one instance I had a panic under water, but…”

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8.Koh Tao: PADI Try Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $77

Spend a full day learning scuba skills with a PADI instructor, practicing in shallow water, then visiting a Koh Tao reef by comfortable boat. Guides including Ella, Anton, Less, Les, and Georgia have helped nervous beginners feel at ease. No prior experience is needed.

“Great activity! Friendly guide and real respect for the areas visited. Blacktip sharks and turtles for the pleasure of the eyes! Too bad: too many people in Shark bay around the turtles (second nicest spots), but a great time anyway”

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9.Koh Samui: Dive Tour to Sail Rock

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 10 reviews · 7 hours · from $204

Travel from Koh Samui to Sail Rock with a professional instructor such as Jose, then make two guided descents around pinnacles, schools of fish, and the famous chimney swim-through. The trip includes gear, insurance, lunch, drinks, and hotel transfers between Mae Nam and Lamai.

“Silent Divers did a great job. Weather was a bit challenging which made us appreciate the captain and the boat crew that much more. They were experts navigating the rolling sea. The dives were good and our dive master Jose did a phenomenal job making sure our experience was top notch. Jose swapped out a BC for us , made sure we had the appropriate weights, and helped us on and off the boat. We got hotel to diver shop back to hotel pickups and drop offs. This was done right.”

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10.1-Day Discover Scuba Diving for Beginners in Koh Tao

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 6 reviews · 6 hours · from $130

Spend six hours with Nava Scuba Diving Koh Tao, learning basic scuba skills from PADI instructors such as Sonny, Verena, or Tao. After Thai lunch, you’ll make two underwater sessions from a spacious boat, with equipment, insurance, refreshments, and hotel-road pickup included.

“sonny and verena ware super good diving instructors. me and my husband are on our honeymoon and this was defenetly 1 of the best things we did in Thailand! highly recomend them, i felt safe with them when I was a bit scared and they also made me laugh during the whole day! we will defenetly be back!!”

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11.Koh Samui: Dive Tour to Koh Tao

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 3 reviews · 7 hours · from $212

Travel by van and speedboat from Koh Samui to Koh Tao for two guided scuba sessions in shallow bays and coral gardens. English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, and Russian instruction is available. Lunch, equipment, insurance, and resort transport are included.

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12.Koh Tao: Private Basic Diver Experience with 2 Dives

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 6 hours · from $209

Spend six hours learning scuba basics with a private instructor in Koh Tao. After a two-hour classroom session and a meal break, you’ll take two underwater sessions from a spacious boat. No certification is needed, but you must be at least 10 and able to swim.

“I had a really great time exploring the underwater world, seeing sting rays, a puffer fish and a lil jelly fish 🥺 and so many other fish !! I was a bit nervous to start but my instructor was super patient and made sure I was comfortable the whole time. It was a great taster into scuba diving and would definitely recommend to do if you are thinking about it.”

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