Pick by nights on the island: one night try dive, four Open Water, six Open Water + Advanced, two months Divemaster — with our prices, boat times and what each day looks like.
29 June 2026 · updated 8 November 2026 · by Bryan Roseman
Key takeaways
- Start from how many nights you have. One night: try dive. Four: Open Water. Six: Open Water plus Advanced. Two months: Divemaster.
- Courses start every day, and the arrival-day 4 pm orientation counts as day one of Open Water — so you can step off the afternoon ferry and begin.
- Already certified? Dive first, course second. Twins, White Rock, Southwest and Sail Rock are all Open Water sites.
- If you have the time, Divemaster is the best value on the island: six to seven weeks, diving every day, and a professional card at the end.
Everyone who messages us asks a version of the same question: “I’m here for X days, what should I do?” So this guide is built around X. Find your row, and the rest of the page explains the options in it. Prices, boat times and group sizes are ours; the at-a-glance box above has the current numbers.
| Nights on Koh Tao | Never dived | Certified | What the days look like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Try dive, optional second dive | 2 fun dives or the night dive | Meet 9:30, boat 11:45, back mid-afternoon |
| 2 | Try dive, then a second trip the next day | A refresher morning, then 2 fun dives | Two half-days in the water |
| 3 | Try dive + fun dives isn’t possible uncertified — see “4” | 2 trips of fun dives, or Advanced Explorer 30 (2 days) | Advanced: 5 dives incl. the wreck and a night dive |
| 4 | Open Water — arrive, 4 pm orientation, certified on day 4 | Advanced + a Sail Rock Friday, or 10-dive package started | Open Water: day 1 is just the orientation, days 2–4 are theory + 4 ocean dives |
| 6–7 | Open Water, then Advanced straight after | 10-dive package (five trips) + Sail Rock, or Advanced + Deep 40 | The classic Koh Tao week: two cards, 9 dives |
| 10–14 | Open Water + Advanced + Deep 40 / Nitrox, plus fun dives | Master Rescue (4 days) + fun dives | Enough time to dive the pinnacles several times |
| 6–8 weeks | Open Water → Advanced → Rescue → Divemaster, start to finish | Divemaster | Diving every day; see “Our top tip” below |
Three timing facts that make the table work: courses start every day of the week; the Open Water orientation is at 4 pm on your arrival day and counts as day one; and Sail Rock runs on Fridays only, so if that’s on your list, land your week on one.
Try dive — 2,500 ฿, half a day. One guided dive to 12 metres, four people per instructor at most, no exam, no certification. Book it if you have a single day, you’re not sure diving is for you, or you’re nervous and want the softest start. An optional second dive is 1,000 ฿ and most people take it.
Open Water — 11,000 ฿, 3.5 days. The certification: e-learning, skills on shallow sand from our boat, four ocean dives, certified to 18 metres worldwide. Book it if you have four nights and think you’ll dive again — the card pays for itself the first time you’d otherwise have paid for another try dive.
The honest tie-breaker is your trip, not your nerves: if Koh Tao is one stop on a longer trip through Southeast Asia, do the Open Water here, where it’s cheapest, and dive everywhere after it. Our beginner’s guide walks through both days hour by hour.
Refresher — 2,500 ฿, one morning. If it’s been more than a year, or you can’t remember how to clear a mask, do this before anything else. Skills on sand, then a reef dive, and you’ll enjoy the rest of the week far more.
Fun dives — 2,000 ฿ for two, 8,000 ฿ for ten. Morning boat (~6:45) to the pinnacles, afternoon boat (~11:45) to the local reefs. With an Open Water card you can dive Twins, White Rock, Southwest Pinnacle and Sail Rock; Chumphon is open to you too, but its top is at 14 m, so give yourself a few dives first.
Night dive — 1,400 ฿. White Rock after dark: squid in the torch beam, morays out hunting, sleeping parrotfish. Open Water is enough; your first night dive is with an instructor rather than a divemaster.
Sail Rock — 2,800 ฿, Fridays. Two dives on the Gulf’s best site, the chimney swim-through, and the best whale shark odds we can offer. Open Water is fine — the rock breaks the surface, so there’s plenty within 18 m.
Advanced Explorer 30 — 10,000 ฿, 2 days. Five dives: deep, the HTMS Sattakut wreck, a night dive, navigation and buoyancy. Certified to 30 m. If you have six nights and no card, Open Water then Advanced back to back is the most common week we run.
After Advanced: Deep 40 and Nitrox — 7,500 ฿ each, 13,500 ฿ together. One or two days each. These are the courses a recreational diver actually uses — longer bottom times on the pinnacles, 40 m on a liveaboard — and both are prerequisites for Divemaster. Most people reach for Rescue here instead; our certification levels guide explains why we’d steer you the other way unless you’re going pro.
Master Rescue — 14,000 ฿, 4 days (Rescue alone 11,000 ฿ if you already hold First Aid and O2). Rescue theory, confined-water scenarios and four open-water dives. It’s the course that changes how you watch other divers, and it’s the gateway to Divemaster. Book it if you’re heading for the professional path, or if you dive with a partner or kids and want to be the one who knows what to do.
Divemaster — 40,000 ฿, about six to seven weeks. Prerequisites: Rescue, First Aid and O2, Deep 40 and Nitrox (all doable here first). Then you dive every day, assist on courses, guide, and finish with the first professional card.
If you have time, I’d recommend the Divemaster course. It lasts around six to seven weeks, but it’s the best bang for your buck. You’ll be diving every day if you want, and the per-dive cost comes way down. On top of that you’ll end up with an internationally recognised professional cert, which can open doors further down the line.
Pick your row, then book online with a 1,000 ฿ deposit or message us on WhatsApp with your dates — we’ll tell you what fits and which day to arrive. Courses run in English and Spanish, with other languages depending on who’s on the team.
A good diving course should offer more than just certification. Before booking, check what is included and whether the course provides good value for money. Look for:
PADI and RAID are both internationally recognised scuba training agencies, but they differ in their approach to diver education. PADI is the world's largest scuba certification organisation and is widely recognised by divers and dive centres around the globe. RAID is known for its digital-first learning platform and performance-based training approach, with a strong emphasis on skill development and diver competency. Both agencies offer beginner and advanced training pathways, and certifications from both are accepted internationally. The main differences lie in the learning systems, training philosophy and course delivery rather than where the certification can be used.
With us the prerequisites are fixed: Rescue (our Master Rescue includes the First Aid and Oxygen Administration it needs), plus the Deep 40 and Nitrox specialities. The dives you need, you log here during the course — it is six to seven weeks of diving every day.
SSI and RAID are both internationally recognised scuba training agencies that offer beginner and advanced certification pathways. SSI is widely used by dive centres around the world and is known for its flexible digital learning system. RAID is often recognised for its modern, digital-first approach and strong emphasis on skill-based, performance-focused training. Both certifications allow divers to continue training and dive internationally. The main differences are in the learning platform, course structure and training philosophy rather than the recognition or usability of the certification itself.
Becoming a Divemaster is considered moderately challenging, but very achievable if you are consistent, fit and genuinely comfortable in the water. It is the first professional level in recreational diving, so the training is more demanding than basic certifications like Open Water or Advanced. With us it takes about six to seven weeks. You'll need strong diving skills, good buoyancy control and the ability to demonstrate and assist with underwater exercises. You'll also complete theory sessions, rescue skills and practical work like guiding divers and supporting instructors. What makes it "hard" for some people is not just the diving itself but the responsibility: being aware of safety, managing groups and staying calm under pressure. However, with regular practice and proper guidance, most dedicated divers successfully complete the Divemaster course.
Yes, Koh Tao can be a safe and beginner-friendly place to learn scuba diving, as long as you choose a professional dive school with qualified instructors, small training groups, good equipment and clear safety procedures. Many first-time divers choose Koh Tao because the island has calm beginner dive sites, warm water, affordable courses and lots of experience teaching new divers. That said, scuba diving is still an adventure activity, so safety depends on proper training and responsible supervision. Beginners should always complete the required theory, practise basic skills in shallow or confined water, listen carefully to their instructor and never feel pressured to dive if they are uncomfortable. Before booking, check whether the dive school explains emergency planning, keeps group sizes manageable, maintains equipment properly and supports nervous beginners. With the right instructor and dive school, Koh Tao is one of the most popular places in Thailand for first-time scuba divers to learn safely and confidently.
Count nights. One night is enough for a try dive or two fun dives. Open Water with us is 3.5 days — arrive, 4 pm orientation, certified on day four — so plan four nights. Six or seven nights fits Open Water plus Advanced, or a 10-dive package for certified divers. Divemaster is six to seven weeks. Courses start every day; Sail Rock runs on Fridays only.
More in Diving Tips
Diving TipsFor most beginners on Koh Tao, the Open Water course is the best place to start: it's built for people who have never dived, starts in a calm pool and leaves you certified for life. Here's how it compares with a Try Dive.
Diving TipsDepth, breathing, training, safety, equipment and cost compared side by side, so you can decide whether a snorkel afternoon, a Try Dive or a full Open Water course is the right fit for your Koh Tao trip.
Diving TipsWith us the Open Water course takes 3.5 days: a 4 pm orientation on arrival, then three training days. Here is every session with its time, why other schools quote 2.5–4 days, and how many nights to book.
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