Taking your PADI OW1 on Koh Tao
Koh Tao is a diver’s paradise in Thailand where the experienced meet with the novice and everyone gets to enjoy the fertile waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Taking a PADI OW1 course on Koh Tao is what the island is designed for and the whole island is geared up for divers, snorkellers and people from all over the world looking to complete a PADI qualification.
About diving on Koh Tao
If you have never dived before and want to experience it at its best then learning to dive in Koh Tao is pretty unbeatable compared to anywhere else in the world. The seas that surround the small island are unspoilt and home to a wide array of marine species including whale shark and turtles.
Koh Tao is also known as Turtle Island and is one of the few places left in the world where you can witness such untouched sea life. The island is located close to Koh Phangan, the infamous home of the full moon party, and Koh Samui, a popular tourist island.
Many people choose to get their PADI certificate in the seas that surround Koh Tao due to their abundance of life, easy accessibility and the choice of so many well-established dive establishments. For more on diving on Koh Tao.
Diving schools and instructors
The choice of diving schools is immense on Koh Tao and it can be hard to know where to begin. Many of them offer different levels of certification, from beginner courses to advanced level certificates, and many of the dive schools are owned and run by foreign nationals.
The multilingual skills offered by the dive schools make acquiring a PADI OW1 certificate on Koh Tao simple and fun and with no language barrier, you can be sure to get your money’s worth from the course. Typical prices start from around US$200. Be sure to find out what you will get before you book a course.
To gain a PADI OW1 you must be able to swim at least 200 metres comfortably. But the swimming standards are not that strict with the PADI as you will wear flippers, and anyone who is concerned about their swimming ability can opt to do some private lessons in a pool before attempting the PADI OW1.
The majority of the diving instructors who teach PADI OW1 certificate on Koh Tao are British or Australian nationals with a few from France, Germany, the US and various other countries. The instructors are all certified to provide you with adequate training and the best schools have informative websites where information on the school’s diving instructors is available.
There are a few schools on the island that have been based on Koh Tao for more than 20 years and the well-established schools are backed up with well-qualified instructors. Many of the schools that offer PADI OW1 certification own their own dive boat and the first part of the course is often completed in a swimming pool to allow diving novices to get to grips with breathing underwater and such like.
Koh Tao dive sites
Acquiring a PADI OW1 certificate in Koh Tao means that when you are qualified, you are free to explore the sea. There are many different dive sites off the coast of Koh Tao, with the choice of gently sloping coral reefs filled with colourful fish to sharp-dropping granite pinnacles that are home to whale sharks and barracuda. There are dive sites that start at just five metres in depth with others going up to 40 metres in some areas and the marine life is as varied as the ecosystems.
The northwesterly coast is home to a small uninhabited island and some of the best dive sites of Koh Tao are located here including the Japanese Gardens and the Red Rock. The southeast of Koh Tao is home to Shark Bay where seasonal sightings of the largest fish in the world, the whale shark, can be spotted and as such, many excursions frequent this part of the island.
Accommodation for divers
The majority of the keen divers who go to Koh Tao in order to complete a PADI OW1 course will have accommodation provided for by the dive company. Much of the diving accommodation is located close to the main pier and the bungalows are often on the beach or within easy walking distance. The accommodation for divers is varied and depends on which company you use for your certificate.
If you choose to go with a school that does not provide its own accommodation or you simply wish to stay away from the school then you will find that the majority of the accommodation on the island is rustic with many bungalows and beach huts on offer. There is also a good choice of mid-range lodgings but only a few high-end choices.
For more about hotels on Koh Tao.
Travel insurance: it’s very wise to have your travel insurance arranged before leaving home, especially if you plan to take a PADI Open Water course whilst on holiday. Although diving is on the whole extremely safe, occasionally accidents do happen and it pays to be prepared. We recommend the online travel insurance site Travel Insurance Discounts for visitors from the UK.
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