Big Blue DivingOur Dive School in Koh Tao
Big Blue Diving is an established dive school in Koh Tao offering scuba diving courses, guided dives and professional training from our base in Sairee Beach.
Since opening in 1991, we have helped complete beginners take their first breaths underwater, guided certified divers around Koh Tao’s reefs and trained new generations of Divemasters, instructors, technical divers and marine conservation professionals.
Our dive centre brings experienced instructors, dedicated training facilities, maintained scuba equipment and our own dive boats together in one operation. Whether you want to try scuba diving for one day or build a career in the diving industry, our team can help you choose the right next step.
An Established Dive School in Koh Tao
Big Blue Diving began as a small dive shop on Koh Tao in 1991. As diving on the island developed, our school expanded to provide recreational courses, professional training, technical diving and marine conservation education.
Today, our Koh Tao dive centre is located in Sairee, close to accommodation, restaurants, cafés and the island’s main beachfront area. From here, we provide training and dive trips for complete beginners, experienced recreational divers and aspiring diving professionals.
You can read more about how the school developed on our history of Big Blue Diving page.
Scuba Diving Courses for Every Experience Level
Our scuba diving courses in Koh Tao cover a complete progression from introductory experiences to professional and technical qualifications.
Beginner Scuba Diving Courses
Beginner Scuba Diving CoursesIf you have never dived before, you can start with a one-day introductory experience, earn a short entry-level certification or complete the full SSI Open Water Diver course.
Our beginner diving courses begin with theory and controlled-water training before students progress to open-water dives around Koh Tao.
Advanced and Specialty Training
Certified divers can continue their education through advanced and specialty diving courses.
Available training includes advanced diving, rescue skills, deep diving, wreck diving, enriched air nitrox, underwater photography and videography. These courses help divers improve their confidence while developing skills for different environments and types of diving.
Professional Dive Training
Big Blue Pro provides professional Divemaster and instructor training in Koh Tao.
Professional candidates combine structured education with practical experience inside a working dive operation. Training pathways include Divemaster courses, internships, instructor programmes and specialist professional options focused on technical diving or marine ecology.
Technical Diving
Experienced divers who want to go beyond standard recreational limits can train with Big Blue Tech.
Technical courses include introductory technical diving, sidemount, advanced nitrox, decompression procedures, extended-range and advanced wreck training.
Marine Conservation Education
Our marine conservation courses in Koh Tao allow divers and non-divers to learn more about coral reefs, fish, sharks, sea turtles and marine ecology.
Options range from individual ecology and identification courses to research-diver programmes, conservation internships and marine biology experiences.
Experienced Diving Instructors and Guides
The quality of a diving course depends heavily on the person teaching it. Our team includes recreational instructors, Divemasters, instructor trainers, technical-diving educators and conservation specialists with experience across a wide range of diving disciplines.
Instructors adapt their approach to the needs of each student. This is especially important for complete beginners who may feel nervous about breathing underwater, clearing a mask or entering the ocean for the first time.
Certified divers also benefit from guides who understand Koh Tao’s dive sites, local conditions and marine life. Visit our meet the dive team page to learn more about the people who may be teaching or guiding you.
Dedicated Training Facilities
Our dive school provides the facilities needed to move smoothly between classroom education, practical skill development and open-water diving.
- A dedicated swimming pool for confined-water training
- Classrooms for theory, briefings and professional education
- Equipment preparation and storage areas
- Space for recreational, professional and technical-diving teams
- A central location in Sairee
- Access to shuttle boats and the main dive-boat fleet
Beginning in a swimming pool gives new students time to become comfortable with their equipment and practise essential skills before entering the sea. It also allows instructors to work through each exercise at a pace suited to the group.
Maintained Scuba Diving Equipment
Reliable equipment is an essential part of safe and enjoyable scuba diving. The regulators, buoyancy control devices, cylinders and other equipment used by our customers are regularly inspected and maintained.
Big Blue has a full-time certified equipment technician responsible for servicing and monitoring the diving equipment used by the school.
Complete scuba equipment is provided for beginner courses and is also available for guided diving. Divers who own personal equipment are welcome to bring it, and our team can help check that it is appropriate for the planned course or dive trip.
Our Koh Tao Dive Boats
Our Koh Tao Dive BoatsBig Blue operates its own fleet of dive boats in Koh Tao, allowing different departments and dive groups to operate according to their training and diving requirements.
The fleet includes larger vessels used for recreational diving and training, as well as a dedicated boat for technical-diving operations. Shuttle boats transfer divers from Sairee Beach to the main vessels in the bay.
The larger boats provide dedicated areas for assembling equipment, conducting dive briefings and relaxing between dives. Medical kits and emergency oxygen are carried aboard the dive boats, and the fleet follows a regular maintenance schedule.
Diving Safety and Professional Standards
Scuba diving involves specialised equipment, procedures and training. Our instructors and guides follow established safety practices throughout courses and guided dives.
This includes:
- Clear briefings before training sessions and dives
- Course prerequisites and medical screening
- Equipment checks before entering the water
- Appropriate group organisation
- Monitoring depth, time, air and environmental conditions
- Emergency equipment aboard the dive boats
- Training that progresses according to each student’s ability
Course-specific requirements, group sizes and maximum training depths are shown on the relevant course page. For example, our SSI Open Water Diver course is currently taught with a maximum of four students per instructor.
Fun Diving for Certified Divers
You do not need to be taking a course to dive with Big Blue. Certified divers can join our guided fun dives around Koh Tao.
Dive-site selection depends on factors including weather, certification level, experience and local conditions. Koh Tao offers a varied selection of shallow reefs, deeper pinnacles, wrecks and sites known for tropical fish and other marine life.
Divers who have not been in the water recently can begin with a scuba refresher dive before joining the regular schedule.
Choosing a Dive School in Koh Tao
There are many factors to consider when comparing a dive centre in Koh Tao. Price is only one part of the decision.
Before booking, consider:
- The experience and qualifications of the instructors
- Training group sizes
- The condition and maintenance of rental equipment
- Whether pool or controlled-water training is available
- The size, layout and maintenance of the dive boats
- The courses and progression options available
- Safety procedures and emergency equipment
- The environmental policies of the operator
- Whether the atmosphere feels welcoming and professional
Big Blue combines recreational, professional, technical and conservation training within one established operation. This means students can continue their education without needing to change schools as their experience and interests develop.
Visit Big Blue Diving in Sairee
Our dive school is located at 14/148 Moo 1 in Sairee, Koh Tao. The centre is open daily, and our team can help with course selection, guided diving, schedules, equipment and travel planning.
Explore our complete range of diving courses in Koh Tao, or contact Big Blue Diving if you need help choosing the right option.
