At the turn of the millennium if you were scuba diving from Koh Samui it would involve a rather long boat trips to the very distant and remote island of Koh Tao. In fact it’s thanks to the hard work of Koh Samui diving pioneers that Koh Tao even became accessible to tourism. And as the years have passed Koh Tao has developed considerably leaving a rather deflated Koh Samui dive industry which basically were forced to either close down or relocate to Koh Tao.
Angthong Marine Park and Sail Rock.
That’s not to say that scuba diving from Koh Samui died out completely as there is still a demand in Samui in addition to Koh Tao, that being the Angthong Marine Park (beautiful above the surface, little bit green & shallow below) and the ubiquitous Sail Rock, (widely regarded as the best divesite in the Gulf of Thailand). The Angthong Marine Park is a section of some 70 islands which make for incredible scenery above the water but it is very shallow here and very still waters and the visibility is typically very low and very green, and consequently there are very few areas in this Marine Park that are worth y of diving, which makes this a rather disappointing location for diving. Whereas Sail Rock, also part of the Angthong Marine Park but completely isolated from the other islands, and alot more open to the elements. Strong currents surround this divesite which is basically a rock that peaks above 8 meters above the surface and drops down to 40 meters at its maximum depth. The currents bring about a plethora of traveling pelagics and even whalesharks. Definitely a divesite worth visiting but check the conditions as it can get quite bumpy out there.
Diving Koh Tao
But if you want to dive Koh Tao, you really should consider at the very least an overnight trip from Koh Samui. The problem with a day trip from Koh Samui to Koh Tao is because of the distance, a lot of day operators from Samui will only dive the southernmost dive sites of Koh Tao whereas the best dive sites are to the north of the island at Chumphon Pinnacle and the sites around the beautiful Koh Nang Yuan.
An overnight trip to Koh Tao will get you 2 leisurely afternoon dives and a night dive around Koh Nang Yuan, followed in the morning with a dive at Chumphon Pinnacle and another at the Sattakut Wreck. Five awesome dives around Koh Tao for the same price as 2 dives with a respectable Dive Center from Koh Samui.
It’s cheaper to dive on Koh Tao.
The crazy thing is that it’s actually cheaper to go to Koh Tao and stay there and dive there than doing the round trip to and from Samui by speedboat every day.
Definitely worth having a look at the options don’t you think?
Scuba Diving from Koh Samui to Koh Tao.
SSI OPEN WATER COURSE INCLUDING 2 NIGHTS
Day 1- 7-11am – Hotel pick up from Samui to Koh Tao includes all your taxis and the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry. It is an early start but you should be all checked in to your room on Koh Tao by 11am
12:00- 17:00 – CONFINED– Meet your Instructor fill out your paperwork and get ready to go scuba diving in the swimming pool. Shallow skills to start with as you get comfortable with your equipment and then into the deep end by the end of the session.
Day 2- 10-12 – ACADEMICS & EXAM– Let’s make sure we understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it and a quick multiple guess quiz before heading out on the boat in the after lunch.
12:30-17:30 – DIVES 1 & 2 (12 meters) – 2 dives at 2 different divesites to a maximum depth of 12 meters, looking at fish and coral and understanding what and why you did what you did in the pool yesterday.
Day 3- 6:30- 12 – DIVES 3 & 4 (18 meters) – Final 2 dives of your Open Water Course to a maximum depth of 18 meters, at 2 more exciting divesites than we dived yesterday.
14:00- 18:00 – Koh Tao to Samui- Taxi from your hotel to the ferry to a taxi to your hotel. Home by 6pm.
KOH TAO PRICE ONLY 14,000Bt – KOH SAMUI PRICE 18,000Bt – SAVE 4,000Bt
SSI ADVANCED COURSE INCLUDING 1 NIGHT
Day 1- 7-11am – Hotel pick up from Samui to Koh Tao includes all your taxis and the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry. It is an early start but you should be all checked in to your room on Koh Tao by 11am.
11:00- 12:00 – Meet with your Instructor to ensure we know how to use a compass and the schedule of dives for the day. 12:30- 17:30 – Head out on the boat for 2 easy and relaxing divesites so we can practice our buoyancy control and our navigational skills, for the Perfect Buoyancy & Navigation Dives of the course.
18:00-20:00 – Third dive of the Advanced Course is the night dive. ooh Spooky!
Day 2- 6:30- 12:00 – Final day of the Advanced Course and we’re heading out somewhere deeper and more exciting than yesterday to complete our deep dive to 30 meters and a wreck dive on the Sattakut wreck. Back on land all certified by midday.
14:00- 18:00 – Koh Tao to Samui- Taxi from your hotel to the ferry to a taxi to your hotel. Home by 6pm.
KOH TAO PRICE ONLY 13,000Bt – KOH SAMUI PRICE 14,500Bt – SAVE 1,500Bt
FUN DIVER FIVE DIVE PACKAGE INCLUDING 1 NIGHT
Day 1- 7-11am – Hotel pick up from Samui to Koh Tao includes all your taxis and the Lomprayah High Speed Ferry. It is an early start but you should be all checked in to your room on Koh Tao by 11am.
12:30- 17:00 – Head out on the boat for 2 dives around the beautiful Koh Nang Yuan. As spectacular above the water as it is below. Should have about an hour on land before the night dive.
18:00-20:00 – Head out to White Rock for the night dive. Koh Tao’s best night dive.
Day 2- 6:30- 12:00 – Early start as we head out to 2 of Koh Tao’s best dive sites Chumphon Pinnacle and the Sattakut Wreck.
14:00- 18:00 – Koh Tao to Samui- Taxi from your hotel to the ferry to a taxi to your hotel. Home by 6pm.
*KOH TAO PRICE ONLY 7,500Bt – KOH SAMUI PRICE 10,500Bt – SAVE 3,000Bt
*Additional Charges
• REFRESHER – If you haven’t dived for a year or more you may be asked to do a Refresher dive for an additional 1100Bt. Please check with us before.
• ADVENTURE NIGHT DIVE – 1500BT- If you are Open Water Certified you need to do the Night dive as part of an Advanced Adventurer Training Dive (accredited towards your Advanced Course), for an additional 1500Bt. Please check with us before.
