Koh Tao/Things to do/ water
Learning to dive on Koh Tao
The island that certifies more divers than anywhere else in Asia, from a one-day try dive to fun dives for people who already hold a card.
What we checked, 21 September 2026
Checked on 21 September 2026. Both products give 5.0 out of 5 on their own pages, from 207 and 95 reviews, and both are run by the same supplier, which is why they sit on one listing rather than two. Viator's search page showed 4.9 for both on the same day; where the two disagree we take the product page and say so. We have not dived here.
Verified via. Both products below were read on their own Viator product pages on 21 September 2026, where Viator names the supplier as Koh Tao Scuba Club and gives the try dive as a one-day experience with a maximum of four students per instructor.
Who runs it
Separate companies, listed separately. We do not average scores across operators, because the average would describe a trip you cannot book.
| Operator | Score | Reviews | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Diver, one day experienceviator | 5/5 (10.0/10) | 207 | varies by package |
| Fun Diving Packages, certified diversviator | 5/5 (10.0/10) | 95 | varies by package |
These are affiliate links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not affect which operators clear our bar.
Koh Tao’s whole economy runs on diving. The water is shallow, warm and cheap to dive, the sites are twenty minutes from shore, and the island turns out entry-level certifications in volume.
Two different things. The one-day try dive takes you underwater with an instructor and no certification, at a maximum of four students to one instructor by the operator’s own description. The fun-dive packages are for people who already hold a card and just want tanks and a boat.
It is not big-animal diving. Whale sharks pass through and the posters lean on them heavily. Most days you are looking at reef fish in good visibility, which is the honest expectation to arrive with.
Season matters here. The Gulf’s weather turns from late October, with November the wettest month: our guide to when to go has the figures. Crossings get cancelled before dives do.
Koh Nang Yuan next door is the snorkelling version of the same water, and it has its own entry charge.
Best for
A first dive somewhere shallow, warm and cheap, or easy diving if you are already certified
Skip if
Rough Gulf weather from late October, and anyone expecting big-animal diving
More in Koh Tao
- A Koh Tao and Nang Yuan snorkelling trip — water
- The wooden boat snorkelling day — water
- Koh Nang Yuan — nature