Level
Beginner
Course
Duration
0.5
Days
Max Depth
12
Meters
Cost
฿3,500
Thai Baht
This half-day SSI Basic Diver course offers a beginner-friendly intro to discover scuba diving in Koh Tao, blending stunning underwater scenery with expert guidance from our certified SSI instructors. You’ll try scuba diving by starting the day with an overview of dive safety and equipment before heading out for two open water dives at Koh Tao’s best dive sites.
The first dive will be spent in the shallow water practicing a few basic Scuba Diving skills to help you feel comfortable and confident. On the second dive you will spend time discovering why Koh Tao is renowned for its vibrant marine life and crystal-clear waters, all while enjoying a safe and unforgettable scuba diving experience.
Finish the day by getting your SSI Basic Diver recognition which will allow you to experience scuba diving with an instructor up to 12m for the next 6 months!
10:00-12:00 Basic academics
12:00-12:30 Break
12:30-17:00 2 x ocean dives (max. 12m)
If you’ve completed your SSI Basic Diver program or decided to try scuba diving and loved it, the SSI Open Water Diver course is the perfect next step. This certification builds on your initial experience, giving you the skills, knowledge, and confidence to dive independently with a buddy to a depth of 18 meters.
With a balance of classroom learning, confined water sessions, and open water dives, you’ll move from trying scuba to becoming a certified diver ready to explore the ocean anywhere in the world.
A half-day introduction to try scuba diving, perfect for beginners seeking a quick, exciting experience exploring Koh Tao’s underwater beauty.
Such a lovely group of people. Professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Would highly recommended for anyone wanting to dive in Koh Tao. Thank you Liv, Lydia, Julia, Shai and Char
This is a special place, with amazing people 🙌 Having done basic dive training on the island at the start of the month with Goodtime, we decided to return so I could complete my open water certification. Fabio is an incredible instructor and an incredible human with it 👏. He made the course really enjoyable and straightforward. We were also very lucky to see some amazing marine life 👌. Whether you're on the boat or at the bar, the atmosphere at Goodtime is always relaxed and positive. That is partly due to the stunning location but is heavily influenced by the Goodtime team. Fabio, Anna, Beth, Mike, Chris, Shy and everyone else at Goodtime will make you feel welcome and at ease. Awesome people and incredible experiences, deliver so much more than just a Goodtime 🫡
I had a great experience with this school! I did the 2.5 day Open Water course and when I lost my nerves due to panic, everyone was so nice and empathetic towards me. I really felt like it was their priority for me to feel comfortable and have a positive first diving experience. Thank you Shai, Carmen and Charlie, for your support and patience, and for creating a solution that made me come back for the third day, finish the course, get the license despite everything and most importantly, have a good time! 🩵🐠🤙🏽
Diving with good times was an amazing experience! Everything about it was great but what really made it so amazing were the dive instructors. Thank you so much to Ana and Fabio for making it such an unforgettable experience! Ana was an amazing instructor to my boyfriend who was getting his dive certification, and lead us on two fun dives. She made us feel welcome from the start and so safe the whole time! It had been 10 years since my last dive and Fabio lead me in a refresher course and made me feel totally comfortable diving again! 10/10 experience would recommend to anyone interested in diving on koh tao! And the food here is delicious too :)
Well deserved 5 star. I had gone to do my open water dive course, without having any prior knowledge, and I came out feeling so empowered lol. Chris was my main instructor, the patience of this man under water was a 10, very professional approach. Had taken a class from Anna also, which was very calming. She’s extremely good at explaining things peacefully. Lydia, also a dive instructor, present for almost all our dives brought lot of energy and calmness which resonated pretty well. Also the restaurant staff members are extremely polite and welcoming meet the whole trip a complete bliss. Definitely looking forward to do the advanced courses sometime during September.
Scuba Diving in Koh Tao has been very popular for years, we have some of Thailand’s best dive sites and great diving conditions all year round. Our most popular course is the SSI Open Water Diver course which takes 2.5 days to complete and allows to to dive all over the world once you are certified. This course is ideal for beginners who want to get Scuba certified on Koh Tao.
If you are short on time the SSI Basic Diver is for you! This is a half-day experience where you can dip your toes in and explore the underwater world.
You can earn an Open Water Diver certification with any major dive organization. An SSI diver can dive at PADI centers worldwide, and vice versa.
However, with SSI you do get benefits:
Online Learning
While most organisations offer online learning, not all of them offer it free of charge and can end up racking up quite the bill. SSI offers your learning materials for free as part of your course registration and is easy to navigate using the MySSI app. The app is regularly updated and also offers additional free courses like the ‘Try Diving’ and the ‘Blue Oceans‘ for you to enhance your scuba diving knowledge.
Recognition Ratings
SSI do things a little differently to other diving agencies, they continue to recognise your advancement in diving whether you are enrolled in a course or not. When you reach certain milestones you will be awarded recognition status. This is why we encourage specialities over the SSI Advanced Open Water or PADI Advanced Open Water courses. With SSI once you complete 4 speciality courses and 24 dives you will automatically be rewarded with Advanced Open Water recognition status. Taking this route allows you to explore your passions underwater without being restricted to one exploration dive per specialty! Don’t forget we offer discounts on bundles too!
Flexibility
SSI allows its professionals to teach using an 80/20 approach. Instructors can adapt 20% of the course to match each student’s learning pace.
The minimum age to learn to scuba dive and become certified is ten years old. If the diver is between 10-14 they will be awarded with a Junior SSI Open Water Certification that will automatically upgrade to Open Water Diver once they turn 15.
However, the SSI Explorers program provides options for children aged six and up to experience diving and snorkeling in very shallow water.
Diving in Koh Tao is popular for its year-round diving conditions, boasting clear waters, vibrant marine life, and stunning dive sites available 365 days a year. Whether you’re a beginner starting with an SSI Open Water Diver course or an experienced diver, diving in Koh Tao offers it all—excellent training sites, famous dive spots, shipwrecks, and pinnacles like Sail Rock. With some of the world’s most affordable and accessible diving packages, Koh Tao remains a must-visit destination for underwater enthusiasts across Southeast Asia.
At Goodtime, we make your Koh Tao experience even more affordable with our exclusive discounts. Get 25% off accommodation, with rates starting at just 1,150 Baht for private double or twin rooms and 500 Baht per night in our 4-bed dorms. Enjoy 20% off delicious meals at our beachfront restaurant, perfect for refueling after your adventures. Plus, save 10% when you book any scuba diving or rock climbing bundle—making it easier than ever to dive, climb, and relax on Koh Tao!
SSI do things a little differently to other diving agencies, they continue to recognise your advancement in diving whether you are enrolled in a course or not. When you reach certain milestones you will be awarded recognition status. This is why we encourage specialities over the SSI Advanced Open Water or PADI Advanced Open Water courses. With SSI once you complete 4 speciality courses and 24 dives you will automatically be rewarded with Advanced Open Water recognition status. Taking this route allows you to explore your passions underwater without being restricted to one exploration dive per specialty! Don’t forget we offer discounts on bundles too!
Yes, a basic level of in-water ability is required to scuba dive. For certain courses, you’ll need to complete a water fitness evaluation before heading into the open water. This includes either a 200-meter unaided swim or a 300-meter swim using a mask, snorkel, and fins. These requirements ensure your safety and confidence during your underwater adventures.
