Koh Tao in Thailand is a mecca for divers from around the world. It’s also the island where you can get a diving license cheaper than anywhere else on earth.
I’ll be honest with you. I’ve never been a good swimmer. Yet here on Koh Tao I earned my Open Water certification, and went on to get my Advanced license later in Dahab, Egypt. I did it while vomiting from seasickness and getting scolded by a female instructor who refused to let me quit. This is that story.
Getting to Koh Tao from Bangkok
I traveled from Bangkok on a joint bus and ferry ticket. Most long-distance tours from Bangkok depart from the Khao San Road area, making it a convenient starting point.
Route 1: Overland (cheapest, classic)
└ Bus + Ferry
└ About 10-12 hours
└ Around 1,250-1,550 baht
└ Night departure from Khao San, arrive morning
Route 2: Budget flight + ferry
└ LCC to Chumphon + bus + ferry
└ About 6-8 hours
└ Around 2,500-3,500 baht
Route 3: Fastest and most comfortable
└ Flight to Koh Samui + ferry
└ About 4-6 hours
└ Around 5,000-7,000 bahtIf time is limited, flying to Koh Samui and catching the ferry from there is by far the most comfortable option.
Choose a Dive School in Your Own Language
There are plenty of dive schools on Koh Tao. When I visited, I chose one with Japanese-speaking staff.
Most dive schools have accommodation and restaurants on site, so you can enjoy a relaxed resort stay between sessions. That’s one of the great things about Koh Tao.
English and Japanese-friendly schools (2026)
└ Big Blue Diving (established Japanese-run shop)
└ Ban's Diving Resort (world-class mega resort)
└ Houbouya Koh Tao (20+ years of safe operation)
└ Coral Grand DiversWhatever language you speak, always choose a school that can teach you in your mother tongue. This involves your life. It’s not a place to cut corners.
My Instructor Who Claimed to Know a Japanese TV Celebrity
The instructor assigned to me claimed to be connected to a famous Japanese TV personality. I won’t pretend that made any sense to non-Japanese readers, but it was the kind of strange, memorable detail you only get on the road.
The group was multinational but everyone clicked immediately. The days spent working toward the license were genuinely fun. Diving alongside people from around the world is one of those travel experiences that stays with you.
Cost and Time to Get Open Water Certified
Koh Tao is known as the cheapest place in the world to get a diving license.
Cost
└ Around 10,000 baht (approximately USD 280)
└ Includes materials, certification fees,
equipment rental
└ Some schools include free accommodation
Time needed
└ 3-4 days
└ Complete online theory in advance
and you can finish in as little as 3 daysUnderwater Is Another World
I was never a strong swimmer, but diving is something else entirely compared to snorkeling.
The moment you descend into clear water and see enormous fish and schools of thousands moving around you, it feels like floating in outer space. That weightless, silent world is unlike anything else I have ever experienced.
The marine life around Koh Tao is extraordinary.
What you might see
└ Giant schools of trevally and barracuda
└ Yellowstripe scad (like a golden carpet)
└ Sea turtles and clownfish
└ Whale sharks
I Missed the Whale Shark
Koh Tao is world famous for whale shark sightings. Another group on my trip encountered one. I did not.
Best times for whale sharks
└ March - May (dry season)
└ October - November
└ Chumphon Pinnacle and other offshore spotsThat remains unfinished business. One day I will swim with one.
The Seasickness Was Brutal
I have to be honest. The worst part of the whole experience was seasickness.
Koh Tao diving is mostly done from boats, and when the weather turns, those boats rock hard. I got so sick I genuinely wanted to quit and go home. I had earned exactly zero sympathy from my female instructor, who made it very clear that giving up was not an option.
Surprisingly, once I got underwater, the motion was gone. The ocean below the surface was completely calm.
The moment I will never forget
During our first classroom session, the instructor mentioned that if you need to vomit underwater, you can do it through the regulator. Just exhale hard and it clears.
I used this information sooner than expected.
What happened next was that a cloud of vomit drifted into the water around me, and within seconds a swarm of fish descended on it, apparently mistaking it for food. It was disgusting and somehow also one of the most memorable moments of the entire trip.
Seasickness Prevention Is Non-Negotiable
Learn from my experience. Bring motion sickness medicine.
Best option in Thailand
└ Available at 7-Eleven and pharmacies
└ "Dimenhydrinate" small yellow tablets
└ Around 10 baht per pack
└ Take 30 minutes before boarding
└ Warning: causes strong drowsinessOn the boat, avoid looking down at your phone. Sit in the middle or rear section where there is airflow, and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Best Spots on Koh Tao
Sairee Beach
└ Largest beach on the island
└ Cafes, bars, restaurants and shops
└ Beautiful sunsets and nightlife hub
Koh Nang Yuan
└ Three small islands connected by white sand
└ World-class snorkeling
└ Viewpoint with stunning panoramic views
└ No plastic allowed on the island
Shark Bay
└ High chance of spotting blacktip reef sharks
└ Giant sea turtles often seen hereBest Season and Important Warnings
Best season
└ March - October
└ Calm seas, visibility 20-30 meters
└ March-May is peak whale shark season
Avoid
└ November - December
└ Monsoon season, rough seas and poor visibilityAllow enough time before your flight
After diving, you must wait at least 18 hours before boarding a flight to avoid decompression sickness. Plan your final day carefully.
Travel insurance is essential
The island only has basic medical facilities. Serious incidents require evacuation to Koh Samui or the mainland. Make sure your travel insurance covers diving accidents before you go.
Final Thoughts
Even a non-swimmer who vomited through a regulator managed to get certified on Koh Tao. And that experience gave me the confidence to go on and earn my Advanced license in Egypt.
Koh Tao is the most beginner-friendly, most affordable, and most beautiful place to start your diving journey. Poor swimmer or seasickness sufferer, it doesn’t matter. The underwater world waiting for you is worth every moment of discomfort.
Just bring the motion sickness tablets. That is the one thing I will never stop telling people.
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