The PADI Divemaster and PADI IDC in Thailand

As a PADI Divemaster your duties will include leading dives, running dive boats, assisting PADI instructors on PADI courses and other dive centre roles. Most PADI Divemasters spend a majority of their time actually working with customers and leading them on dives, which in Phuket means the dive sites located at Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Phi Phi, the deeper sites at Anemone Reef and Shark point, and even the Similan islands on a liveaboard. You will be getting plenty of dive experience, and will also learning from dive professionals higher up the ladder as you move towards becoming a PADI Instructor.

The PADI Divemaster course at Super Divers can be started at anytime providing you meet the pre-requisite conditions such as already being a Rescue Diver and having logged at least 40 dives (see the Super Divers Divemaster course page for full information). It is broken down into knowledge development where we take your dive theory to a higher level, water skills and stamina tests, as well as practical application where you are working in real-life Divemaster roles. The course can be done in as little as two weeks although it is usually spread over four to six weeks. Contact Super Divers to arrange your PADI Divemaster course and climb the first step of the PADI professional ladder.

IDC skills Phuket

If you are already a PADI Divemaster, then it is time to think about becoming a PADI Instructor, which offers you a much greater chance of finding work in Phuket, Thailand, as well as the rest of the world. To become a PADI Instructor in Phuket you must take a PADI IDC with a PADI Course Director. The IDC is spread over 10 days and involves classroom and in-water presentations from a PADI Course Director and PADI IDC Staff Instructors. There are also dive theory and Standards and Procedures exams. Candidates will then give their teaching presentations, which the staff will evaluate and provide feedback on before they go to the PADI Instructor Examination, which is held locally in Kata Beach in Phuket. The IDC brings your diving to a whole new level in your ability to pass on the gift of diving to more people so they can experience the underwater world, and offers you the opportunity to have a dream job. Contact Super Divers for more information on the PADI IDC.

Super Divers in Phuket also offer the opportunity to combine your PADI courses into a single dive career package, which can save you money on buying the courses individually and comes with extras such as accommodation, full sets of scuba diving equipment and lots of diving. You can start a dive career package from any level in scuba diving up to Instructor. Contact Super Divers and look at the Super Divers career packages page for more information.

Take the next step in scuba diving and give yourself the opportunity to work in Phuket Thailand or anywhere else on the planet that takes your fancy. Super Divers can also advise on the best course of action to get a work permit in Thailand as well as finding a job once you have completed your professional training. Start with the Divemaster course and move onto the IDC, and if you have the time then combine all your training into a package over several months here on Phuket. Live the dream!

Super Divers PADI dive centre can offer Phuket diving day trips to the closer islands of Racha Yai and Racha Noi, the deeper sites of Shark Point, Anemone Reef and Koh Dok Mai, and dive sites in the Phi Phi archipelago such as Bida Nok and Bida Nai. There is also the wreck of the car ferry, the King Cruiser, which lies on the ocean floor near Anemone reef.

Mantas can be found around Phuket

For those who are on a PADI Discover Scuba Diving or PADI Open Water diver course, the shallower more sheltered dive sites at Racha Yai island are a good option, as they allow you to complete your dives within the specified PADI depth requirements and give sheltered areas to complete your training. They also offer stunning marine life. If you want to go a little further afield to the Phi Phi dive sites, it’s also possible to complete your training at these dive sites, although the trip distance does mean a slightly longer day.

The dive sites in-between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi, Shark Point, like Anemone Reef, Koh Dok Mai and the King Cruiser, sit in less sheltered deeper water making them a popular option with divers who have completed their PADI Advanced Open Water diver training, and can thus dive beyond a depth of eighteen meters. Contact Super Divers Phuket to arrange your dive trips or PADI Advanced Open Water diver course at these sites.

Some of the best diving in Thailand is best accessed through taking a liveaboard dive trip where guests stay on the boat from one night upwards. Thailand liveaboard trips operate in the Similan islands national park and surrounding area, as well as the less explored Burma Banks, Hin Daeng, and southern dive sites close to Koh Phi Phi.

Thailand liveaboard trips can suits all budgets and tastes, and with some trips you can also vary your length of stay. If you are really pushed for time then it is also possible to go by speedboat on a day trip to the Similans. Dive sites around the Similan islands include Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and the world famous Richelieu Rock.

Liveaboard trips, and the fact that they offer access to more distant less-visited dive sites, offer the best chance for divers to see the bigger marine life such as manta rays and whale sharks, although these creatures are also seen at some times of the year at local Phuket dive sites. Super Divers can arrange all liveaboard trips for you and factor in your budget and tastes. You should bear in mind that the majority of liveaboard trips operate between October and May, although it is sometimes possible to book a Hin Daeng liveaboard trip outside this period. Contact Super divers for more information or with any inquiries for Phuket diving day trips or Thailand liveaboards.

Examples of this are if you do a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience try dive at Racha Yai or Koh Phi Phi. This can then count towards the confined water training dive number one and open water dive number one from the PADI Open Water diver course, so you are already on your way to earning your first scuba diving certification and being licensed to dive all over the world. It is then possible to do a shortened PADI Open Water course on Phuket with Super Divers, as you have already completed the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program.

This gives you the option to try diving and if you want to carry on to do the PADI Open Water course, you can do it in two days rather than the standard three.  If you do not have time to finish the PADI Open Water course you can earn a PADI Scuba Diver rating, but everything you have done so far will be documented and still count towards the final PADI Open Water diver certification. Contact Super Divers in Phuket to arrange your PADI Discover Scuba Diving Experience, or PADI Scuba Diver or PADI Open Water Diver Course.

This situation applies in many cases. PADI adventure dives can count towards the PADI Advanced Open Water course. These adventure dives could include a wreck dive on the King Cruiser, a deep dive at Shark Point Phuket, or drift dive at Racha Noi. The PADI adventure dives from the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course can also count towards further PADI Specialty Diver certifications. For example, if you do an Underwater Photography dive at Koh Bida Nok during your PADI Advanced course, this dive can count towards both the PADI Advanced course and also the Underwater Photography Specialty Course.

In summary, this means that you can earn credit for both courses and are well on the way to becoming a PADI Master Scuba Diver, which is earned with 5 PADI Specialty ratings, 50 dives and being a PADI Rescue Diver. Super Divers offers all PADI courses up to PADI Divemaster and Instructor, so just contact our dive centre in Phuket and we will arrange your diving experience for you.

PADI eLearning Phuket

PADI eLearning Phuket Thailand is another option Super Divers offer to you for completing your PADI Open Water course or any other PADI course that is supported by PADI e learning. PADI eLearning is an online program that enables you to complete your PADI course theory sections via the Internet. This can be a great way for you to get your teeth into your dive course before you reach your holiday destination. With E – Learning Phuket dive courses are made more convenient for you, although they do come at an extra cost!

Completing the theory section of your PADI course before you arrive in Phuket can be advantageous for several reasons. E – Learning Phuket dive courses are made easier than regular courses as you will already have a lot of knowledge about scuba diving before you arrive.  It will also save you some time on your vacation ensuring you don’t have to spend half a day or more in a classroom when you could be on a sandy beach soaking up the sun!

A lot of people assume that the cost of the PADI eLearning will be deducted from their overall course price however this is not the case. It is an additional cost to the course as it is there for your extra convenience should you wish to take it as an option. It costs US$120 for the PADI eLearning Open Water course for example. Here at Super Divers we do give some discount to everyone arriving having completed their PADI E – Learning taking Phuket dive courses. For the PADI Open Water course we knock our price down from 13,900 THB to 12,900 THB!

After completing the online tutorials, questions and quizzes you will need to print out your results and bring them with you on holiday. You would then arrive in Phuket ready to go straight into the pool section of your course, after a quick review of the knowledge you have gained. If you choose to do PADI eLearning in Phuket Thailand then here at Super Divers we won’t cut any corners regarding our usual course standards! All E – Learning Phuket dive courses will still be taught with private instruction at no extra cost! We will also arrange all your transfers and pick-ups as well as giving you free extra dives as during the course! Not forgetting your free Super Divers T-shirt with every course!

Here is a link to PADI eLearning – https://www.padi.com/elearning-scuba-registration/default.aspx you will need to choose your course and input Super Divers PADI store number – 22241

For a full selection of PADI courses offered by Super Divers PADI dive centre in Phuket please click here.

Fantastic underwater beauty

When you enroll in any Super Divers PADI course Phuket Island will be your base for scuba diving in Thailand. From this beautiful tropical paradise you will visit many local Phuket dive sites to complete your Phuket PADI training dives. During any diving courses Phuket will feel like the ideal location. There are a good variety of excellent Phuket dive sites offering a myriad of aquatic life are just a short boat ride away. As well as being a great place to take your PADI course, Phuket has many other attractions and all the amenities you would expect from a modern holiday island.

During your holiday to Phuket you can pick up your PADI Open Water license in just three days and now Super Divers are offering a superb value package allowing you to also obtain your PADI Advanced Open Water license in just one extra day! The base price for the PADI Open Water course is – 13,900 THB and for the PADI Advanced Open Water it is 12,900 THB. Normally it would take you 5 full days to complete all of this. Super Divers are now offering a combination package price for the PADI Open Water & PADI Advanced Open Water for just – 24,500 THB! You can also complete both courses in just 4 days! As with all Super Divers diving courses in Phuket, you will get private instruction at no extra cost as well as receiving a free Super Divers T-shirt.

If you are already a keen diver and are looking to develop your skills and experience then you may well be looking to pick up a PADI Specialty or two. Most common choices include Enriched Air Nitrox, Deep Diver, Underwater Photography and Wreck Diver, although there are a great many to choose from. These courses vary in price depending on specific customer requirements and schedules but generally start around 10,000 THB and upwards. Super Divers are now offering a special package – take any 2 PADI Specialty diver courses for – 15,500 THB! Once again with all these courses you will receive private instruction and a Super Divers T-shirt!

Our divers always have fun!

If you are new to scuba diving and not sure about jumping straight in to your PADI Open Water course in Phuket, then the usual route is to take a PADI Discover Scuba Diving day trip. This can sometimes be quite daunting for many people as it involves going straight out to the open ocean! So now, Super Divers are offering a PADI Discover Scuba Diving day trip with a half-day pool session prior to the trip. This will allow you to gain confidence in the equipment and become comfortable breathing underwater. This will in turn help you get the most out of your day out scuba diving! The price for PADI Discover Scuba Diving + Intro Pool session will be – 7,500 THB – an extra expense to a regular Discover Scuba Diving program but well worth it if you are not at all confident in the water or are a non-swimmer. To see what other diving courses Phuket and Super Divers has to offer, just follow this link to help you decide about your PADI course in Phuket – http://www.scubadivingphuket.net/padiscubadivingcoursesphuket.php or browse our main website here.

Also, take a PADI open water course in Kamala and you’ll get just the basic four open water dives at local Kamala reefs just off the beach. All dives are by long-tail boats and no breakfast or lunch is included. All PADI open water courses with Super Divers Phuket are from large comfortable dive boats, include breakfast, lunch and refreshments, and also include at least one extra dive, usually two.  Free t-shirts are also included with every course.

Great Visibility around Racha Noi

The PADI open water course has four open water dives as standard, but we like to offer our guests something extra, and two extra dives for free can really make a difference when it comes to increasing diver confidence, scuba diving skill, and as well as enjoyment. We’ll also get our students out for a couple of dives to Koh Phi Phi where it’s easy to find Sharks and more.

Scuba diving around Kamala is ideal if you just want a couple of quick dives and aren’t interested in seeing Sharks, but for the better diving and Phuket scuba diving wrecks, you need to head to the classy dive sites further away which offer a better chance to see the big stuff and usually have much better visibility.  Super Divers is the only Patong dive centre to include complimentary pick ups for our guests in Kamala, and remember, the Kamala PADI open water course will only include four dives whereas the Super Divers open water course, will include at least one extra dive for free, usually two. For full details of all our scuba diving Phuket services see our comprehensive website here.

Whale shark numbers are increasing

In the early 1990s it was possible to take Whale Shark snorkeling tours in Patong Bay, to snorkel with up to two-dozen Whale Sharks. Unfortunately those days are long gone. Whale Sharks are migratory fish, and cover huge distances seasonally, which places them in direct danger from commercial and local fisheries. In 1998, the Philippines banned all fishing of Whale Sharks in their waters, closely followed by India in 2001, and even Taiwan in 2007. Other nations continue to follow and ban the practice of hunting Whale Sharks in their waters. Not only do they understand that Whale Shark numbers have reduced so much that they have become an endangered species, but governments have started to realize that Whale Sharks can become an important factor in encouraging tourists to visit their countries, bringing their foreign currency with them. Of course, illegal hunting still goes on, and Whale Sharks being migratory, still play a game of Russian Roulette passing through international waters or the waters of nations like Bangladesh, where they are still not protected and ruthlessly hunted.

The good news is that it’s evident that Whale Shark numbers are recovering. Sadly, the Manta Ray population continues to decline all over the world. Manta Rays only give birth to a single pup, whereas Whale Sharks, can give birth to more than three hundred live young, also called pups. This, it seems, makes a huge difference.

In Thailand, in the late nineties and early two thousands, there were still occasional Whale Shark sightings, especially at their favorite locations like Richelieu Rock and Hin

Whale Sharks are gentle giants.

Daeng. Since then, there has been a slow but encouraging rise of Whale Shark sightings in Thailand, and not only in those areas, but throughout Thai waters. These days it’s possible to have a Whale Shark encounter just about anywhere off the coast of Thailand. Of course, you still need to be in the right place at the right time, but they are there, and the sightings are continuing to increase. In July 2011, one dive boat stopped off half way to Phi Phi from Phuket, and the guests had the chance to snorkel with up to seven different Whale Sharks at the same time. This would have been unheard of just a few years ago. A Whale Shark has even been spotted in Bungalow Bay at Racha Yai.

Typically, the Whale Sharks we’re seeing now in Thai waters are juveniles. They range from around three metres to up to around six metres. Occasionally we’ll hear reports of a monster one reaching up to around ten meters, but these are quite rare. Although Whale Sharks are migratory, there doesn’t seem to be a best time to see them in Thailand. We used to say the best time to spot Whale Sharks was in January, then we changed it to March and April. Now there doesn’t seem to be any logic or pattern to when is the best time to see Whale Sharks in Thailand, they seems to be here the whole year round. There are sightings every month.

Please visit our PADI Super Divers website here, for all the information you’ll need if your planning to do some scuba diving while you’re in Thailand.

We are hoping that in the future, we’ll once again be able to run Whale Shark snorkeling tours in Thailand.

Frogfish Racha Yai

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the low season diving in Phuket isn’t as good as the high season diving in Phuket. It’s a fact though, that during the monsoon season we often get the best visibility and diving conditions. Quite simply, from June to October Phuket diving rocks! During the monsoon season the wind blows in from the Indian Ocean, but very rarely is it so strong that the boats cannot leave the port. Because the wind blows from the west, all the dive sites on the eastern coasts of Racha Yai and Racha Noi are protected and usually as flat as glass. The eastern dive sites are generally accepted as being superior to the dive sites on the west coasts of these islands, with more corals, and a higher abundance of marine life.

In fact rather ironically, during the high season between November and May, the wind comes from the opposite direction, the east, so at times during these months the preferable dive sites on the eastern coasts of Racha Yai and Racha Noi are off limits due to the swell and waves created by the wind.

Great Visibility in Low Season

The only dive sites around Phuket, which are off limits during the low season, are the Similan Islands dive sites. This includes Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock. The Similans are only open to visitors, including divers from the end of October to the first week of May every year. The is primarily because the Similan Islands are a fair way from the mainland, and with monsoon storms being unpredictable and occasionally quite violent, it’s just too dangerous for boats to make the crossing over open seas. Being closed for six months of the year, it also gives the islands and the dives sites an annual rest from the effects of man on the local environment. If you want to dive the Similans we recommend going on one of our Similans Liveaboards, we offer the best deals with a full selection of boats. Our prices cannot be beaten, but remember, the Similans is only open from mid October until the first week in May.

Back to day trip diving and PADI course in Phuket during the low season months of June to October: All destinations are on offer, including Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Koh Phi Phi, the King Cruiser, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, and Koh Doc Mai. Just because it’s the low season, also known as the monsoon season, or rainy season, it doesn’t mean it rains 24/7. We regularly have weeks and weeks of perfect weather, punctuated with a few cloudy days and a few showers, but offset the weather against the cheaper flight and hotel prices and it’s definitely worth it. If you’re coming for the diving you won’t regret it. Like we mentioned earlier, some of Racha Yai and Racha Noi’s best dive sites are at their best. The water is usually clear and blue, with visibility at these sites often reaching more than forty meters.

Giant Moray Racha Yai

Some of the Racha dive sites lost some corals in 2010 due to some coral bleaching, but the corals are coming back to life and the various marine life populations have recovered well. The diving is varied and interesting with several wreck dives and some nice reef dives. The third bay south on Racha Yai, also known as Doolittle Do, offers Phuket’s answer to a muck dive. Over the sand from 12 down to 25 meters it’s possible to find creatures like Sea Moths, Frogfish, Sea Horses, Pipefish, Stingrays, and even the occasional Blue Ring Octopus. Mimic Octopus have also been spotted around Racha Yai, but are extremely hard to find.

We offer most scuba diving trip destinations around Phuket all through the year. For full details please check our day trips section on our website. We also offer all destinations with our PADI courses which we run throughout the year. Happy diving!

Front and back views of Super Divers t-shirts.

We have a variety of colors to choose from, including black, which is our most popular color, white, Superman blue, red, and pink in small and extra small for the ladies or kids.

Free dive t-shirts is just the tip of the iceberg of why you should choose Super Divers. We also give out students extra dives for free, not just the training dives scheduled as part of their course, we provide complimentary taxis to and from our dive centre on day one of the PADI open water course, free soft drinks during classroom sessions, free WIFI internet, and most importantly, we keep groups small with professional and personal instruction. All out instructors are highly qualified and experienced, and we only employ the best instructors who we feel have exemplary customer service skills and patience.

Also, send us an inquiry, and more often than not we’ll get back to you immediately, and not take one or two days. All out email replies are personal and answer all your queries. We don’t just copy and paste standard impersonal answers. You can read our Trip Advisor reports here to see what our guests have to say about Super Divers.

It’s a fact that most divers who have accidents are experienced divers who are pushing their limits or being careless, indeed, it is usually dive professionals (Dive masters or instructors) who are the ones who end up in the chamber with decompression sickness. This often happens when instructors or dive masters are diving alone, and dive too deep or forget to keep a track or their air or no-decompression limits. It is very rare for a student to suffer a dive related accident as in this situation the divers are closely monitored by their instructors.

Students taking their first dives during their training course are always close to their instructor who is well trained and experienced in spotting problems before they arise, or if they do arise, they are close on hand and quick to neutralize any problem as it happens. All instructors are well versed in spotting a panicked diver well before it gets to a stage where things could become tricky. The instructor will calm the student down while still underwater, and if need be, take the student slowly to the surface. Wide eyes and rapid breathing are a couple of tell tale signs that all is not well with a student underwater. Worst case scenario, a student will occasionally spit out their regulator and even remove their mask underwater and try to bolt for the surface. Instructors are always watching their students and are there to help them. If this situation happens, and sometimes it does, the instructor will replace the students regulator for them and clear it so they can continue to breath, and them will slowly and safely take them to the surface so they can regain their calmness and composure, before either going back to the dive boat, or if conditions allow, and if the student is comfortable continuing the dive.

It is because of rare situations like the one outlined above, where we at Super Divers always ensure that we keep our instructor to student ratio small. Small groups are good for not only safety aspects, but also for diver comfort and customer service. On Koh Tao, if you enroll in an open water course, you could be with up to ten students to one instructor and a couple of assistants. This makes it almost impossible for the instructor to be aware of what each and every student is doing all the time. We like to keep our ratios to no more than one instructor to two students, but if we have a group of students who enroll together and want to dive together, then we’ll increase the ration to no more than four students to one instructor. The conditions around Phuket allow for this as the visibility is usually very good, and currents are lax at student dive sites.

Recently there was a tragic accident involving a dive company in Phuket.  Although we don’t have all the conformed facts, what we’ve been told is that a Japanese diver had an uncontrolled ascent to the surface. We’re told she inflated her BCD at depth, something which all scuba divers know they must never do. We can only assume she did this by accident, and maybe meant to deflate some air from her BCD.  Above her a dive boat was maneuvering with it’s propeller turning. Unfortunately she was struck on the head by the propeller and killed instantly. It was a rare freak accident, and very unfortunate. Blame for this accident has yet to be cast, whether is be with the captain of the dive boat or with the divers dive guide.

We instruct all our staff to make sure they deploy their surface marker buoys whenever they are in shallow water, when they are surfacing after a dive, or whenever they feel there is a risk of something unexpected happening from passing boat traffic. Let me stress, the incident outlined above, is very rare indeed.

Things to consider when choosing a dive operator in Thailand…

When you sign u for any dive trip, you should check the dive operator is affiliated with a respected dive organization like PADI. PADI is the biggest and most far reaching professional dive organization, but there are others, including SSI, CMAS, and BSAC. PADI incidentally stands for “Professional Association of Dive Instructors. All PADI instructors must follow strict standards and guidelines instigated by PADI, and any failure on the instructors part to adhere to these standards could lead to their instructor licenses being suspended or revoked. Super Divers are fully affiliated with PADI and our store number is S-22241.

Ask about insurance. Make sure your instructor or dive operator has adequate insurance which will cover their students in the unlikely event of a dive accident. All Super Divers instructors have insurance, which also covers their students.

Ask about the dive equipment. Is it new? If not, is it well maintained and in excellent working condition. All Super Divers equipment is brand new in 2011, and we maintain our equipment regularly. We also purchase new equipment regularly. Also, Super Divers only use tried and tested instructors with lots of experience and certified students under their belts. As mentioned before, we also keep instructor to student ratios small for safety reasons as well as customer service reasons.

Dive education is continuous, we offer the full range of PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diving right through to instructor and beyond. Click here for more details.