Big Blue Diving

Big Blue Diving has been one of Koh Tao’s flagship dive operations for over two decades, repeatedly earning PADI’s highest accolades and building a reputation for excellence that stretches far beyond the island. For anyone looking to learn to dive on Koh Tao, Big Blue deserves serious consideration.

Why Choose Big Blue

With over 30 instructors and a full resort operation, Big Blue has the infrastructure to offer a seamless experience. You can learn to dive, sleep, eat, and socialise all in one place — the resort’s beachfront location is arguably Koh Tao’s finest. Despite the scale, Big Blue maintains a strong culture of quality: instructor-to-student ratios are kept low, equipment is meticulously maintained, and the dive briefings are detailed and professional.

Their award cabinet is formidable — PADI 5-Star IDC Resort, PADI Outstanding Course Director, Best Dive Centre Thailand — and it’s not marketing: these awards reflect genuinely excellent outcomes for divers.

Courses & Specialties

Big Blue’s standout offering beyond the standard PADI curriculum is their technical diving programme (TDI) and freediving school. If you want to push beyond recreational limits — wreck penetration, deep trimix diving, or breath-hold training — Big Blue has the specialist instructors to guide you safely.

The Divemaster programme here is among the most thorough in Thailand: DMs complete substantial rescue and navigation training and assist on dozens of real dives before receiving their certification.

The Sites

Big Blue operates daily trips to all Koh Tao’s headline sites: Chumphon Pinnacle, Southwest Pinnacle, Sail Rock, and the HTMS Sattakut wreck. Their fast boat fleet minimises transit time, maximising time underwater.