Koh Tao Diving

Diving with Big Bubble

Welcome to Big Bubble Dive Resort! On your endless quest to find the perfect destination for your next diving vacation, you have found one of the longest established dive centers on Koh Tao, in Thailand. Even though we have modernized our facilities and streamlined our services over the many years, we do our best to keep the spirit of the “good old days” of Turtle Island up and running. This is only a part of what makes us different to the other dive centers on Koh Tao.
We still offer our guests a relaxed and laid back atmosphere and super chilled out diving for both, scuba diving lessons and fun dives. You can, for example, start your diving adventures by simply discovering scuba diving on a sunny afternoon. This is really cool and anybody can do it! A PADI professional will be at your side during the whole scuba diving introduction. Once you found out how great it feels, to breathe under water, to behave like a fish and to float weightless like an astronaut in space, you can easily go on to the next step and get a real PADI scuba diving certification in only a few days. The PADI Open Water Diving Course is worldwide recognized, so that once you have been certified, you can go diving with a dive buddy, anywhere in the world!

Why learn to dive with Big Bubble?

• Our highly trained staff sets great value upon safety for all divers and snorkelers.
• We teach and set standards on marine biology and environmental awareness.
• We offer all PADI Scuba Diving Courses in many languages.
• We guarantee that you will dive in a small group and enjoy a great service!
• Our dive schedule allows smaller groups and longer dive times for our fun divers.
• We ride on a big dive boat with lots of space to gear up. We call it “Big Boat”
• We offer all our students the best individual dive education possible.
• We provide high class dive equipment and comfortable air cooled classrooms.
• We start later in the morning to avoid crowded dive sites and give you some rest.
• Big Bubble is an international PADI 5 Star Dive Resort with a spotless reputation.
• We have successfully conducted scuba diving courses for more than 15 years.
• Big Bubbles’ scuba diving packages are amongst the best on Koh Tao.
• We additionally offer all services like – accommodation and tickets for bus, train or plane!
• But most of all; diving with Big Bubble is relaxed, free of worries and a lot more FUN than anywhere else!

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For more information about Big Bubble Dive Resort, scuba diving courses and the island Koh Tao itself, visit also: www.bigbubble.info To stay informed about new events on Koh Tao and new developments on this website, subscribe to our RSS Newsletter here.

Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) – Introduction Dive

As a comfortable swimmer you might have thought already about taking your first breath under water. But maybe you are still not sure how it will be for you to be fully submerged and to breathe under water. So you would like to try and take a glimpse at the amazing underwater world before you make a final decision to start a real Open Water Course or maybe, if your time is limited, at least the Scuba Diver Certification.

Scuba Diving and Health

The only thing you really need to get started with a scuba diving course is a good health and the right spirit. Thus, before we can start any diving activities, we have to make sure that you’re fit for scuba diving. Therefore you have to be able to answer a short questionnaire with 34 questions about your health and your medical history*.  You can Download the Medical Questionnaire here.  Once you have accomplished the Medic-Form you just need your swimming gear, some sunscreen and you are on the way to discover a new exciting hobby and the beautiful underwater world of Koh Tao.

How does Discover Scuba Diving work?

After you have checked in at Big Bubble Dive Resort, one of our scuba diving instructors will give you a briefing about some essential diving skills and some do’s and don’ts underwater. After this theoretical introduction to scuba diving it’s time to get hands on! Your instructor will show you how to set up your diving equipment, explain to you what each part is used for, and how to use your diving gear under water.

Once you are geared up and ready to go, your diving instructor will show you how to enter the water with all the scuba gear.
In a nice and shallow confined water area you will be asked to slowly get down on your knees until your head is submerged and take your first breath underwater. This will probably be your first of many unforgettable underwater experiences.

In the next step of your scuba diving introduction, you will learn to practice the skills that you where briefed and shown by your diving instructor on the surface before. You will for example, learn how to clear your mask in case some water runs in, you will, learn how to recover your regulator if it falls out your mouth because of all the ahh’s and ohh’s of excitement you will feel, and you will also learn how to use the alternate air source, that is always attached to your dive gear. After you feel ready and confident, you can start to explore the beautiful coral reefs and tropical fish of Koh Tao and get used to being weightless.

Wouhh – What’s next?

If the excitement wasn’t enough and you’ve gone all whacko for scuba diving by now, it might be time to get more serious about the sport and start your Open Water Course. A PADI Open Water Certification will allow you to dive independently – with a dive buddy – to a maximum depth of 18m. In case you are a bit short on time, you also have the possibility to settle for a Scuba Diver License now.

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* Please Note: To proof that you are in good health for scuba diving, you should be able to answer all 34 questions in the Medical History Form with “NO”.  In case you have to answer one of the questions in the medical form with “YES”,  you will have to see a physician to make sure that there is no health concern for you while scuba diving. (Please ask him/her for a written statement to bring with) To view the Medical Form, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your Computer. If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free here.

How to get to Paradise?

Many are the roads that lead to Rome Koh Tao as they used to say. Mainly though, there are three ways to get to our beautiful island and finally get your head under water. You can take the bus, the train or you can fly. In any case, you will end up on a ferry boat for the last part of your journey.

With Bus and Boat to Ko Tao

Lets talk about the Buses first. You can get a ticket for a bus in almost every travel agency in Thailand or even in your hotel. The same goes for any other ticket you would like to purchase in the “Land of Smiles”. Traveling is easy in Thailand. The bus to Chumphon leaves in the evening from Bangkok and arrives in the early morning hours at its destination. The bus stops directly at the pier and you will not have to walk far. On the boat, either the catamaran of Lomprayah or the Seatran Fast Ferry Boat, will bring you to Koh Tao in less than two hours. If you have already booked with Big Bubble Dive Resort, someone of our staff will be waiting for you at the pier on Koh Tao and bring you to your accommodation. – Free of Charge, that is!
With Train and Boat to Koh Tao

With Train and Boat to Koh Tao

If you choose to take the train from the north of Thailand, the scenario is almost the same. Besides that you will most probably sleep better in the train than in the bus. The train leaves Bangkok around 7pm and arrives about at 5 O-Clock in Chumphon where a bus will be waiting to bring you to the pier. The bus transfer is included in the price. First and second class sleepers are most comfortable and only a few Baht more expensive than the bus tickets. Click here for all Train Schedules in Thailand

By Plane and Boat to Koh Tao

A considerable bit more expensive is flying; if you catch a flight in the morning though, you can be on Koh Tao already in the afternoon. In this case you would take a flight to Ko Samui, from where you would get on a bus to the Seatran Ferry Boat pier. The boat leaves Samui at 1:30pm. The airport is only about 10-15 minutes from the pier. For Prices, Online Booking and Schedules of Bangkok Airways check this link.

For the adventurous, there are always more ways to Koh Tao, like mini buses, speed boats and other boat companies. For a List of all Ferry Boat Connections to Koh Tao and a Time Table click here.

The PADI Scuba Diver Certification

In case your visit to Koh Tao is too short this time, and you don’t have the full 4 days left to complete an Open Water diving course (OWD), the PADI Scuba Diver Course might just be the right solution for you!
Or maybe you would simply feel safer, and more comfortable, while diving under the supervision and guidance of an experienced diving professional to accompany you at all times. In any case, when circumstances change, the Scuba Diver Certification can be upgraded to a regular PADI Open Water Diver Certification later on in any PADI Diving School worldwide.

What you need to begin with

To obtain the PADI Scuba Diver Certification, one needs to be at least 10 years old. Further on a good physical health is required for scuba diving, which means you should be reasonably fit to learn scuba diving * and you have to be a sufficient swimmer. Other than that you need a swimsuit or shorts some sunscreen and at least 2 1/2 days time. (Don’t worry, it’s not going to take the whole 2 1/2 days off of your holiday calendar, there will still be time to explore Koh Tao, or to spend on one of the islands beautiful beaches)

What you can expect from the PADI Scuba Diver Course

Other than in the previously mentioned Discover Scuba Diving Course, where the goal was to provide an enjoyable afternoon under water without loosing much time on technical instructions, the “PADI Scuba Diver” lessons will take your personal underwater experience and the knowledge about your new hobby, to a completely new dimension.

During these lessons your scuba diving instructor will teach you the fundamentals and the basics of scuba diving. You will learn how to use your diving equipment and you will learn essential skills and important techniques of scuba diving and underwater behavior.
To complete the requirements of your PADI Scuba Diver certification you need to read 3 Knowledge Development Sessions out of the PADI Open Water Diver book, complete three underwater water session in shallow water and two open water dives! Open Water Dives means, we go out in the sea to a maximum depth of 12 meters and see some fish! Here you can explore the reef and watch some colorful tropical fish and some really strange creatures! Hey, and for the first time in your life you won’t have to be worried about breathing under water anymore. Up to this point, breathing under water has already become completely normal for you!

About PADI Scuba Diving Courses

All PADI scuba diving courses are performance based which means that you have to “show mastery of a skill” before you move on to the next skill, saying; that we’re going to take it slowly step by step until you feel comfortable with each new task and skill. This will assure that you will safely learn to dive in a most comfortable and relaxed way.

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* Please Note: To proof that you are in good health for scuba diving, you should be able to answer all 34 questions in the Medical Questionnaire with “NO”. In case you have to answer one of the questions in the medical form with “YES”, you will have to see a physician to make sure that there is no health concern for you while scuba diving. (Please ask him/her for a written statement to bring with) To view the Medical Form, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your Computer. If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free here.

 

Underwater-Wedding on Koh Tao Thailand – The Preparations

For those whom marriage itself isn’t exciting enough, there is always a way to top things up a bit. Nadine and Nico did just that when they decided to marry in Thailand. And let alone that being exciting, they had to top it up again and got married underwater! On December 24th, on bright sunny day, Nadine and Nico got married at Big Bubble Dive Resort in Koh Tao. The day was made by god and guarded by angels, everything went smooth as planed; now may they happily life ever after…
Here are some pictures taken during the time of preparation and the morning before we went diving.

>> Underwater Wedding – On the Boat
>> Underwater Wedding – The Wedding
>> Underwater Wedding – The Party

PADI Open Water Diving Course

Once you have decided to visit Koh Tao, or you are already on the island and you are by now familiar with the sound of dangling scuba tanks early in the morning, you might get the itch to try scuba diving yourself. If you are short on time, you can safely enjoy scuba diving in Koh Tao even without a proper diving certification! For more information about Discovering Scuba Diving follow this link.
If you have three to four days time though, we strongly recommend to obtain your scuba diving certification while you are on Koh Tao. Not only is Koh Tao still one of the cheapest diving destinations in the world, but we also offer a great service for scuba divers and many years of experience in professional and recreational scuba diving on Koh Tao.

About the PADI Open Water Diving Course

First to say; it won’t take you a full four days out of your holiday plans if you decide to follow an Open Water Diving Course on Koh Tao! You will still have plenty of time to enjoy the beaches and go snorkeling or do all kinds of things on the island during the time.

– Day one: The first day is for many guests also the day of arrival, or the second day on Koh Tao, so we will make it short. After an introduction from your personal scuba diving instructor and some necessary paperwork you get to enjoy a 90 minute video about the PADI Open Water Diving Course. This instructive and entertaining picture will show you in detail how your diving course is built and how easy you will learn to dive with the PADI System. Our classrooms are air conditioned and very comfortable.

– Day Two: In the morning, after you had a relaxed breakfast, you will learn about scuba diving in theory first. Your diving instructor will teach you everything there is to know about your new hobby in one of our comfortable classrooms! The PADI diving System is built upon repetition and you will recognize many of the subjects from the video you have already watched the day before. After the lunch break, you will learn how to handle your scuba diving equipment, how to put it on and what all the hoses are for. Then you will get wet! First in shallow water, where you still be able to poke your head out of the water at any time while standing on the ground, you will learn to breathe under water by simply sticking your face in the water and breathing through your regulator. After you mastered your first skill, you will submerge by getting on your knees and your diving instructor will exercise several more skills with you under water. Your first underwater impressions will be in the sea and not in a swimming pool and we promise, that is a lot more exciting than blue walls!

– Day Three: The morning will be filled with some more scuba diving theory to make sure you know all you need to know scuba diving before you get certified. To make sure that this is the case you will have to take a test with 50 questions at the end of your diving lessons. In the afternoon Open Water Diving is on the program! Together with your scuba diving instructor you will make your first Open Water Dives. On your first two dives you will repeat some of the skills you learned on the previous day and also learn some new things. PADI Open Water Dives 1 and 2 are conducted on a maximal depth of 12 meters so you are already scuba diving an we are sure, that by now, you are already having the time of your life!

– Day Four: Is almost pure fun! This time you go out in the morning, together with the already certified scuba divers, to a slightly deeper dive site. Dive 3 and 4 will bring you down to a maximum depth of 18 meters. While most of these two dives are already so-called “fun dives”, there are still some important exercises in between and even some new skills to be learned. At the end of dive four you will be congratulated and warmly welcomed into the ever growing scuba diver community. From now on your whole life has changed, your world has grown by 70 percent and we can almost guarantee that your next holiday destination will be near by the sea!

Book your PADI Open Water Course right here.

Accommodation at Bhora Bhora Resort

The Bhora Bhora resort is built on the hillside right across the street from Big Bubble. The wooden style bungalows are nicely arranged in a colorful tropical garden area providing a beautiful view over the bay of Chalok Ban Kao. All bungalows at Bhora Bhora Resort are provided with bathrooms including shower and toilet and some also have hot water, in case you arrive in the rainy season on Koh Tao. You can as well choose between air-con or fan. All rooms have mosquito nets available.

The resort’s own restaurant serves a wide selection of delicious western and Thai food. Next door to the restaurant, you will find “Rasta Bar”. Enjoy the soft tunes of reggae music, have a relaxed drink in the evening, meet new friends and chat about your latest scuba diving adventures. Since Rasta Bar doesn’t run parties and play load music, the rooms at “Bhora Bhora Resort” remain undisturbed and quiet. The sandy beach of Chalok baan Kao is just one minute away. Many other beaches are in walking distance.

Accommodation with air condition and hot water 1500,- Baht

Bungalows with Fan and cold water 500,- Baht

Bungalows with Fan and hot water 600,- Baht

Please contact us for reservations at Bhora Bhora Resort Koh Tao and/or for more information about scuba diving courses.

 

Underwater-Wedding on Koh Tao Thailand – The Ride

Lots of people chose, expensive cars like Rolls Royce or Bentleys to go to their wedding, others even get nostalgic and ride on horse and wagon to church; not so Nadine and Nico, they choose to marry underwater and that their ride should be the dive boat of Big Bubble! Enjoy some funny pictures of the ride to the first ever underwater wedding of Big Bubble Dive Resort. We all enjoyed this underwater wedding so much that we decided to make it part of our program. So, if YOU would like to get married under water, contact Big Bubble and we will arrange what ever is required for you!

<< Underwater Wedding – Preparation
>> Underwater Wedding – The Wedding
>> Underwater Wedding – The Party

Nadine and Nico’s Underwater Wedding in Thailand

For those whom marriage alone isn’t exciting enough, there is always a way to top things up a bit. Nadine and Nico did just that when they decided to marry not only in Thailand, but also to get married under water! To get married by itself is something so special that it has to be shown to the world and that had to be done in a special way! Both being qualified PADI Scuba Divers, found the idea of getting an underwater wedding more appealing than another idea they had. On December 24th, because x-mas alone on one day, once again isn’t enough for Nadine and Nico, the two got married under water at Big Bubble Dive Resort in Koh Tao.

In the morning, eyes still small, realizing the importance of the day, everybody gathers at Big Bubble dive Resort in Chalok baan Kao. There’s a lot to be done and to be prepared for Nadine and Nico’s underwater wedding.

Underwater Wedding Pictures Part 1

Finally arriving on the dive boat, the photo and video shooting sessions go on. Our wedding couple have become TV stars. On the short ride to the dive site where the underwater wedding is about to take place, is chill-out time.

Underwater Wedding Pictures Part 2

Heads down under, the action may begin. Nadine and Nico are getting married and Big Bubble Dive Resort is having it’s first underwater wedding; everybody is excited, not only the couple that is about to get married.

Underwater Wedding Pictures Part 3

Like on every wedding, there has to be a big party, and this one was huge! At the Rasta Bar in Chalok baan Kao, just opposite of Big Bubble, the underwater wedding celebration went on until the early morning hours.

Underwater Wedding Pictures Part 4

And at the end we all thought that it was such a great and memorable day, that we just want to do it again! Not with Nadine and Nico though, we hope they stay happily together ever after, but if you want to get married once – and you want to do something really, really special, talk to us and let us arrange the most important day of your life for you.

Big Bubble can also arrange a photographer or even an underwater videographer to produce a really cool marriage video and some great shots for the family album. Have a look at the video short version of Nadine and Nicos underwater wedding.

To see the video in high quality, please click on the YouTube link for the moment. Youtube will open in a separate tab or window. Click on “watch in high quality”, right below the video window.

Continuing your scuba diving education with the PADI Advanced Open Water Course will sharpen your diving skills and you will learn many new and exciting tricks and techniques about diving.

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diving Course consists of five dives, each of them designed to either improve your scuba diving skills or to teach you more about one of the many facets of the fascinating underwater world. Two of these five dives are so called ‘core’ or ‘mandatory dives’. The two core dives are, Deep Diving and Navigation Diving and you will have to complete these dives, to obtain your Advanced Open Water Certification. The Deep Diving Lesson will extend your allowed diving depth to 30 meters! The navigation Lesson is very helpful in case you loose your way underwater. The remaining three dives, are your personal choice and you can pick them from a list of adventure dives. For these 3 dives you can choose subjects that actually interest you on a personal level, for instance, if you’re interested in photography in general, then maybe you would like to choose the Underwater Photography dive. PADI offers you quite a variety of dives to choose from.

Here are your options:

• Altitude Diving*
• PADI AWARE Fish Identification
• Boat Diving
• Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPV)
• Drift Diving*
• Dry Suit Diving*
• Multilevel and Computer Diving
• Night Diving
• Peak Performance Buoyancy (PPB)
• Search and Recovery
• Under Water Naturalist
• Underwater Videography
• Wreck Diving.
• Underwater Photography and Digital Photography

*Obviously, some of the adventure dives listed above, are not possible to be completed on Koh Tao. Such as for instance altitude diving (we don’t have a lake on the island over 300 meters in elevation) so we will do our best to make you happy with one of the other dives.

The Advanced Open Water Course takes usually 2-3 days and the price includes the PADI AOWD Book and the use of all standard diving equipment. Our scuba diving equipment is regularly serviced and always in excellent condition!

Big Bubble Dive Resort offers a 10% discount on all continuing diving courses after the PADI Open Water Course!

Book Scuba Diving Courses and Fun Dive Packages here!
Book your PADI Advanced Open Water Course right here!