No licence needed
Try Dive
First time underwater. One full day, maximum two students per instructor, at Koh Ma or Sail Rock.
Per person4,200฿
Details
Scuba diving in Koh Phangan · SSI dive centre in Chaloklum
Down here,everything changes
Our own boat leaves Chaloklum at 9:30 for Sail Rock — the best diving in the Gulf of Thailand. Try Dives, Fun Dives and SSI courses from Open Water up, in small groups with patient instructors, and a whale shark if the Gulf feels generous.
20Max on board
2:1Try-dive ratio
9:30Daily departure
400+Divers certified since 2024
Scroll to descend
Choose your way in
Small groups
Most boats leave with 30+ divers. We cap ours at 20, and introductory dives run two students per instructor. Fewer people means real attention underwater, gear assembled without a rush, and space on deck between dives.
9:30 departures
We cast off at 9:30, which puts us at Sail Rock and Koh Ma while other boats are already heading home. Emptier sites, better visibility.
Why
dive
with us
We opened in January 2024 with a clear idea of what a dive day should feel like: safe, unhurried, and genuinely fun. Our SSI instructors have more than ten years of experience leading dives in Egypt, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand — and that standard now lives in Chaloklum, aboard our own boat.
Exclusive routes
Beyond Sail Rock we dive Koh Ma, Little Sail Rock and the oil platform. When conditions allow, certified divers hit several sites in a single day — more marine life, less time travelling.
New 2024 equipment
All of our kit is new as of 2024 and checked every day. Regulators, BCDs and wetsuits in XS to XXL, with official SSI servicing from day one.
- Official SSI dive centre
- Taught in English, Spanish & French
- Part of The Diver's Boat, Koh Tao since 2015
What our divers say
Reviews on Google
Jordan L.
★★★★★5* dive centre for a reason! Our guide / instructor, Boris, was truly fantastic! High energy, funny, patient and such a great character, whilst being completely professional at all times, felt like we were in super safe hands.
The dive itself - wow - Sail Rock is a must do! These dives were like nothing we’d seen before, thousands and thousands of fish, huge schools, and great variety. My particular favourite was the huge schools of barracuda. I sent videos to friends and they thought it was AI 😂😂
We will remember this day for the rest of our lives, and so happy we picked TDB. Don’t think twice, just book.
Chen D.
★★★★★I came to Boris with a real fear of the water but a dream to dive - and he was the perfect choice. 🙏🏼
He explained everything with patience, professionalism, and in such a friendly, easygoing way.
On my first time in the water, I was extremely scared and overwhelmed, but he stayed calm, patient, and supportive the entire time. He gave me the space I needed to adjust, and step by step, we managed to dive together - and in the end of that day, I was even able to dive on my own 🥹
Underwater, he paid attention to every little detail, constantly checked that I was okay, and made me feel completely safe even at depth.
I highly recommend! I enjoyed every single moment. 🤩
Ana Clara B.
★★★★★We had a great experience diving with this school over two different days. The staff is professional, friendly, and safety-focused. The briefings were clear, the equipment was in excellent condition, and everything was very well organized and on time.
We dove at Sail Rock both days, and everything went perfectly. Special thanks to our instructor for filming our dives, we really appreciate having those amazing memories. Highly recommended!
Helmut M.
★★★★★I did my open water diver at the divers boat and I can honestly say everything was perfect. Boris, the owner of the diving school, has a very very good way of introducing newcomers to diving. He was explaining everything very calmly and well structured. His way to teach built up my confidence, so I felt very comfortable when we went for my first 4 open water dives. In general he is a very easy going and funny person. I would definitely come here again to do more diving with him. Also the diving instructor Parth did a very good job at teaching me the confined water exercises and the handling of the diving equipment :)
Josh A.
★★★★★Had an amazing dive yesterday! Absolutely incredible views at Sail Rock! Boris was a really energetic instructor. Very professional with a mix of fun! Would highly recommend if you're feeling unsure he is the guy you need! He also captured some incredible videos of the dive! 10/10
Jaden A.
★★★★★Had a great diving experience. Our first dive was 40 minutes and involved a few learning curves because some of us hadn’t dived for a while and none of us had dived from a boat. Between dives we had a Thai curry lunch and our instructor August was stern but kind in helping us improve on safety and breathing, resulting in the next dive lasting 50 minutes! He wanted to help us and I am a better diver now because of him.
Sam B.
★★★★★My experience with the Open Water course was incredible. The instructor is an absolute pro. He has such a clear and friendly way of explaining things that the course felt very enjoyable.
On the first day, he sat down with me and explained everything I needed to know before diving, with great patience and attention to detail. During my first dive, he was always very attentive, making me feel safe and teaching everything calmly and professionally.
During the second, third, fourth, and fifth dives, he made me feel so comfortable and confident that I was able to fully enjoy the fish and marine life.
I recommend this dive center and the instructor Boris a 100%!
Igor H.
★★★★★Had a very good time fun diving with instructor David and deep diving course with Sebastian with the guidance of instructor Boris!
Friendly and professional crew, nice boat equipped with everything you need - toilet, delicious food, all equipment and more...
Highly recommended 🙏☝️💪👌
Pedro P.
★★★★★Great crew and team! Went on a 2 dives program with them and I couldn’t be happier! I’m not a very experienced diver and it was important for me to have a good dive master or instructor. It was perfect. We were 3 divers plus the dive master. The dives went very smooth and very well guided. We didn’t manage to see the whale shark but we saw a ton of other fish.
A day on the Rungworawan
How your
dive day goes
Sign up at the shop
Drop by the shop in Chaloklum to fill in the registration forms. No gear fitting needed — all the equipment is on the boat, in your size.
Board and cast off
Meet us at the boat on Chaloklum pier at 9:15. We leave at 9:30, choose the route by tide and conditions, and brief you properly on the way out.
First descent
Down the line together. Beginners stay shallow and calm; certified divers go deeper.
Lunch on deck
A hot lunch with rice, plenty of fruit, hot and cold drinks, shade and a swim. Long enough to off-gas properly and talk about what you saw.
Second descent
A different site or a different profile — photography, deeper, or a slow drift for turtles.
Back to the pier
Rinse, log the dive, and if you rented a camera or booked a video, it is yours before you have dried off.
Experiences
Dive today.
Licence optional.
Daily trips to Sail Rock for certified divers and complete beginners alike. Every price below includes your SSI instructor or guide, full equipment, a hot lunch, fruit and drinks on board. Underwater camera rental is 600฿, or have your instructor film your dive for 800฿.
Certified
Fun Dive
1 day · Certified divers
Four divers maximum per guide. Sail Rock, Koh Ma, Little Sail Rock or the oil platform.
3,200฿
More
Beginners
Try Dive
1 day · No certification
Your first breath underwater, two students per instructor, in calm water at Koh Ma.
4,200฿
More
Beginners
Basic Diver
1 day · No certification
A step past the Try Dive: more skills, more bottom time, and a proper taste of diving.
4,900฿
More
All ages
Snorkelling at Sail Rock
1 day · Stay at the surface
Come along for the ride and the view. Good for families, non-divers and nervous first-timers.
1,500฿
MoreSSI courses
Learn properly.
Then keep going.
International SSI training in small groups — maximum four students per instructor, our own boat, and instant digital certification the moment you pass. From your very first breath to Divemaster.
Open Water dives
run at Sail Rock
Start here · 3 days
Open Water Diver
The licence that works everywhere. Three days takes you from the shallows of Koh Ma to certified and independent to 18 metres, anywhere in the world. From 10 years old. More than 400 divers have certified with us since 2024.
- Duration
- 3 days
- Max depth
- 18 m
- Ratio
- 4:1
- Price
- 12,900฿
- All equipment included
- Digital SSI cert, same day
- Boat dives, not pool-only
- Taught in English, Spanish or French
Go further
Advanced Open Water
Build on Open Water: deeper sites, sharper buoyancy, new skills.
2 days
12,500฿
DetailsSpecialty Diver
Our pick after Open Water: Deep + Nitrox, the two specialties that really extend your diving.
2 days
13,500฿
DetailsDeep Specialty
Plan and run dives to 40 m — the full height of Sail Rock.
2 days
8,500฿
DetailsRescue Diver
The course that changes how you dive with other people.
2 days
11,600฿
DetailsNitrox Specialty
Longer bottom time, shorter surface intervals. Done in a day.
1 day
4,500฿
DetailsDivemaster
Go pro: a month of unlimited diving, mentored by our lead instructor.
1 month
36,000฿
DetailsDive sites
Four sites,
one boat
Sail Rock is the headline and it deserves to be. But the reason to dive from Chaloklum is everything else within reach of it.
Move your torch across a site to bring the colour back
All levels
5–40metres
Sail Rock
The famous open-sea pinnacle, and the vertical tunnel through it — The Chimney. One hour out by boat. The best diving in the Gulf of Thailand, and a must-do.
Beginners & courses
5–18metres
Koh Ma
Ten minutes from Chaloklum, no current, and a genuinely healthy hard-coral garden. This is where your first perfect dive happens.
Intermediate
8–20metres
Little Sail Rock
A mini Sail Rock ten minutes east of Chaloklum. Far fewer divers, just as much life. The secret jewel for escaping the crowds.
Advanced · 20+ dives
10–30metres
Oil Platform
An artificial structure standing alone in open water, with huge schools using it as shelter. The most different, most adrenalising dive in the Gulf.
Planning your trip? Read the best time to dive in Koh Phangan, month by month on our blog, or browse all our diving guides.
Rungworawan
Chaloklum, Koh Phangan
Our own boat
The Rungworawan
Spacious, stable and fully equipped. She takes us out to Sail Rock every day, and having our own boat is the whole reason we can run small groups, leave at 9:30, and change the plan when the tide says so.
- Capacity
- 20 max
- Departs
- 9:30
- Wetsuits
- XS–XXL
- Gear
- New 2024
Every regulator, BCD and wetsuit is checked daily and serviced to official SSI schedule. Turn up with a swimsuit; we have the rest in your size.
The Phangan crew
Multilingual,
and actually patient
Our instructors teach in English, Spanish and French, with Italian and German on board for much of the season. Between us we have more than a decade of diving in Egypt, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand — which mostly means we're good at explaining currents and marine life to people who have never worn a mask.
Manager · office & bookings
Ruiyao Wang
Rui is the heart of the shop. She runs the office and every booking, keeps the day on schedule and gives you the welcome you deserve — in English or Chinese.
Manager · lead instructor · SSI #112758
Boris Collado
Diving professionally since 2015 and an SSI instructor since 2022, with more than 5,000 dives behind him. Boris leads the instructors and divemasters, so every trip is safe, fun and matched to your level.
Our ship
Rungworawan
Spacious, stable and fully equipped. She goes to Sail Rock every day. Come on the next trip and be part of her story.
Photo gallery
This is what it
actually looks like
Turtles, whale sharks and smiles underwater — all shot on our own trips out of Chaloklum. No stock photos.
Get in touch
Ready to
dive in?
Message us on WhatsApp and you'll get a real person, usually within the hour. Tell us your level and your dates — or that you have no idea where to start, which is also a perfectly good message to send.
- Phone & WhatsApp+66 95 438 5374
- Emailthaidivingpro@gmail.com
- Shop25, 47 Moo 7, Chaloklum, Koh Phangan, Surat Thani 84280, Thailand
- Shop hours & departuresShop open daily 9:00–19:00 for sign-up · meet at the boat 9:15, departure 9:30 from Chaloklum pier
- PaymentCash or Revolut · deposit to book · full refund if we cancel the boat for weather
I've never dived before. Where do I start?
The Try Dive. One full day, two students per instructor, and no certification needed — you'll breathe underwater for the first time in the calm, current-free water at Koh Ma. If you love it, the Basic Diver and Open Water course pick up from exactly where you finished.
How old do you have to be to dive?
8 years old for the Try Dive, and 10 for the Basic Diver and the SSI Open Water course. Children who are too young to dive can snorkel at Sail Rock from the same boat.
Can we come as a family, or with children?
Yes, and plenty do. Non-divers can join the boat and snorkel at Sail Rock for 1,500฿ while the rest of the group dives. Message us on WhatsApp with your group's ages and experience and we'll put together a plan that keeps everybody happy on the same boat.
Will I see a whale shark?
Honestly, maybe — and that is part of the magic. Sail Rock is one of the best places in the Gulf of Thailand to meet them. The textbook season is April to June, but we have had great encounters in February and September too: they are wild animals on their own schedule. What you will reliably see are big schools of barracuda, batfish and trevally around the pinnacle.
When is the best time to dive Koh Phangan?
We dive all year and the water stays at 28–30°C. Sail Rock is at its clearest from about May to October, often 20–30 m of visibility. From January to April the water carries more plankton, so visibility there is closer to 5–10 m — but that plankton is what feeds the huge schools and draws in the whale sharks, and it is when Koh Ma and Little Sail Rock are at their clearest. The only real pause is the monsoon, roughly November to mid-December, when we close on days the boats can't safely go out.
How do I get to the shop? Do you pick up from hotels?
The shop is in Chaloklum village, on the north coast of Koh Phangan, and the boat leaves from Chaloklum pier. We don't run hotel pick-ups: taxis on the island are expensive, and renting a scooter for the day (around 250฿) is cheaper and easier. Open the map above for directions.
How do I book and pay?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and level. A deposit secures your place, and you can pay in cash or by Revolut. Drop by the shop the day before to fill in the registration forms, then meet us at the boat on Chaloklum pier at 9:15. If we cancel the boat because of the weather, you get a full refund.
What do I need to bring?
A swimsuit, a towel and sun protection. All diving equipment is included — regulators, BCDs and wetsuits in XS to XXL, all new as of 2024 and checked daily. A hot lunch with rice between dives, plenty of fruit and hot and cold drinks are included too. Want a video? Rent an underwater camera for 600฿, or have your instructor film your dive for 800฿.
Which languages do you teach in?
Our instructors teach in English, Spanish and French. For much of the season we also have an instructor who speaks Italian and German, and Russian on some dates — ask when you book. Rui, who runs the office, speaks English and Chinese.