AquaTao

Established in 2012, AquaTao has been a fixture of the Koh Tao diving community for over a decade. Located in Mae Haad, just a two-minute walk from the pier, the centre is easily accessible from all parts of the island.

As an SSI Dive Resort, the centre focuses on personalised instruction and environmental stewardship. They have moved away from single-use plastics to protect the local reef ecosystems, ensuring that your presence on the water is as sustainable as possible.

The team is led by founders Dj and Coco, who have built the centre on a foundation of safety and professional expertise. The staff is multilingual, capable of conducting training and guiding in English, French, and Thai.

Instruction is kept intimate, with a strict ratio of no more than four divers per guide. This ensures that whether you are completing your first Scuba Diver course or training for a Divemaster qualification, you receive the individual attention required for safe and effective learning.

AquaTao offers a comprehensive curriculum through SSI, catering to every stage of a diver's journey. Beginners can start with a Try Dive or the Scuba Diver course, progressing through Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver.

For those looking to deepen their skills or enter the professional ranks, the centre provides specialties such as Nitrox, Deep Diver, and Wreck Diver. Professional pathways are also fully supported, with courses available for Rescue Diver, Divemaster, and Assistant Instructor.

The Aqua-Boat is a custom-designed vessel tailored specifically for the needs of divers. It features a dedicated upper deck for viewing and a shaded area to provide relief from the sun during transit.

On board, you will find dedicated storage for your kit, marine toilets, and freshwater showers. To keep you fuelled during the day, the boat is equipped with a bar and provides water, snacks, fruit, biscuits, tea, coffee, and sandwiches.

The centre provides a full range of high-end Scubapro equipment for hire, ensuring reliability for every dive. This includes regulators, BCDs, and other essential kit for those not travelling with their own.

Shore-based facilities include a modern reception area, a dedicated equipment zone, and a climate-controlled classroom for theory sessions. For your convenience after a day in the salt water, there are showers and changing areas available on-site.

The reefs around Koh Tao are vibrant, populated by colourful reef fish including butterflyfish (Chaetodon), surgeonfish (Acanthuridae), and various species of snapper. You will frequently see schools of fusiliers (Caesio) and large groups of trevally moving through the water.

Larger residents include green turtles (Chelonia mydas), blue-spotted stingrays, and various species of rays. During specific seasons in March, April, October, and November, you may have the opportunity to encounter the whale shark (Rhincodon typus).

For macro enthusiasts, the sites offer plenty of smaller treasures. Keep an eye out for nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), various crustaceans, shrimp (Caridea), and crabs (Brachyura) tucked into the reef structure.

Fixed life is abundant, with healthy populations of hard corals (Scleractinia) and soft corals (Alcyonacea) providing the habitat. You will also find various sponges (Porifera), sea anemones (Actiniaria), and gorgonians throughout the dive sites.

Diving in this region is generally characterised by low currents and infrequent swell. Most sites are sheltered, though some more exposed locations like Shark Island can experience moderate currents.

While the area is accessible year-round, the period from late October to mid-December is the rainiest season. However, rainfall is often intermittent and does not necessarily prevent diving opportunities.