Ihasia Diving Kohtao

Ihasia Diving has been operating on Koh Tao since 2009, establishing itself as a dedicated SSI training centre. Situated on the calmer side of the island at Chalok beach, the centre avoids the high-traffic feel of more commercial hubs.

The operation is built around a family-style philosophy, prioritising the individual experience over high-volume turnover. This means you are rarely part of a massive crowd, with a focus on ensuring every diver feels comfortable and secure in the water.

The team consists of experienced instructors who provide training in both English and Spanish. This bilingual capability ensures clear communication, which is vital when working through technical skills or safety protocols.

Safety is managed through strict diver-to-guide ratios. For exploration dives, groups are limited to a maximum of four divers, while training sessions for Advanced courses or Discovery dives are kept to just two students per instructor. Open Water courses are capped at three students per guide.

As an SSI affiliated centre, Ihasia Diving offers a comprehensive curriculum ranging from the initial Open Water Diver course to professional-level Divemaster training. They are known for providing more in-water training than the standard requirement, such as offering six dives for the Open Water course instead of four.

Specialised SSI courses are also available to refine your skills, including Nitrox, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, and Perfect Buoyancy. For those looking to master specific disciplines, they offer Navigation, Night Diving, and Computer Diving courses, alongside First Aid training.

Departures are made via traditional longtail boats, which allow for direct embarkation from the sand at Chalok beach. This avoids the need for busy piers or crowded jetties, making the transition from shore to boat much simpler.

On board, you will find refreshments including water, snacks, coffee, tea, and fresh fruit to keep you energised between dives. Nitrox is available for those who require it.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit for those not travelling with their own equipment. This includes regulators, BCDs, and wetsuits, as well as the option to hire dive computers.

All equipment is well-maintained and kept on-site, ensuring you have everything required for both day trips and night diving sessions.

The reefs around Koh Tao are vibrant, featuring a wide array of colourful reef fish. You will regularly encounter schools of fusiliers, snappers, and butterflyfish navigating through the coral gardens. Larger pelagics such as barracuda schools, trevally, and various rays, including blue-spotted stingrays, are also part of the local ecosystem.

Among the larger residents, you can spot sea turtles, moray eels (Muraenidae), and various species of grouper. Look out for the occasional reef shark or blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) cruising the deeper sections of the reef.

For those with a keen eye for macro life, the area hosts a diverse range of smaller creatures. You can find nudibranchs, various crustaceans, shrimp, and octopus (Octopus vulgaris) tucked into the reef structure. Seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), pipefish, and various species of scorpionfish add to the biological diversity of the seabed.

The seafloor is decorated with a rich variety of hard and soft corals, including gorgonians, sea fans, and various sponges (Porifera), providing essential habitat for the many species of clownfish (Amphiprion) and damselfish (Pomacentridae) found here.

Diving in this area is possible year-round. The local waters are generally known for having no strong currents, making it an accessible location for a wide range of certification levels.