Become a Divemaster! Take the lead and share the wonders of the underwater world with others. Master the skills to guide dives safely and turn your passion into a rewarding career.
Become a Dive Professional with Our Enhanced Divemaster Program
The Divemaster program is your first step into the professional diving world, designed to prepare you for work in dive centers as a certified dive guide, assistant to instructors during courses, and an independent snorkeling instructor.
To enroll, you must be a certified Rescue Diver with solid buoyancy control, strong navigation skills, and the ability to plan and execute deep dives while adhering to safety protocols. Comfort in the water and at least 40 logged dives (including dives in limited visibility) are essential to ensure a smooth progression through the program, typically completed in just 2-4 weeks.
Flexible and Tailored Training
Our program is customized to meet your needs. If additional time is required to hone your skills, we’ll extend the training for as long as necessary. Whether you’re here for a short stay or want to immerse yourself in the island lifestyle, we’ll adapt the schedule to suit your availability.
Every dive in the program is a training dive with an instructor who provides detailed feedback to help you achieve perfection. Select dives will be video-recorded and analyzed during debriefings to accelerate your development. By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to organize dives for other divers and assist instructors as a certified professional.
The Physical Fitness Evaluation
To ensure you’re ready for the demands of professional diving, you’ll need to pass a water fitness evaluation, which includes:
∙Treading water for 15 minutes
∙Swimming 700 meters within 20 minutes using a mask, fins, and snorkel
∙Swimming underwater for 25 meters using a mask and fins
∙Performing a full, unconscious-diver-on-the-surface rescue over a total distance of 100 meters within 8 minutes
More Than Just Standard Training
We go beyond industry standards, offering a program enriched with practical experience and unique learning opportunities:
∙Hands-On Teaching Practice
You’ll gain confidence by assisting in real diving courses, preparing you to guide and teach divers effectively.
∙Rescue Training
Our practical rescue scenarios simulate real-world challenges, ensuring you’re equipped to handle emergencies like a pro.
∙Hyperbaric Medicine Insights
Attend hyperbaric chamber lectures and visits to deepen your understanding of decompression sickness and its management.
∙Marketing and Career Building
Learn how to grow your network, attract clients, and carve out a niche in the diving industry while highlighting your unique strengths.
∙Basic Freediving Training
Develop your breath-holding ability and overall comfort in the water through our complementary freediving sessions, adding valuable skills to your toolkit.
Dive Into an Unforgettable Experience
This course isn’t just about professional training—it’s about living the diving lifestyle on a tropical island. You’ll be welcomed into our tight-knit team of passionate divers, where you’ll explore the best viewpoints, hidden gems, and culinary delights Koh Tao has to offer.
By the end of the program, you’ll not only be a qualified Divemaster but also a part of a community that shares your passion for the ocean. Join us and start your journey toward an exciting career in diving—because this isn’t just a course; it’s a life-changing adventure.
Knowledge is the foundation that every good diver should prioritize. In this course, we aim to provide you with the advanced knowledge required to conduct safe dives and effectively manage emergency situations—as every real dive professional should have.
Throughout the program, you’ll participate in multiple theoretical classes. We’ll start with the basics, helping you revisit and consolidate knowledge from previous courses. From there, we’ll gradually move into more advanced topics, including physics, human physiology, injuries related to compressed gases, decompression theory, equipment, and environmental considerations.
We’ll place significant emphasis on the duties of a dive professional, teaching you how to:
∙ Prepare a dive plan by evaluating dive groups and dive sites
∙ Conduct thorough dive briefings
∙ Supervise dives effectively and address special considerations for various dive types (e.g., night, deep, wreck)
∙ Deliver debriefings that ensure every diver gains something valuable from their experience
Additionally, we’ll cover diving emergencies, such as:
∙ Managing diving accidents
∙ Recognizing and addressing dive injuries
∙ Handling rescues and managing missing diver scenarios
Career Development
A unique aspect of this course is our focus on your career as a dive professional. We’ll explore how to build a successful career as a Divemaster, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge and skills to secure jobs all over the world.
Flexible Learning Experience
To make your learning journey as effective as possible, you’ll gain access to SSI online study materials before the course begins. This will help you prepare and actively engage in lectures, which you can attend online or in person once you arrive in Koh Tao.
This is the most comprehensive diving course designed to help you master all recreational diving skills. We will progress step-by-step to ensure you build confidence and proficiency in every area.
We begin with snorkeling and freediving skills. As a Divemaster, you’ll become a snorkeling instructor, so it’s crucial to perfect these foundational skills. Additionally, basic freediving training is included to make sure you feel completely comfortable in the water without scuba gear.
Next, we move on to Open Water Diver skills. As a Divemaster, you’ll assist instructors during courses, so you’ll need to demonstrate these skills with precision and confidence. You will also work extensively on buoyancy control and maintaining proper horizontal trim, achieving full underwater control. During this phase, you’ll master advanced finning techniques, including frog kicks (forward and backward), helicopter turns, and other movements suited to different environments.
After perfecting basic and buoyancy skills, we’ll focus on rescue skills. These should already be familiar from your Diver Stress & Rescue course, but now you’ll practice them at a professional level. You’ll be trained to confidently demonstrate and apply these skills in real-life emergency scenarios.
Once you’ve mastered rescue skills, we’ll advance to navigation and dive planning. You’ll learn how to create comprehensive dive plans based on the dive site and the needs of your group. This will include planning deep dives, night dives, and leading dives from start to finish. You’ll deliver pre-dive briefings, manage group control during dives, and conduct thorough post-dive debriefings—pointing out what you observed, addressing any issues, and providing guidance for improvement.
During your Divemaster training, you’ll also handle unexpected emergencies in various environmental conditions to prepare you for real-world challenges. To accelerate your progress, some of your dives will be video-recorded and reviewed during debriefing sessions to refine your skills further.
By the end of this program, you’ll be fully equipped to take on the responsibilities of a Divemaster with confidence and professionalism.
As a dive professional, you should be experienced with various types of equipment, from basic gear to advanced setups like wing-style BCs, which are becoming increasingly popular in recreational diving. You’ll also gain familiarity with technical configurations, such as long-hose regulators, enabling you to understand their benefits and assist customers who use them. Training will include efficient assembly, proper adjustment, and minor repairs to handle common equipment issues swiftly and effectively. Unfortunately, many divers own advanced equipment but have no idea how to set it up correctly, which can be seriously dangerous—so as a pro, you need to know how to solve this problem and educate your future customers to avoid hurting themselves.
You’ll refresh your emergency skills, including oxygen delivery and CPR, and practice deploying a DSMB on every dive until it becomes second nature. A strong focus will be placed on monitoring student equipment configurations to ensure proper assembly and prevent issues before entering the water.
Navigation skills will be developed through the use of dive maps, compasses, and the habit of carrying wet notes with drawn maps of dive sites. You’ll also explore the benefits of trim pockets for maintaining proper buoyancy and positioning, enhancing your dives and those of your future fun divers. Additionally, you’ll learn the importance of always carrying a spare mask, a commonly overlooked but essential tool for dive professionals.
Our Divemaster course is not just an ordinary program—it’s an immersive experience designed to prepare you for the responsibilities and challenges of being a dive professional. During your training, you’ll assist our instructors in courses such as Basic Diver, Open Water Diver, and even more advanced levels. Assisting instructors allows you to observe courses from a different perspective, giving you valuable insights into how different professionals conduct their training. Each instructor has their own unique teaching style, and by working alongside them, you’ll learn new techniques and approaches that will help you develop your own professional style as a Divemaster.
A key responsibility of a Divemaster is being a dive guide, and this will be a primary focus of your training. You’ll gain real-world experience by leading groups independently, under instructor supervision, and by observing courses to prepare for your role as a certified assistant. While you’ll practice leading dives, it’s important to note that candidates will never dive alone—there will always be supervision from an instructor to ensure safety and support throughout your training.
Throughout the program, you’ll participate in various types of dives to prepare for different environments and challenges. These include shallow reef dives, deep dives, wreck dives, and night dives. Each dive will build your skills and confidence in guiding divers under different conditions.
Rescue skills are another critical component of Divemaster training. You’ll practice responding to a range of common diving accident scenarios, ensuring you’re fully prepared to act in real emergencies. During the dives you guide, we’ll introduce a variety of surprise challenges, simulating the most common issues you might face as a Divemaster. These exercises are designed to equip you with the confidence and competence to handle any situation that arises during your career.
This course is comprehensive, practical, and tailored to help you become a capable and confident Divemaster. By the end of the program, you’ll have mastered the skills necessary to lead dives, assist instructors, and manage emergencies professionally, always prioritizing the safety and enjoyment of the divers you guide.
After completing this training, you will receive an SSI Divemaster card that allows you to work in any dive center around the World and act as a dive guide for certified divers.
To become a Divemaster, you need prior diving experience and confidence in the water. Typically, a minimum of 40 logged dives is required, along with completion of the Diver Stress and Rescue course, including valid First Aid and Oxygen Provider training. You should be proficient in buoyancy control, comfortable with deep dives, and familiar with diving in limited visibility conditions.
Ideally, if you’re already a Rescue Diver with a Deep Diving specialty and at least 40 logged dives, your Divemaster course will progress smoothly and efficiently, often taking just 2-4 weeks.
During the Divemaster course, you will complete at least 20 training dives under the supervision of an Instructor Trainer. To qualify as a Divemaster, you must log a total of at least 60 dives. Throughout your training, you will refine skills from previous courses such as Open Water Diver, Perfect Buoyancy, Navigation, Deep Diving, Night Diving and Diver Stress & Rescue. You’ll also gain expertise in dive planning, conducting briefings and debriefings, guiding dives, and managing common issues that may arise with other divers. These experiences will prepare you for real-world responsibilities as a professional Divemaster.
Additionally, you’ll enhance your snorkeling and basic freediving skills, which will improve your breath-hold techniques and overall comfort in the water, making you a more versatile and skilled diver.
If you’re new to diving, here’s how to get started:
Begin with the Open Water Diver course, the foundational program where you’ll learn the basics of diving. From there, focus on mastering buoyancy and movement skills during guided training dives. Buoyancy control is one of the most rewarding yet challenging skills to perfect, but with the support of experienced instructors, you can achieve it in just a few days. Once you feel confident in the water and can control your movements effectively, you’ll advance to mastering deep dive navigation and handling dives in limited visibility.
The next milestone is the Rescue Diver course, which equips you with vital skills to manage emergencies both above and below the water. This includes providing first aid and administering oxygen, helping you build the confidence and ability to assist others during diving scenarios.
This foundational training—typically involving around 40 dives over the course of 4 weeks—prepares you to embark on the Divemaster course, your first step toward becoming a professional diver. The complete journey from beginner to Divemaster usually takes about 8 weeks of focused and intensive training.
For those starting from scratch, we offer Scuba Camp programs designed to guide you through every step of the process. Whether you’re pursuing a career in diving or simply seeking to take your skills to the next level, we’re here to support you at every stage of your underwater journey!
Course Cost
The total price for the Divemaster course is THB 40,000.
This fee covers:
∙ All in-water training, pool sessions, and boat dives
∙ Academic sessions and training materials
∙ Equipment rental during the course
∙ Instructor support
∙ SSI fees
There are no hidden costs associated with the course!
Equipment Requirements
While basic equipment is provided during the course, we strongly recommend that candidates begin investing in their own gear—especially a dive computer—as owning your own set is essential for working professionally in the diving industry after certification.
To support this, we offer discounted prices on equipment such as:
∙ Scuba Regulators
∙ Buoyancy Compensators (BCs)
∙ Boots and fins
∙ DSMBs
∙ Compasses
∙ Wet notes
∙ Cutting tools, and more.
This ensures that you can start building a quality dive kit without breaking the bank.
Insurance
While basic dive insurance is included during training dives with SSI, we highly recommend purchasing a comprehensive private insurance plan for worldwide coverage all year round. This ensures you’re protected during both training and recreational dives. For reliable options, check out www.dan.org.
Accommodation
When you’re not underwater, you’ll need a comfortable place to relax. Koh Tao offers a range of accommodation to suit different budgets:
∙ Budget Options:
Around THB 9,000/month for a cozy bedsit with a fan and private bathroom.
∙ Premium Options:
Up to THB 20,000/month for more luxurious spaces, like a room with air conditioning and a balcony overlooking stunning views.
Food Costs
Thai cuisine is both delicious and affordable, with meals typically costing THB 80–120. However, keep in mind that Western meals on the island tend to be more expensive.
Transportation
Koh Tao is a small island, but the tropical heat and hilly terrain make walking long distances challenging. While taxis are available across the island, they can become quite expensive if used regularly.
The most convenient and cost-effective way to get around is by renting a bike.
∙ Bike Rental Cost: Around THB 2,500–3,000 per month.
A bike will give you the freedom to explore the island comfortably and make getting to dive sites, accommodations, and restaurants much easier.
Koh Tao is often referred to as a “diver factory,” and while this stereotype exists for a reason, it doesn’t tell the full story. In some parts of the island, particularly at hostel-style dive centers, there’s an emphasis on quantity over quality, leading to fast-food-style dive courses. This approach can negatively impact both Koh Tao’s reputation and the learning experience for aspiring divers.
However, when you choose a diving center that prioritizes quality training and a personal approach, Koh Tao becomes an exceptional destination for a Divemaster course.
Why Koh Tao?
Perfect Diving Conditions:
Koh Tao boasts warm water and air year-round, creating an ideal environment for training.
Diverse Dive Sites:
With around 30 dive sites, there’s something for everyone:
∙ Shallow reefs for building foundational skills
∙ Deep reefs for mastering advanced techniques
∙ Wrecks and caverns for exploration and adventurous dives
Rich Marine Life: Vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine creatures make every dive a memorable experience.
Beyond diving, Koh Tao offers plenty to enrich your experience:
∙ Nature & Adventure: Hike through the jungle to stunning viewpoints, snorkel off coral-filled beaches, or climb at well-equipped indoor and outdoor facilities.
∙ Fitness & Wellness: The island features a variety of gyms, Muay Thai classes, yoga studios, meditation spaces, and even ice baths for relaxation and recovery.
∙ Nightlife & Entertainment: Enjoy jungle and secret parties, live music bars, karaoke nights, ladyboy shows, and much more.
This diverse mix of activities makes Koh Tao not just a fantastic place to learn diving but also a tropical haven to enjoy island life.
Choosing the Right Diving Center
When it comes to your Divemaster course, choosing the right instructor is even more important than the diving center itself. A diving center provides the classroom, pool, and boat, ensuring your equipment works and you have access to training facilities—important, but not the defining factor in the quality of your training. The true difference lies in your instructor.
Your instructor is the person who will guide you above and underwater, shaping your diving skills and mindset. To ensure a rewarding and comprehensive experience, prioritize instructors who:
∙ Have Global Experience: An instructor with teaching experience in diverse conditions—from tropical waters to colder climates—brings a wealth of knowledge that can help you adapt to various challenges.
∙ Have Trained Many Students: Instructors who have worked with a wide range of people and learned different teaching methods are better equipped to tailor their approach to your needs.
∙ Teach with Passion: Choose an instructor who loves what they do, dedicating their time and effort to guiding you through every stage of the course. Their enthusiasm will enhance your learning experience.
What to Look for in a Program
The best programs emphasize:
∙ Personalized Approach: Small group sizes and flexible schedules ensure individual attention and allow the course to progress at a pace that works for you. A Divemaster course is a professional program requiring effort from both the candidate and the instructor, and flexibility ensures your unique needs are met.
∙ Diving with an Instructor and Real-World Experience: Regular dives with an instructor provide hands-on learning and immediate feedback, helping you build skills effectively. Additionally, assisting instructors during real training sessions gives you invaluable experience managing students, handling diverse scenarios, and applying your knowledge in practical situations.
∙ Video Analysis and Debriefing: Recorded dives allow for detailed analysis, enabling you to identify areas for improvement and refine your techniques.
Beware of programs that advertise “unlimited dives” but lack meaningful instruction. These often involve just a handful of dives with an instructor, with the rest as unstructured “fun dives.” Without proper feedback, this approach limits your ability to improve and grow as a diver.
Our Approach
We incorporate all these essential elements to create a professional and enriching training environment. With a focus on structured learning, practical skills, and real-world preparation, we ensure that Divemaster candidates graduate with the confidence and competence needed to thrive in the diving industry.
With the right approach and a dedicated instructor, your Divemaster training can be a transformative journey. Choose quality training, and make the most of this incredible opportunity!
The Divemaster course usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on your starting skill level. If you already meet the entry requirements and feel confident with your current diving skills, the course should be smooth and straightforward for you.
To get started, you’ll need at least 40 logged dives and familiarity with skills from courses like Open Water Diver and Diver Stress and Rescue. If you’ve got good buoyancy control, know a few kicking techniques, feel comfortable using a compass, and have experience with limited visibility and deep dives, you’re all set to dive into the course with ease!
During the course, you’ll learn to master recreational diving skills, give dive briefings, and manage groups. Some parts, like group control, might feel tricky at first, but don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. With our flexible schedule and small group sizes, you’ll have all the time and support you need to progress at your own pace and feel confident by the end.
And hey, if you’re feeling a little rusty on things like reading dive maps or rescue skills, that’s totally okay! We’ll go over everything during the course. Maybe it’s been a while since your last training, or you didn’t feel 100% prepared after your previous courses – no problem. We’re here to help everyone finish the course at the same high level, ready to take on the diving world as a professional.
If that means spending a bit more time to get you there, we’re all for it! We’ll extend the course as needed to make sure you’re confident and skilled. With our personal approach and supportive vibe, you’ll always feel like you’re in good hands.
Becoming a Divemaster isn’t super hard, but it does take effort and commitment. There will be plenty of academic sessions, pool practice, and boat dives. We’ll go over everything from your earlier courses, like rescue skills and other important techniques. These won’t just be fun dives – they’re real training dives to prepare you for the next level.
And just so you know, we don’t hand out the Divemaster title just because you’ve paid or logged a certain number of dives. Fun dives are great, but they’re not counted as training dives here. Your certification is something you’ll truly earn through learning and effort.
Now, about those 4 – 6-month Divemaster courses you might have heard of… Why do they take so long? Well, in some places, the idea is that the more fun dives you do, the better you’ll be. Unfortunately, that’s not really how it works.
Doing fun dives without feedback won’t take you to the next level. What actually helps you grow is training dives with an experienced instructor who can give you tips and help you improve.
We’ve also seen trainees being treated as free workers – carrying tanks, cleaning gear, or tidying up equipment rooms. Some places call that “learning.” But let’s be honest, how much do you really learn about being a dive guide by scrubbing gear?
For us, the real learning happens:
∙ In the water, doing dives together with instructors, practicing skills, and focusing on becoming the best dive guide you can be
∙ In the classroom, where you analyze dive footage (yes, we do record your training dives), spot mistakes, and discuss improvements
∙ During academics where we repeat the theory from the Divemaster manual and Science of Diving
Sure, everyone pitches in here and there, but we’re here to make you a great dive guide, not a cleaner or tank carrier.
It all depends on your cost of living! As a Divemaster, you can earn enough to cover your basic needs like accommodation and food. In Thailand, Divemasters typically make around 25,000–35,000 THB per month.
However, it’s no secret that diving instructors earn significantly more. Instructors can make anywhere from 40,000 to even 100,000 THB per month, depending on their experience and the location they work in.
For context:
Renting a basic bungalow on Koh Tao costs about 10,000 THB per month.
Meals range from 80 to 120 THB per dish, especially if you stick to delicious Thai food.
With this income, an instructor can live comfortably and even save some money. That’s why it’s worth considering the option of becoming an instructor shortly after completing your Divemaster certification. The investment in becoming an instructor can open up a much more sustainable and rewarding career path in the diving industry.
One of our core philosophies is quality over quantity. We focus on purposeful training dives that are designed to help you become a confident and capable dive professional. While we don’t advertise “unlimited dives,” you’ll dive as much as it takes to reach the level of skill and confidence required to succeed.
Here’s what you can expect:
∙ All training dives are conducted with an experienced instructor in small groups (maximum 3:1).
∙ Some dives will be video-recorded to review your performance, analyze progress, and identify areas for improvement.
∙ You’ll receive plenty of personalized feedback, helping you understand exactly what to focus on to reach the next level.
We don’t set a strict limit on the number of training dives, but we also don’t offer unlimited fun dives or an indefinite course duration. This approach ensures that our program attracts candidates who are serious about becoming professional divers, not those looking for free fun dives over several months.
Many Divemaster courses advertise “unlimited fun dives,” but this often leads to poor results. In such programs, candidates may perform only a handful of dives with an instructor and spend the rest of their time on unstructured fun dives. They might finish with over 100 logged dives, but if 90% of those were just for fun, they often lack the skills and knowledge needed to work professionally in the diving industry.
The number of dives doesn’t matter—it’s the quality of those dives and what you learn from them that truly counts.
For example:
∙ A diver with 60 well-structured training dives is often better prepared than one with hundreds of fun dives
∙ Without proper feedback, even divers with over hundreds of logged dives can struggle with basic skills like buoyancy control or positioning
I’ve personally seen divers who didn’t realize they needed improvement until I showed them video footage of their dives. On the other hand, divers who approach each dive with the intention to learn and grow can develop much more quickly and effectively.
The Myth of Fun Dives
There’s a common misconception that doing as many fun dives as possible will make you a great diver. But let’s imagine your diving courses weren’t conducted thoroughly. You then go on to complete 50–100 fun dives without any structured feedback. What happens? You’re likely repeating the same mistakes, such as struggling with buoyancy, maintaining poor positioning, or neglecting essential safety skills.
For example, how many times during your fun dives have you practiced mask removal and replacement? Do you know how to handle an out-of-air situation quickly and effectively? Have you ever considered carrying a spare mask in case your strap breaks, or are you still relying on luck?
Fun dives typically don’t focus on these critical skills. Without structured training, it’s easy to fall into bad habits that are hard to unlearn.
Our Goal
We aim to prepare you for a successful career as a Divemaster by emphasizing quality training, personalized attention, and meaningful progress. Each dive is an opportunity to refine your skills and grow as a diver, ensuring you’re truly ready for the professional diving world.
If you’re looking for a program that values focused training over unstructured fun dives, you’ll feel right at home with us!
Divemaster Training
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