So its finally here! Big Blue Freediving. This isn't the first time we've launched BBFreediving but this will be the last! And thats because now we really have a team who know exactly what it is they're doing! Pepe Arcos from Spain is a Gold Medal holder & holds the National record at the indoor Freediving World championships with a distance of 179 Meters & also holds the Natioanl Record at Constant weights with a depth of 91 meters. Flavia Eberhard holds the National record in Brazil with a depth of 74 meters & holds 8 static apnea records including her 5 minutes & 15 seconds on a single breath. Both Pepe & Flavia are the only AIDA International Judges in Thailand. With these 2 as your Big Blue Freediving Instructors we're ready to show you how you too can be as cool as them! Contact us immediately at info@bigbluediving.com for your chance to Freedive like a champion.
“Great value and such friendly people.”
Definitely the friendliest place I've been. Feel like you are with
people you've known for years. The dorm rooms are clean and safe and
everything you need a dorm room to be. And the diving is amazing. Such
friendly instructors and other divers. I did lots of fun dives and every
one lived up to its name. Would go back in an instant if i could.
Definitely the friendliest place I've been. Feel like you are with
people you've known for years. The dorm rooms are clean and safe and
everything you need a dorm room to be. And the diving is amazing. Such
friendly instructors and other divers. I did lots of fun dives and every
one lived up to its name. Would go back in an instant if i could.
Whaleshark seen yesterday at Southwest Pinnacle. Which was nice! Its actually been ages since we last saw a Whaleshark despite having seen over 100 last year. But thinking back a bit before we really only ever had one time of year where you could quite literally promise whalesharks and that was in April! So... guess its the beginning of Whaleshark season. And if this is going to be a good whaleshark season then lets hope we beat the most amount of Whalesharks we've seen at one time. Four! Lets see if we can't beat the record. Five whalesharks on 1 dive... or you're a ponce!
Friday 29th March 2013-
“Awesome diving school!”
I came alone to Koh Tao and decided to do my Open Water here - and can't
be more glad I did. Awesome school, really professional, made me feel
they're teaching me everything I need to know and I get to have great
fun while learning. Donnie was a great instructor!!Coming to the
Island alone this was a great place to meet new people! Made some really
good friends in the course and in the bar (:**DON'T listen to the
useless masks review, don't know anyone that happened to, and didn't
feel like they're trying force me buying them or to get my money in
sneaky ways....**In short - great place!! Go there. You will not regret it.
I came alone to Koh Tao and decided to do my Open Water here - and can't
be more glad I did. Awesome school, really professional, made me feel
they're teaching me everything I need to know and I get to have great
fun while learning. Donnie was a great instructor!!Coming to the
Island alone this was a great place to meet new people! Made some really
good friends in the course and in the bar (:**DON'T listen to the
useless masks review, don't know anyone that happened to, and didn't
feel like they're trying force me buying them or to get my money in
sneaky ways....**In short - great place!! Go there. You will not regret it.
Ex Big Blue student & former ESPN Sports Center anchor Thai Neave has decided that his real passion is travel, adventure and storytelling so has quit the world of celebrity stardom to concentrate on being a global traveller so Thai has entered a competition called the Biggest Baddest Bucketlist & needs our help in order to win! Six Months, Six Continents all expenses Paid! His choice of destinations Oh & when he gets back he'll get a $50000 cash prize! Pretty damn cool! Help Thai win! Vote here http://www.mydestination.com/users/thaineave/bbb#.UVUFl1eDm_y
Thursday 28th March 2013-
“Go here!”
Went to koh Tao with the intention of finding somewhere to complete my
open water diving course and then moving on, but loved it so much I
stayed for 2 weeks, in part because big blue was such a nice place. I
had an instructor called rich for my open water who was excellent,very
competent while still maintaining a relaxed, go at your own pace
atmosphere. Upon completion of that course I decided to do my advanced
open water certificate which was very enjoyable and the instructor I
had, daisy, was again extremely good and made it a highly fun activity
while at the safe time very safe. Accommodation was fairly decent for
free, broiler leaked a little but it's Thailand so oh well! Atmosphere
at the bar/restaurant area was amazing and good was fairly decent. If
you are considering starting diving I would definitely recommend you do
it here!
Went to koh Tao with the intention of finding somewhere to complete my
open water diving course and then moving on, but loved it so much I
stayed for 2 weeks, in part because big blue was such a nice place. I
had an instructor called rich for my open water who was excellent,very
competent while still maintaining a relaxed, go at your own pace
atmosphere. Upon completion of that course I decided to do my advanced
open water certificate which was very enjoyable and the instructor I
had, daisy, was again extremely good and made it a highly fun activity
while at the safe time very safe. Accommodation was fairly decent for
free, broiler leaked a little but it's Thailand so oh well! Atmosphere
at the bar/restaurant area was amazing and good was fairly decent. If
you are considering starting diving I would definitely recommend you do
it here! 
Big Blue Techies had a day at the pool yesterday offering free try outs to anyone interested in Rebreathers, diving with Sidemounted tanks & diving on twin tanks. We had an overwhelming amount of interest which was great to see & with the success of it all have managed to sign up numerous adventurous individuals for all sorts of technical fun & games proving that you don't have to be a fat bloke to be a Tech Diver! For your insight into the future of diving contact our tech diving department info@bigbluetech.net
“Perfect !”
I stayed at big blue for 7 nights in the 6 bed dorm and it was very nice
! I also did the open water and the advanced course andit was very
great ! My instructors were thelma and petra and they did a pretty good
job. They explained everything very good and both of them were very
funny and easy going persons so i really liked the courses and if you
wanna learn diving go big blue, you won't regret ! I surly will go back
to koh tao to make some fundives at big blue!
I stayed at big blue for 7 nights in the 6 bed dorm and it was very nice
! I also did the open water and the advanced course andit was very
great ! My instructors were thelma and petra and they did a pretty good
job. They explained everything very good and both of them were very
funny and easy going persons so i really liked the courses and if you
wanna learn diving go big blue, you won't regret ! I surly will go back
to koh tao to make some fundives at big blue!
This specialty course will help build your confidence, improve your buoyancy and teach you the ins and outs of underwater photography. Learn how to capture some of the awesome life you see underwater, get tips on composition, lighting and editing your photos to turn great memories in beautiful images! 2 DAYS, 4 DIVES
6000 B (15%off for DMTs) Not including camera rental. Camera rental can be organised at Big Blue Diving.
Sunday 24th March 2013-
“Incredible experience!”
Absolutely loved doing the 3 day open water diving course. Our
instructor Iain made all the difference. He was the perfect balance of
patient, professional and fun, I couldn't praise him enough. 5 million
stars!! The videographer Billy also did a fantastic job on our DVD, what
a gem. The atmosphere in the resort is exceptional and I will
definitely be returning to complete the advanced diving course and to
polish off the yummy big blue menu with a few changs!!
Absolutely loved doing the 3 day open water diving course. Our
instructor Iain made all the difference. He was the perfect balance of
patient, professional and fun, I couldn't praise him enough. 5 million
stars!! The videographer Billy also did a fantastic job on our DVD, what
a gem. The atmosphere in the resort is exceptional and I will
definitely be returning to complete the advanced diving course and to
polish off the yummy big blue menu with a few changs!!
Thanks from team Ireland :)
Its going to be an extremely busy period coming up now as we brace ourselves for the post Full Moon Party rush that descends on us from Koh Tao & then the biggest Thai party of the year Songkran! The Thai New Year where the Thai people traditionally celebrate by covering you in water & talc and everyone gets very, very... very drunk! Its an awesome time of year & as I said the island does get really really busy so if you are planning on coming over to visit in the next few weeks then please don't leave your accommodation bookings till the last minute as you'll be paying ten times what you budgeted for that is only if you are lucky enough to find a room! Book your room ahead! www.bigbluediving.com
Its going to be an extremely busy period coming up now as we brace ourselves for the post Full Moon Party rush that descends on us from Koh Tao & then the biggest Thai party of the year Songkran! The Thai New Year where the Thai people traditionally celebrate by covering you in water & talc and everyone gets very, very... very drunk! Its an awesome time of year & as I said the island does get really really busy so if you are planning on coming over to visit in the next few weeks then please don't leave your accommodation bookings till the last minute as you'll be paying ten times what you budgeted for that is only if you are lucky enough to find a room! Book your room ahead! www.bigbluediving.com
Saturday 23rd March 2013-
The Koh Tao Shark & Ray Survey enjoyed it's first nursery success today - we were so excited to receive a call from the local fishermen we are working with early this morning telling us they had accidentally caught 3 blue spotted rays last night. We went over there to collect them and brought them back to our nursery tanks. Next, we made sure they were healthy and not damaged from the fishing nets, then we took measurements and data from the rays (2 males and one very small female!) and took photographs of the spot pattern on their upper body, which is specific to each individual ray and can be used to identify them. We can now use this data to track the ray populations, especially if they are re-sighted. A few hours after they were originally caught, they were released back into the water, where they happily swam straight under some rocks. Just when we thought the day couldn't have been better, late on during a dive at our adopted reef, we saw the small female hiding underneath our coral nursery! The rays had been caught by the fishermen and would have suffered a BBQ death if it had not been for this project and the fishermen who support it. It's great to see the project working, with locals getting involved and some happy rays as a result. Stay tuned for more updates on our Koh Tao Shark & Ray Survey efforts.
“Best decision we ever made!”
The fact that we chose big blue, is the best decision we have made in a
very long time. Our instructor, Simon Garrity, made us feel very
comfortable, and made this course a real joy! I would recommend big blue
to everyone, not only for diving, but also if you are staying in koh
tao. So thank you Chris cherry, Simon Garrity and Ben Hall, for being
the best instructors in the world - and thank you Big blue for an
amazing experience! Love team Norway!
The fact that we chose big blue, is the best decision we have made in a
very long time. Our instructor, Simon Garrity, made us feel very
comfortable, and made this course a real joy! I would recommend big blue
to everyone, not only for diving, but also if you are staying in koh
tao. So thank you Chris cherry, Simon Garrity and Ben Hall, for being
the best instructors in the world - and thank you Big blue for an
amazing experience! Love team Norway! Thursday 21st March 2013-
“Excellent staff...excellent course!”
5 of us completed our 3day open water diving course last week and we
loved every bit of it....was very interesting and we had such a laugh
too...ask for Ian Jordan as we could not have asked for a better
instructor and also Billy the videographer did a GREAT job on our dvd!!
Big Blue was definately one of our best experiences of Thailand!!
5 of us completed our 3day open water diving course last week and we
loved every bit of it....was very interesting and we had such a laugh
too...ask for Ian Jordan as we could not have asked for a better
instructor and also Billy the videographer did a GREAT job on our dvd!!
Big Blue was definately one of our best experiences of Thailand!!
John Huntington is a nightclub promoter whose credits include producing "Pimp n Ho, Rubber, Summer of Love, One night stand, Levi's Mammoth Mountain Concert Series, World fighting alliance, Hart and Huntington, Huntington ink, Inked on A and E and Big Blue Divemaster. He has thrown 6 of the largest 21 and over parties in the HISTORY of the US. He has sold out the Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas 4 times, and the Orleans Arena twice. His shows have been featured on the TV show Wild on E! Locking down the number 3 spot on E's "Wildest Parties" edition, ranking 3rd in the world behind Mardi gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio. Channel 11 news did a story on John and it was quickly nominated for a prized Emmy Award. John will be playing at the Big Blue Bar tomorrow night. Don't miss your chance to listen to this Superstar DJ. Big Blue Beach Bar 9pm tomorrow night! Bring your dancing shoes!
Wednesday 20th March 2013-
“Great people, great diving, and a great time!”
I had an amazing time diving with big blue. It's priced really well. I
got certified in open water diving and the instructors were amazing and I
learned alot and feel immensely comfortable in the water now! The
accommodations were fantastic and well worth the extra 200 baht a night.
Couldn't recommend Big Blue Diving enough it was a fantastic time!
I had an amazing time diving with big blue. It's priced really well. I
got certified in open water diving and the instructors were amazing and I
learned alot and feel immensely comfortable in the water now! The
accommodations were fantastic and well worth the extra 200 baht a night.
Couldn't recommend Big Blue Diving enough it was a fantastic time! Great to see Koh Tao is back to Number One position on Lonely Planets guide for things to do in Thailand. "Scuba virgins from all over flock to Ko Tao to learn how to dive. Not only is this lush, pistachio-coloured island blessed with crystal clear water and trippy coral reefs shallow enough for beginners to explore; it’s also is one of the world’s cheapest and most popular places to get your open-water dive certification." & then if you click through to Things to do on Koh Tao Big Blue Diving still ranks as Number One! The Number One thing to do at the Number One place to go in Thailand! Nice. Thanks very much for the plug Lonely Planet!
Tuesday 19th March 2013-
“Great people, great diving, and a great time!” -
- I had an amazing time diving with big blue. It's priced really well. I
got certified in open water diving and the instructors were amazing and I
learned alot and feel immensely comfortable in the water now! The
accommodations were fantastic and well worth the extra 200 baht a night.
Couldn't recommend Big Blue Diving enough it was a fantastic time!
Monday 18th March 2013-
- I had an amazing time diving with big blue. It's priced really well. I
got certified in open water diving and the instructors were amazing and I
learned alot and feel immensely comfortable in the water now! The
accommodations were fantastic and well worth the extra 200 baht a night.
Couldn't recommend Big Blue Diving enough it was a fantastic time!
SSI Instructor Daisy Wicheloe, also known as Harriet but doesn't actually answer to that name, will be conducting the much in demand Digital Photography specialty course this week. Freeze time with an underwater camera and you tell a story that even
nondivers can understand. Not only that, but you have a record and log
of your adventures – more than the memories. Reliving a dive is as
simple as looking at a photograph.
Whether you’re a casual holiday snapper or a consummate photo pro, the SSI Underwater Photographer course teaches you the basics as they apply
to taking photos underwater, with a special emphasis on practical
techniques. And with a Professional photographer & Instructor of Daisy's calibre who can take this kind of shot you're in good hands!Sunday 17th March 2013-
“Great diving school”
We got her after a recommendation from a friend and the school was
everything he told! Great, friendly staff. Small classes and very good
material. The bar and restaurant are good fun and the rooms are cheap if
you're diving! If you want to dive on Koh Tao, go to Big Blue!!
We got her after a recommendation from a friend and the school was
everything he told! Great, friendly staff. Small classes and very good
material. The bar and restaurant are good fun and the rooms are cheap if
you're diving! If you want to dive on Koh Tao, go to Big Blue!!Friday 15th March 2013-
And its with great sadness that we bid farewell to one of Koh Tao's longest serving Dive Instructors, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, an SSI Dive Control Specialist Trainer, an EFR Instructor Trainer & a DAN Oxygen Instructor Trainer Steve Read who very sadly herniated a disc in his spine last month & has now been told he cannot dive anymore. So sadly Steve has had to quit our team of Instructors & Divemaster Mentors and will be found still on Koh Tao working at one of the islands leading medical clinics. So tonight we will be holding a small party for Steve & hopefully raise a bit of cash to help Steve out with his astronomical medical bill coming his way. Tonights theme is a medical one so expect lots of girls in skimpy nurses outfits, lots of guys in skimoy nurses outfits, a few buckets & an awful lot of hangovers tomorrow. Cheers Steve for all your hard work over the years & don't forget to pop by & buy us a round next time you find yourself here at Big Blue. All the best mate.
“Good diving - Excellent atmosphere”
We Just finished a week on Ko Tao , staying at Big Blue 2 which is a bit
more quiet than big blue 1 and dived nearly every day. You get a
discount on accommodation when diving. Corinna did her Open Water with
instructor Anke and was more than happy about the profund training and
good instructor - you feel very well looked after which is extremely
important when diving first time. It did lots of fun dives and enjoyed
the good group atmosphere. Big Blue managed to grow big but still keep
that familiar feeling you need among divers. Look out for John - crazy
but lovely DJ-dive-master. For sure you will have fun and great dives!
Thanks!
We Just finished a week on Ko Tao , staying at Big Blue 2 which is a bit
more quiet than big blue 1 and dived nearly every day. You get a
discount on accommodation when diving. Corinna did her Open Water with
instructor Anke and was more than happy about the profund training and
good instructor - you feel very well looked after which is extremely
important when diving first time. It did lots of fun dives and enjoyed
the good group atmosphere. Big Blue managed to grow big but still keep
that familiar feeling you need among divers. Look out for John - crazy
but lovely DJ-dive-master. For sure you will have fun and great dives!
Thanks!Thursday 14th March 2013-
Coming into low season in a couple of months so to celebrate we're offering a huge discount on our Villa & Studios for the months of May & June! Grab yourself either a 500 Bt discount PER NIGHT off our Double Bed Studios & Villas with swimming pool! Or take the lot 3 bedrooms with ensuite & 1 kitchen & swimming pool sleeps 7 for not 7000Bt per night but only 5500Bt throughout the months of May & June! Book now for you awesome accommodation discount!So we've made an executive decision & will be offering FREE NITROX on board our new Ponpanawa Full Day Trip boat every day it goes to Sail Rock. What an awesome deal this trip is. Targeted specifically at the Koh Tao certified diver market this boat will be diving 6 Full Day Trips every week. Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays its Sail Rock. Tuesdays we're off to the Angthong Marine Park & Thursdays its the very much unchartered Chumphon Marine Park. Saturdays its Tech Day with some very cool Deep Wrecks & then Sunday we're all off to Church! 3 dives, free Nitrox, breakfast, lunch & chocolate cake all for just 3800 Bt. Big Blue Diving. Thailands premier Dive Center.
Tuesday 12th March 2013-
Today is an incredible day! Manta rays have gained approval for placement under Appendix II of CITES!!! 96 votes in favor vs. 23 against. Only 7 abstains. We're over the moon! Thank you to everyone that has shown their support for the cause! Today is a historical day for not only manta ray conservation, but the conservation of our oceans in general. However this is not the end. The decision could still be overturned at the plenary stage, so a final decision will have to wait until Thursday. In the mean time, please like, share, tweet, retweet to keep letting delegates know that you want sharks and mantas to be protected under CITES.
“Best dive school in Thailand”
- Out of the 52 dive schools in Koh Tao choose Big Blue. It is by far the
best experience you'll get with fantastic staff, a 'part of the family'
feel on site and it's a company with excellent morals and values - for
the environment, it's staff and customers. We completed our SSI
Open Water and our SSI Advanced courses there and stayed on site for
almost a week. We stayed in a twin room, which was clean and quiet.
Rooms are basic - but there's so much to do you'll hardly be in them! Our
instructor for the Open Water course was the wonderful Chloe, a funny,
kind and very patient French lady. I was nervous to begin with but Chloe
was excellent in helping to get over my fear and build my confidence,
so much so that we went on to do the Advanced course and never looked
back. You can request different instructors and I'd recommend Chloe to
everyone! Staff at Big Blue are extremely welcoming, creating a
relaxed, fun environment. There's a bar and restaurant overlooking the
sea, with great views at sunset. The courses are extremely
affordable, the equipment you need is included in the price and good
quality and the teaching is top-rate. Lonely Planet describe it as the
'Goldilocks' of diving schools - not too big, not too small - and
they're spot on.
- Out of the 52 dive schools in Koh Tao choose Big Blue. It is by far the
best experience you'll get with fantastic staff, a 'part of the family'
feel on site and it's a company with excellent morals and values - for
the environment, it's staff and customers. We completed our SSI
Open Water and our SSI Advanced courses there and stayed on site for
almost a week. We stayed in a twin room, which was clean and quiet.
Rooms are basic - but there's so much to do you'll hardly be in them! Our
instructor for the Open Water course was the wonderful Chloe, a funny,
kind and very patient French lady. I was nervous to begin with but Chloe
was excellent in helping to get over my fear and build my confidence,
so much so that we went on to do the Advanced course and never looked
back. You can request different instructors and I'd recommend Chloe to
everyone! Staff at Big Blue are extremely welcoming, creating a
relaxed, fun environment. There's a bar and restaurant overlooking the
sea, with great views at sunset. The courses are extremely
affordable, the equipment you need is included in the price and good
quality and the teaching is top-rate. Lonely Planet describe it as the
'Goldilocks' of diving schools - not too big, not too small - and
they're spot on.Monday 11th March 2013-
Do you love Sharks? Do you want to show your support on the last. most important day of the Conference of CITES in Bangkok? Do you want to be involved with the Koh Tao Shark Project? Join us on MARCH 14th, when we will be launching the Koh Tao Shark Project! We will have a morning of information on how to monitor our sharks, about our shark nursery, about the education centre and tagging scheme for Koh Tao Reef Sharks, and also a chance to learn about the protocol for surveying our sharks on Koh Tao. The morning activities start at 9.30, come when ever you'd like, and if you want to join us on a shark survey expedition and shark egg hunt, then sign up with Big Blue before the day to secure your spot on the boat. The boat will leave around 1pm, and both snorkellers and divers are welcome. After this day, we will all have the same survey techniques available so you know how to survey the sharks at another time using identical protocols, and upload this data onto out Koh Tao Shark Survey public database!
“Incredible Experience”
I did my open water course with Big Blue not too long ago and cannot
stop thinking about diving! Not only did Big Blue teach you everything
you need to know to be comfortable under water but they took the time to
make it an unforgettable experience! The instructors are hilarious and
actually take the time to show you amazing things and make you fall in
love with diving. Ask for little Ant- by far the best instructor there
:D
I did my open water course with Big Blue not too long ago and cannot
stop thinking about diving! Not only did Big Blue teach you everything
you need to know to be comfortable under water but they took the time to
make it an unforgettable experience! The instructors are hilarious and
actually take the time to show you amazing things and make you fall in
love with diving. Ask for little Ant- by far the best instructor there
:D Sunday 10th March 2013-
“Whaleshark!” -
It's all about this mystical big fish at Big Blue diving in Koh Tao.
Luckily we saw one diving the pinnacles on dive 3. Not well aware of how
lucky we were, we still enjoyed very much floating around under water
just looking what this big fish is up to... We did our Open Water
SSI certificate here and I can highly recommend anyone to do the same.
There is not a lot of places on the world where you will get this
quality of diving experience for that kind of money. Our diving
instructor Ant2 was very good and patient with us. Speaking off the
diving instructors, they are all living their dream on Koh Tao and
everyone who's worried about their "qualification because it is
Thailand", I can assure you that I've not had a second of doubts
trusting any of them. Our dives 3 and 4 (so incluing the
whaleshark experience) was filmed by Billy from ACE Marine and we bought
the DVD of him. What a great peace of memory. I was thinking
about doing my PADI in Cairns for roughly 900AUD, now I'm very happy I
did it in Koh Tao for somewhat nearly a third of that price! Highly recommended.
It's all about this mystical big fish at Big Blue diving in Koh Tao.
Luckily we saw one diving the pinnacles on dive 3. Not well aware of how
lucky we were, we still enjoyed very much floating around under water
just looking what this big fish is up to... We did our Open Water
SSI certificate here and I can highly recommend anyone to do the same.
There is not a lot of places on the world where you will get this
quality of diving experience for that kind of money. Our diving
instructor Ant2 was very good and patient with us. Speaking off the
diving instructors, they are all living their dream on Koh Tao and
everyone who's worried about their "qualification because it is
Thailand", I can assure you that I've not had a second of doubts
trusting any of them. Our dives 3 and 4 (so incluing the
whaleshark experience) was filmed by Billy from ACE Marine and we bought
the DVD of him. What a great peace of memory. I was thinking
about doing my PADI in Cairns for roughly 900AUD, now I'm very happy I
did it in Koh Tao for somewhat nearly a third of that price! Highly recommended. Thursday 7th March 2013-
Dear Khun Wimol Jantrarotai, (Thailand Representative at the CITES Convention).
I am taking the time to write to you having read in the papers that Thailand will be opposing the listing of sharks and rays as endangered species. I am a Business partner in a Dive Center here in Thailand with Dive centers on both sides of the country & having been diving in Thailand for over 10 years now I have seen the enormous reduction in sharks & mantas here in the Gulf of Thailand aswell as on the West coast of Thailand. There were days when we would encounter while scuba diving upto 20 Bull sharks, black tip reef sharks & grey nurse sharks. I haven't seen any of these for the past 3 years. Before 2000 when I dived in Koh Tao I would see many Leopard sharks at several of their most popular divesites. Leopard sharks have not been seen on any divesite around Koh Tao for more than 10 years now. In the similans prior to the tsunami we would regularly see upto 10 manta rays at various Divesites around the Similans & Surin Islands. Last year we saw 3 Mantas all season. This year, we have not even had 1 reported Manta ray sighting from anyone who has dived either the Similans or Surin Islands all season! To watch a species that was so rife on Divesites around Thailand literally disappear before our very eyes is extremely disconcerting, not only for the state of these magnificent creatures but for the state of the Scuba Diving industry as a whole here in Thailand. The revenue generated from diving with a Whaleshark or a Manta Ray has been quoted as being in excess of over 1 million dollars per year per creature! Surely the economic value in keeping these creatures alive & a valid attraction for coming to Thailand for tourism is a far better thing to do than to bring these creatures to the brink of extinction for the sake of an expensive bowl of soup! Do hope you will reconsider your position for the sake of all the sharks & mantas you have in your waters & for the sake of the Scuba Diving Industry in Thailand.
Yours sincerely,
Big Blue Diving, Koh Tao, Thailand.
“AWESOME!!! A big school with a family feeling”
After having compared with other schools on Koh Tao, you just can't get
more for your money than at Big Blue. I did my open water diving course +
advanced open water with Petra Bauer an amazing instructor and probably
the best at Big Blue. She was very patient and answered every single
one of my questions and she knows I had many! We had a lot of fun and
laughed a great deal. Finally I ended doing my advanced open water as
well because I just did not want to leave. Gorgeous setup right by the
beach with a nice restaurant (pizza to die for) and small cozy bar.
Almost all the people working there used to be backpackers that fell in
love with the place and just stayed. This gives you a idea how lovely
all the people at Big Blue are. I loved it so much that I am thinking
about moving there an do my dive master course!!!
After having compared with other schools on Koh Tao, you just can't get
more for your money than at Big Blue. I did my open water diving course +
advanced open water with Petra Bauer an amazing instructor and probably
the best at Big Blue. She was very patient and answered every single
one of my questions and she knows I had many! We had a lot of fun and
laughed a great deal. Finally I ended doing my advanced open water as
well because I just did not want to leave. Gorgeous setup right by the
beach with a nice restaurant (pizza to die for) and small cozy bar.
Almost all the people working there used to be backpackers that fell in
love with the place and just stayed. This gives you a idea how lovely
all the people at Big Blue are. I loved it so much that I am thinking
about moving there an do my dive master course!!! Wednesday 6th March 2013-
“Choose Big Blue!”
I will be forever grateful to big blue for allowing me to join a fun
dive at the last minute. I arrived late in the evening to Koh Tao and
only managed to walk into Big Blue at 7:30 pm, to inquire about the dive
schedule the next day. There was a dive first thing in the morning to
Chumpon, the site where whale sharks frequently visit. As a person whose
dream it was to see a whale shark, i would have done anything to get on
that boat. the thing was, I had gotten there too late and the dive
briefing had closed, and for that reason I could obviously not come in
at the last second. However, I begged them and they were kind enough to
call their head instructor who was off shift, and ask him. He was good
enough to allow me to join, even though he didnt have to. I appreciated
that big time. And fate would have it that on that dive the next morning
I did see a whale shark, which was an amazing moment, something i'll
never forget. So yeah, big blue has all the generic things which you
hear on dive reviews: professionalism, good equipment, great staff etc.
but above all else they saw me as a person who really wanted to get on
that dive, and not another client who represented only money for them.
For that, dive with big blue. They deserve itIn preparation for the meeting of leaders at the Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) on March 14th in Bangkok, The Koh Tao Shark Project is having a shark day! We will be unveiling our new shark nursery, where we intend to raise sharks and tag them before releasing them back into the Koh Tao waters, along with our new shark education centre at the Save Koh Tao office. We will also be conducting our next shark survey at Shark bay, but this month with a twist - we will have the usual snorkellers identifying and recording Blacktip and other reef shark populations at Shark Bay, but we will also have a team of divers looking for Bamboo Shark eggs to put into our new nursery! The nursery has now been constructed outside the Big Blue Conservation Ecolab, where they get constant protection and maintenance. Eggs and juveniles Bamboo sharks will be raised to a healthy size, tagged, and we will record the sex, size, health and any distinguishing features, then release these beauties back into our waters. This is all in a hope to protect and preserve our shark populations on Koh Tao, now that marine zoning laws mean they are more protected from fishing than before. Come down and visit our nursery, our join in our shark-tastic day later this month!! (Exact date TBC.)
Tuesday 5th March 2013-
Last night was a very special night on Koh Tao. One night a year, if the conditions are right, the corals spawn. Here are Eco Koh Tao's Nathan & his son Kailash collecting the eggs just as they are released from a Symphillia coral colony. These eggs are ready for fertilisation in water tanks waiting on board the dive boat and will hopefully attach to pre-made substrate ready to be returned to the waters around Koh Tao. Awesome work guys. Photo courtesy of Alex Tyrrell - Dive4Photos
“Great value and experience”
I did my open water diving at big blue, had a really nice instructor
called luke and had fun learning to dive. perfect location on the beach
and 4 nights free accommodation and half price after that. I was in a
group of 3 and we were given a private room which was really nice but my
friend had a bad experience in the dorm which she said was full of
mould.
I did my open water diving at big blue, had a really nice instructor
called luke and had fun learning to dive. perfect location on the beach
and 4 nights free accommodation and half price after that. I was in a
group of 3 and we were given a private room which was really nice but my
friend had a bad experience in the dorm which she said was full of
mould.
the instructors there are easy going and make your time there enjoyable.
Thursday marks the start of our monthly wreck trips with our Techies from big Blue Tech. These trips were cancelled before Christmas as the conditions have not been favorable on the sites. I'm sure you can imagine we are all a little bit excited about heading out later this week! First on the schedule is our old favorite The Unicorn. This large freight ship was scuttled in an attempt to defraud an insurance company, sadly for the owners the fraud was discovered so they didn't get a sausage, but we got a dive site! Next on the schedule is the Torpedo. She is an old Japanese transport vessel sitting upright in 55m of water. No ones been to this site in three years which is why we are keen to get out there again. Anyone interested in joining us please drop us a message info@bigbluetech.com or call at the tech shack.
Thursday marks the start of our monthly wreck trips with our Techies from big Blue Tech. These trips were cancelled before Christmas as the conditions have not been favorable on the sites. I'm sure you can imagine we are all a little bit excited about heading out later this week! First on the schedule is our old favorite The Unicorn. This large freight ship was scuttled in an attempt to defraud an insurance company, sadly for the owners the fraud was discovered so they didn't get a sausage, but we got a dive site! Next on the schedule is the Torpedo. She is an old Japanese transport vessel sitting upright in 55m of water. No ones been to this site in three years which is why we are keen to get out there again. Anyone interested in joining us please drop us a message info@bigbluetech.com or call at the tech shack.
Monday 4th March 2013-
Essential requirements are:
- BSc in a relevant field (Masters preferred)
- Tropical marine fieldwork experience (previous experience in volunteer supervision preferred)
- Divemaster qualification or higher (any agency is fine, SSI preferred) with own equipment
- Can show dedication to conservation and highly motivated
- Volunteer supervision and training through our expedition conservation skill development program
- Organising events and conservation activities such as artificial reef construction and beach and underwater clean-ups
- Assist other Big Blue conservation staff and act as a role model and advocate for conservation
- Assisting with reporting project updates and research
- Maintenance of science equipment inventories and requesting re-supplies
- Regular meetings with local stakeholders at the Save Koh Tao meetings
- General training site maintenance and promotion
Personal benefits include
- Author and co-author Big Blue Conservation publications and reports
- Enhance research experience
- Live on our beautiful tropical island as part of the Big Blue family
- Diving opportunities and enhance your dive training
- Liaise with local communities
“Awesome service”
We completed our open water and advance dive courses with big blue in
feb 2013. We were very impressed with the organisation of the company as
well as the laid back, enthusiastic yet highly professional approach of
the instructors. Our instructor, Rick was absolutely terrific and can't
be commended enough for his superb teaching and infinite patience. He
is a real asset to the company and I can't recommend him highly enough.
The diving was really varied as well and Koh Tao proved an excellent
introduction to the world of diving.
We completed our open water and advance dive courses with big blue in
feb 2013. We were very impressed with the organisation of the company as
well as the laid back, enthusiastic yet highly professional approach of
the instructors. Our instructor, Rick was absolutely terrific and can't
be commended enough for his superb teaching and infinite patience. He
is a real asset to the company and I can't recommend him highly enough.
The diving was really varied as well and Koh Tao proved an excellent
introduction to the world of diving.
"DIVERS WANTED" Anyone looking for work on Koh Tao or Khao Lak can now use this app on any android. "divers wanted". If you are a dive center who wants to use this to find freelancers or full time employees please mesage or e mail me at diverswantedapp@gmail.com and we can change your app to shop mode. If you don't have a Smart phone or you have an Iphone you can email us diverswantedapp@gmail.com & we will add you! This is FREE and 25 dive schools on Koh Tao are now using it. Two schools have even bought a samsung phone just to use the app.
Sunday 3rd March 2013-
Thanks to everyone at Big Blue who helped with the clean up on Saturday, we had 35 people and collected 14 kgs of rubbish from north Sairee beach, and 28 people and 25 kgs of rubbish and a big metal pole when we cleaned South Mae Haad. Cheers everyone! Such a great spirit of camaraderie among everyone who helped out. Amazing how much fun can be had picking up rubbish. Imagine if the rest of the world could feel the same experience!
“Big love for big blue!”
So your thinking of diving with big blue ey? As an experienced traveler
and self appointed expert level explorer, this place is at the top of my
favorite things of all times list. Which is quite a high honor. Our
diving instructor Mini Ant was extremely knowledgable in all things
diving, but also threw in some humor when he sensed our fading attention
spans. In fact he was such a diving extraordinaire we were (pretty
easily) compelled to continue on in our diving studies and partake in
the advanced course as well. I highly suggest staying to complete both
your open water and advanced courses, as they both go hand in hand and
you will receive an even more spectacular diving experience. I mean who
would say no to diving an old ship wreck? Or at night! Just don't drop
your flashlight on that one.. But if you do, you are sure to have a
always prepared dive master such as Alex Henk to find it for you before
you even realize you have lost it. We also did some fun dives with dive
master Darren, whose high energy level and witty comments helped
stimulate my growingly groggy "island brain" and made for a hilarious
day of diving. My biggest piece of advice is to allow plenty of time
there. The courses themselves may only take a few days to complete, but
seeing as you aren't supposed to drink durning these seemingly long
periods of time, you should allow for alcohol consumption buffer days
between courses. That's what any responsible drinker/diver such as
myself would do.
So your thinking of diving with big blue ey? As an experienced traveler
and self appointed expert level explorer, this place is at the top of my
favorite things of all times list. Which is quite a high honor. Our
diving instructor Mini Ant was extremely knowledgable in all things
diving, but also threw in some humor when he sensed our fading attention
spans. In fact he was such a diving extraordinaire we were (pretty
easily) compelled to continue on in our diving studies and partake in
the advanced course as well. I highly suggest staying to complete both
your open water and advanced courses, as they both go hand in hand and
you will receive an even more spectacular diving experience. I mean who
would say no to diving an old ship wreck? Or at night! Just don't drop
your flashlight on that one.. But if you do, you are sure to have a
always prepared dive master such as Alex Henk to find it for you before
you even realize you have lost it. We also did some fun dives with dive
master Darren, whose high energy level and witty comments helped
stimulate my growingly groggy "island brain" and made for a hilarious
day of diving. My biggest piece of advice is to allow plenty of time
there. The courses themselves may only take a few days to complete, but
seeing as you aren't supposed to drink durning these seemingly long
periods of time, you should allow for alcohol consumption buffer days
between courses. That's what any responsible drinker/diver such as
myself would do. Friday 1st March 2013-
“Funsies in the Sunsies”-
I think I'm having severe physical withdrawal after leaving Big Blue and
Koh Tao. Don't be alarmed, I will (probably) be alright, but I did find
myself scouring the Big Blue website like a lost puppy earlier. I also
apologize for the title of my review. I thought I could pull off the
word "funsies."I came to Big Blue at the end of January to do my
open water course and found myself in a carefully selected group with
our instructor, mini Ant. Although he had a gimp pinky finger, we were
able to look past it on account of his superior dive-language. (That's
like sign language for divers, but I just Bradgelina'd it) His knowledge
of diving is apparent and I appreciated his uncanny ability to put up
with 5 blondes who couldn't figure out how to zip up a wetsuit. Thanks
to mini Ant, I am now not only a pro diver, but know that when it comes
to defogging a mask, "the greener the cleaner." Knowledge is truly
power. I went on to do my advanced course with Marty where I
learned to navigate and become a modern day Lewis and Clark. I was also
able to do fun dives with the self proclaimed "best dive master in all
of Koh Tao...no wait, the world," Darren. Darren may be one of the most
profound dive masters there are, so pay him a visit. He also gets
overwhelmingly excited about finding razor fish, crocodile fish, and
other minuscule things that I can't recall but know are undoubtably
important to him. So you should all probably come to Big Blue.
The water is waiting for you. And the bar, lets not forget about the
bar. That's pretty important too...
I think I'm having severe physical withdrawal after leaving Big Blue and
Koh Tao. Don't be alarmed, I will (probably) be alright, but I did find
myself scouring the Big Blue website like a lost puppy earlier. I also
apologize for the title of my review. I thought I could pull off the
word "funsies."I came to Big Blue at the end of January to do my
open water course and found myself in a carefully selected group with
our instructor, mini Ant. Although he had a gimp pinky finger, we were
able to look past it on account of his superior dive-language. (That's
like sign language for divers, but I just Bradgelina'd it) His knowledge
of diving is apparent and I appreciated his uncanny ability to put up
with 5 blondes who couldn't figure out how to zip up a wetsuit. Thanks
to mini Ant, I am now not only a pro diver, but know that when it comes
to defogging a mask, "the greener the cleaner." Knowledge is truly
power. I went on to do my advanced course with Marty where I
learned to navigate and become a modern day Lewis and Clark. I was also
able to do fun dives with the self proclaimed "best dive master in all
of Koh Tao...no wait, the world," Darren. Darren may be one of the most
profound dive masters there are, so pay him a visit. He also gets
overwhelmingly excited about finding razor fish, crocodile fish, and
other minuscule things that I can't recall but know are undoubtably
important to him. So you should all probably come to Big Blue.
The water is waiting for you. And the bar, lets not forget about the
bar. That's pretty important too... 
