whaleshark!!! I wish the three of you good luck for everything! I will be pleased if you save my email address and if we could keep in touch. {so Steven...you have discovered right now who I think are the best dive masters...obviously among the ones I dived with} Cheers and Have fun. Valentina
“Adventures, new friends and new skills”
I stayed in the Big Blue diving resort for almost three weeks (and I
didn't want to leave in the end even though I had to). I did the open
water diver course, the advanced and the rescue diver. Especially
the rescue diver course was really good fun and the instructor/assistant
crew was awesome. Our teacher, Irma, was not only a patient and highly
skilled professional but also a warm hearted and humorous friend.
Accompanied by her friends Martiijn and Kevin, who served as assistants
that needed to be rescued by us, we were carefully grown into
self-confident and reliable rescue divers. I really grew fond of the
whole crew and I can only emphasize what an awesome teacher Irma was.
She managed to communicate the necessary skills and knowledge and was
still capable of enabling us to have a lot of fun. After the course,
Irma is still a friend and I am very happy that I had the chance to
encounter such a special person. All in all the time on Koh Tao was
probably one of the best times of my life and I would definitely
recommend Big Blue diving to anyone. The whole staff is really friendly
and welcoming, also the diving courses are good and the diving equipment
is well-maintained.
I stayed in the Big Blue diving resort for almost three weeks (and I
didn't want to leave in the end even though I had to). I did the open
water diver course, the advanced and the rescue diver. Especially
the rescue diver course was really good fun and the instructor/assistant
crew was awesome. Our teacher, Irma, was not only a patient and highly
skilled professional but also a warm hearted and humorous friend.
Accompanied by her friends Martiijn and Kevin, who served as assistants
that needed to be rescued by us, we were carefully grown into
self-confident and reliable rescue divers. I really grew fond of the
whole crew and I can only emphasize what an awesome teacher Irma was.
She managed to communicate the necessary skills and knowledge and was
still capable of enabling us to have a lot of fun. After the course,
Irma is still a friend and I am very happy that I had the chance to
encounter such a special person. All in all the time on Koh Tao was
probably one of the best times of my life and I would definitely
recommend Big Blue diving to anyone. The whole staff is really friendly
and welcoming, also the diving courses are good and the diving equipment
is well-maintained.
I will really miss it! :)
Go Tao. Thailand’s southern arm flung the island of Koh Tao into the Gulf. The island whirred and spun and skipped over the water, wave after wave, until it landed with an effortless splash some 50 miles out to sea. Koh Tao is a gem. The water glistens with a tropical luster. The air smells sweet of seasalt and coconut.
And the people look like they dove straight off the cover of GQ magazine. As far as vacation spots go, Koh Tao is prime rib for relaxing, sunbathing, socializing and general voyeurism. But there are two words that separate Koh Tao from all other vacation spots: Scuba Diving. Capture Koh Tao has over 30 dive sites and operates as a haven for divers and marine conservationists. Forests of colorful coral wrap the island up and offer it as a gift of life, adventure, and research. I’ve often considered the abyss as the final frontier of earth and destiny manifests in diving. May I present Big Blue Diving? Big Blue Diving, meet your future guppies. Big Blue Diving Resort (located on the North end of Sairee beach) was the dive school under whom I received my Advanced Open Waters (AOW) certification in Scuba Diving. Best idea ever. Unlike some of the larger dive resorts that focus on the industry of diving, turning out human product on a conveyor belt; Big Blue behaves as a skilled community of eco-friendly divers wanting to impart their knowledge of the sport while also inspiring respect for the ecosystems in which they explore. It's common practice for staffers of Big Blue to clean the beaches or discuss the reproductive processes of sea cucumbers. Couldn't have picked a more ragtag crew of pirates to scour the ocean floors with. Six of us did five dives under the instruction of professional scalawag Matt ‘Old Fruit’ Waters. Quality Level: Old Fruit expertly guided our hapless troupe with the gentle majesty of an adult Sperm Whale, and all the subtlety of a teenage boy giggling at the phrase ‘Sperm Whale.’ This guy knows how to dive. With extensive military training and a bottomless abyss of diving experience, Old Fruit made my training exactly what I needed as a guppy diver. Not once did I ever feel unsafe. He helped us progress from being screw ups in the pool to screw ups in the ocean. My experience with Big Blue has motivated me to return to Koh Tao in March and complete my training with Old Fruit Waters at Big Blue. If you're interested in diving, conservationism, or just want a good place to stay on Koh Tao go to Big Blue Diving.
Tuesday 30th July 2013- Go Tao. Thailand’s southern arm flung the island of Koh Tao into the Gulf. The island whirred and spun and skipped over the water, wave after wave, until it landed with an effortless splash some 50 miles out to sea. Koh Tao is a gem. The water glistens with a tropical luster. The air smells sweet of seasalt and coconut.
And the people look like they dove straight off the cover of GQ magazine. As far as vacation spots go, Koh Tao is prime rib for relaxing, sunbathing, socializing and general voyeurism. But there are two words that separate Koh Tao from all other vacation spots: Scuba Diving. Capture Koh Tao has over 30 dive sites and operates as a haven for divers and marine conservationists. Forests of colorful coral wrap the island up and offer it as a gift of life, adventure, and research. I’ve often considered the abyss as the final frontier of earth and destiny manifests in diving. May I present Big Blue Diving? Big Blue Diving, meet your future guppies. Big Blue Diving Resort (located on the North end of Sairee beach) was the dive school under whom I received my Advanced Open Waters (AOW) certification in Scuba Diving. Best idea ever. Unlike some of the larger dive resorts that focus on the industry of diving, turning out human product on a conveyor belt; Big Blue behaves as a skilled community of eco-friendly divers wanting to impart their knowledge of the sport while also inspiring respect for the ecosystems in which they explore. It's common practice for staffers of Big Blue to clean the beaches or discuss the reproductive processes of sea cucumbers. Couldn't have picked a more ragtag crew of pirates to scour the ocean floors with. Six of us did five dives under the instruction of professional scalawag Matt ‘Old Fruit’ Waters. Quality Level: Old Fruit expertly guided our hapless troupe with the gentle majesty of an adult Sperm Whale, and all the subtlety of a teenage boy giggling at the phrase ‘Sperm Whale.’ This guy knows how to dive. With extensive military training and a bottomless abyss of diving experience, Old Fruit made my training exactly what I needed as a guppy diver. Not once did I ever feel unsafe. He helped us progress from being screw ups in the pool to screw ups in the ocean. My experience with Big Blue has motivated me to return to Koh Tao in March and complete my training with Old Fruit Waters at Big Blue. If you're interested in diving, conservationism, or just want a good place to stay on Koh Tao go to Big Blue Diving.
“Absolutely amazing scuba diving, great price, location and people!”
Had such a great time doing my advanced open water with big blue. My
instructor Kyle Davis was so great he helped me so much with my two main
issues, equalizing pressure and buoyancy. I feel like I am now a much
improved diver! Big blue has great accommodation, food, location, and
more, everything you would want from a scuba diving trip.
Had such a great time doing my advanced open water with big blue. My
instructor Kyle Davis was so great he helped me so much with my two main
issues, equalizing pressure and buoyancy. I feel like I am now a much
improved diver! Big blue has great accommodation, food, location, and
more, everything you would want from a scuba diving trip. Friday 26th July 2013-
“Absolutely phenomenal!”
My wife and I have just started our year sabbatical and had been advised
by fellow colleagues not to bother with any other dive company, but to
go straight to Big Blue Diving. This advice turned out to be 100%
accurate. Our instructor, Rich, was incredible. As two teachers in one
of Londons top private schools, we feel very qualified to state that
Rich has a natural talent for teaching. His knowledge and delivery
thereof was second to none. His patience and ability to adapt his
teaching style to the individuals in our group reflected excellent
skills in differentiation. He made the course so exciting that we
changed plans and stayed to complete our Advanced. We were also most
fortunate to have Jeff doing his Dive Instructor training and so under
the supervision of Rich, we had excellent instruction. The price for the
courses was good and fair and the entire package is something that will
make us want to return and do other courses. We will of course be,
asking for Rich.
My wife and I have just started our year sabbatical and had been advised
by fellow colleagues not to bother with any other dive company, but to
go straight to Big Blue Diving. This advice turned out to be 100%
accurate. Our instructor, Rich, was incredible. As two teachers in one
of Londons top private schools, we feel very qualified to state that
Rich has a natural talent for teaching. His knowledge and delivery
thereof was second to none. His patience and ability to adapt his
teaching style to the individuals in our group reflected excellent
skills in differentiation. He made the course so exciting that we
changed plans and stayed to complete our Advanced. We were also most
fortunate to have Jeff doing his Dive Instructor training and so under
the supervision of Rich, we had excellent instruction. The price for the
courses was good and fair and the entire package is something that will
make us want to return and do other courses. We will of course be,
asking for Rich.
Right its going to be one heck of a busy day today so I've come in early to fill you in on the latest but I can't muck about it as time is of the essence so its one quick breath.... phooooooooooo &, Day after Full Moon party today, & its peak season so its officially the busiest day of the year next to the Full Moon Parties in August & New Year so maybe the 3rd busiest day of the year but still barmey busy so we got 4 Instructors meeting & greeting today, & they probably won't even get time to eat, & you thought being an Instructor was fun, & all our boats are full especially tomorrow as we have a Full Day trip planned to Sail Rock again & its sunny, hot & sunny, great viz, heaps of fish awesome diving, but no rooms, you should have booked but pop in here anyway & we'll see if there's anything we can do to help you out, which I'm sure there is as we are that helpful, & nice & professional, look forward to seeing you here soon!... and breathe!
Thursday 25th July 2013-
“Highlight of our trip to Thailand!”
Had never gone diving before, but had heard good things about it from
friends. We chose Big Blue based on reviews, and arrived to do the two
day Open Water course. We had such a good time, that we extended our
stay on Koh Tao by five days and completed the advanced course and did
fun dives too. We learned with Phil and Rich as our instructors, who
were immeasurably patient with me when I had trouble equalising on some
dives. Granted the quality of the dive school was high, the greatest
return factor was Phil and Rich, who were extremely friendly,
knowledgable about diving, and such a pleasure to be around that we went
out with them more than once after the dives :) We will be back!
Had never gone diving before, but had heard good things about it from
friends. We chose Big Blue based on reviews, and arrived to do the two
day Open Water course. We had such a good time, that we extended our
stay on Koh Tao by five days and completed the advanced course and did
fun dives too. We learned with Phil and Rich as our instructors, who
were immeasurably patient with me when I had trouble equalising on some
dives. Granted the quality of the dive school was high, the greatest
return factor was Phil and Rich, who were extremely friendly,
knowledgable about diving, and such a pleasure to be around that we went
out with them more than once after the dives :) We will be back!Wednesday 24th July 2013-
I arrived on Koh Tao not knowing which dive school to choose but from
looking at the amazing reviews on trip advisor I chose this one and was
not disappointed at all. I walked to the big blue 1 center which is
right on the beach and was taken through the steps and plans by one of
the instructors in the office. My instructor was Tim, who was amazing
(even with the constant beer fines). He took everybody through the 4
open water course with a friendly but professional manner and is really
brilliant at his job. The food at Big Blue 1 restaurant is excellent and
around the same price as the other beach resorts. You will get cheaper
meals further inland but they come without the awesome view. I
was also lucky enough to have John Huntington on the boat with us
teaching another student to dive, he was brilliant fun to talk to and
also helped me a lot with snorkeling trips I was planning around the
island. (I did get to see some Blacktips by the way John!). Even when
you're not diving, the instructors will help you with any questions you
may have about the island and seem happy to do so. Overall, one
of the best experiences I've had in South East Asia and I'm just annoyed
I didn't get to spend more time there. I will definitely be back to
complete further diving qualifications though! Thanks guys! Especially
Tim and John.
Its the calm before the storm what with the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party tonight so we've donned our rubber gloves & french maids outfits & are knee deep in soap suds & dettol water as we give the place a damn good spring cleaning! We've cleaned out the Poonama Canal, we've exploded the abaondoned Bikes in the car park, & we've cleared out the equipment rooms of all the piles of debris & waste products that have been collecting there over the years & it looks like we're spot on ready & good to go again. All we need now is the Rush! 5... 4... 3... 2... ....
Its the calm before the storm what with the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party tonight so we've donned our rubber gloves & french maids outfits & are knee deep in soap suds & dettol water as we give the place a damn good spring cleaning! We've cleaned out the Poonama Canal, we've exploded the abaondoned Bikes in the car park, & we've cleared out the equipment rooms of all the piles of debris & waste products that have been collecting there over the years & it looks like we're spot on ready & good to go again. All we need now is the Rush! 5... 4... 3... 2... ....
Tuesday 23rd July 2013-
“Rip snorter off a time”
- I chose big blue because off their fantastic reviews on trip advisor. I
was NOT disappointed!!! When I first arrived in Koh Tao I was whisked
away by the friendly big blue sangthew driver and taken to big blue 1.
We were then greeted by a superb Irish instructor G and given the run
through on what was going to happen next. She then arranged the sangthew
driver to take us over to big blue 2 where we were to stay (very
thoughtful as I had quite a load to carry). We gathered to go through
the induction. G was very funny and I was hoping I was going to get here
as my instructor....I did!! Yay!! Pool work and theory was informative
the next day. G's enthusiasm for her job is infectious and makes you
wan't to dive constantly :) dive 1 and 2 (aow leuk and hin ngam),on the
third day were awesome and we all started getting more confidence in the
water. Day four was fantastic, we had and early start but it was worth
getting up for! Our destination was champhon this was by far one of the
best dive spots I have been in the world. Visability was excellent and
we had an extra buddy for the day (Barney, our camera man). We saw so
many fish including a massive school of barracuda swimming along side
us. Not the big one (the whale shark) like we were all hoping, but you
have to be extremely lucky to get that chance.... Next time :) NR after
that dive it was off to Japanese gardens (dive site 4) to have some fun
with the camera and man did we have a blast!!! Brilliant instructor,
excellent cinematographer, very helpful reception staff, polite and
helpful bar and wait staff, food was lovely (though could have been
slightly cheaper), housekeepers very kind. I travelled solo so I met
some awesome people. 100% the best stay and great fun. Thank you all at
big blue for the experience and memories, I WILL return :) :) Elaine nolan
- I chose big blue because off their fantastic reviews on trip advisor. I
was NOT disappointed!!! When I first arrived in Koh Tao I was whisked
away by the friendly big blue sangthew driver and taken to big blue 1.
We were then greeted by a superb Irish instructor G and given the run
through on what was going to happen next. She then arranged the sangthew
driver to take us over to big blue 2 where we were to stay (very
thoughtful as I had quite a load to carry). We gathered to go through
the induction. G was very funny and I was hoping I was going to get here
as my instructor....I did!! Yay!! Pool work and theory was informative
the next day. G's enthusiasm for her job is infectious and makes you
wan't to dive constantly :) dive 1 and 2 (aow leuk and hin ngam),on the
third day were awesome and we all started getting more confidence in the
water. Day four was fantastic, we had and early start but it was worth
getting up for! Our destination was champhon this was by far one of the
best dive spots I have been in the world. Visability was excellent and
we had an extra buddy for the day (Barney, our camera man). We saw so
many fish including a massive school of barracuda swimming along side
us. Not the big one (the whale shark) like we were all hoping, but you
have to be extremely lucky to get that chance.... Next time :) NR after
that dive it was off to Japanese gardens (dive site 4) to have some fun
with the camera and man did we have a blast!!! Brilliant instructor,
excellent cinematographer, very helpful reception staff, polite and
helpful bar and wait staff, food was lovely (though could have been
slightly cheaper), housekeepers very kind. I travelled solo so I met
some awesome people. 100% the best stay and great fun. Thank you all at
big blue for the experience and memories, I WILL return :) :) Elaine nolan Saturday 20th July 2013-
So the overall UK Number One Certifying Center, Scuba Pursuits with over 50 Instructors & 18 years as the PADI top dog in the UK are defecting & joining SSI. This is huge news in the Scuba World. The reason for jumping ship & joining with SSI is... "We feel that as SSI focuses less on sales and more on enjoyment, experience and “cost free” reward and recognition for this, it is sure to be far more rewarding in the long run for everyone involved. We also feel that our students and divers will now get so much more out of this amazing and rewarding sport. After all there is absolutely no point learning to scuba dive unless you actually get the opportunities to get out there exploring and adventuring. It's about giving our divers every opportunity possible to go diving, to develop their skills and then, when they are good and ready for it, to buy equipment or complete further training. We believe the SSI system is the best way forward for SCUBApursuits, our centres, our staff, our students and in our opinion quite possibly scuba training in general." Adsolutely right Guys. & here at Big Blue we've known that for years already. SSI- definitely the future of scuba diving.
“Freaking awesome!”
Diving was the highlight of whole Thailand. It doesn't get any better. I
would recommend Big Blue diving to everyone. Great atmosphere, nice
food, but most important great instructors! Our instructor was Richard
(rick) and he was a really good instructor. My girlfriend (lisa) was
really nervous for the whole course and the deep dive (SSI open water
diving 18m) but he got her all relaxed and she did everything. We liked
it so much that we did the advanced adventurer course and that was even
more amazing. Big blue diving is a good combination between fun, relax, proffesional and experience. Big applause for Rick who was nice and got lisa to dive to 30m and a night dive! WE LOVED IT!
Diving was the highlight of whole Thailand. It doesn't get any better. I
would recommend Big Blue diving to everyone. Great atmosphere, nice
food, but most important great instructors! Our instructor was Richard
(rick) and he was a really good instructor. My girlfriend (lisa) was
really nervous for the whole course and the deep dive (SSI open water
diving 18m) but he got her all relaxed and she did everything. We liked
it so much that we did the advanced adventurer course and that was even
more amazing. Big blue diving is a good combination between fun, relax, proffesional and experience. Big applause for Rick who was nice and got lisa to dive to 30m and a night dive! WE LOVED IT! Thursday 18th July 2013-
“Awesome Dive Experience”
I had the best days of my Thailand trip here at Big Blue Diving. I did
my Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water here. All instructors are
super friendly and helpfull, especially my instructors Kyle and Steve-O !
Thanks alot for the awesome experices and all the stuff you tought us,
you did a great job !! I stayed in the included Accomodation (4bed dorm + Fan) at Big Blue 2 which was good, not to warm in this time and very clean! The food in the restaurants at BB1 and BB2 was really good but bit more expensive than in other restaurants in the "city".
I had the best days of my Thailand trip here at Big Blue Diving. I did
my Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water here. All instructors are
super friendly and helpfull, especially my instructors Kyle and Steve-O !
Thanks alot for the awesome experices and all the stuff you tought us,
you did a great job !! I stayed in the included Accomodation (4bed dorm + Fan) at Big Blue 2 which was good, not to warm in this time and very clean! The food in the restaurants at BB1 and BB2 was really good but bit more expensive than in other restaurants in the "city".
If you go to Koh Tao, go to Big Blue Diving !!
So no kidding... its extremely busy in Koh Tao. We're taking bookings & if we can find somewhere else for you if you come in having not booked anything then we'll bend over backwards to help you out. But in all honesty you really should plan ahead & book your accommodation before you get here. & I'd advise you book it at least 2-3 days before you arrive! Its just that busy here right now with the lead up to the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan. Look forward to hearing from you soon either on info@bigbluediving.com or go to our website to book direct.
Wednesday 17th July 2013-
“Incredible Instructor”
- Back in the spring, a friend recommended for me to learn to dive at Big
Blue and if I could go back, I would in a heartbeat! Not only were the
facilities fantastic and easy access to everything you needed on the
island, but my favorite part by far was the instructor. Ant Silwood is
the best! He made our open water course an absolute blast! And when I
stuck around to do my advanced, it ended up being just the two of us and
it was fantastic to get to have that kind of one one one training.
While diving with Big Blue, I was even able to swim with a whale shark! I
would absolutely recommend Ant and Big Blue to anyone wanting to learn
to dive and to have a great time as well!Looks like we might have found a wholesaler who can help us in our next big venture. Big Blue Beachwear. Keep your eyes out for our new retail store which will be opening in the Sairee Village high street & will be the only official Dive Retail Store in Sairee. Not only will it ave the best collection of masks & snorkels, Regs & BCD's, Wetsuits & rashies, fins & booties we'll alos be stocking an awesome collection of divewear from Boardies & bikinis, t-shirts & singlets, hoodies & sweats, boat coats & anoraks,caps & beanies. All we need now is a good retail name. Write into jim@bigbluediving.com with your suggestion & if we use it we'll send you a free Hoodie!
Monday 15th July 2013-
“Best dive school hands down”
Big blue diving was my best experience in Thailand. I originally planned
to only get my open water dive certification however I was so impressed
with the quality of my Instructors Rick and G, the great dive
facilities and sites, that I stayed on to do my advanced open water
course with Rick. Another way I know big blue diving is the best diving
resort is, I became very ill due to a bug going around the island.I had
to miss a day of diving but I was not charged for it nor was there any
hassles with scheduling me in the next day. They also scheduled a night
dive on an off day so I would have 24 hours between the end of my course
and the time I started flying home. I would recommend big blue diving
to anyone who goes to Thailand.
Big blue diving was my best experience in Thailand. I originally planned
to only get my open water dive certification however I was so impressed
with the quality of my Instructors Rick and G, the great dive
facilities and sites, that I stayed on to do my advanced open water
course with Rick. Another way I know big blue diving is the best diving
resort is, I became very ill due to a bug going around the island.I had
to miss a day of diving but I was not charged for it nor was there any
hassles with scheduling me in the next day. They also scheduled a night
dive on an off day so I would have 24 hours between the end of my course
and the time I started flying home. I would recommend big blue diving
to anyone who goes to Thailand.
Nick took out another 5 of our Burmese staff to complete their Advanced Divers Course yesterday with a Deep dive to 30 meters, a dive on the wreck & then top it all off with a Night dive followed by an aperitif down the bar! Working hard to get all our boys trained up to be proper divers. Nick took them for their Open Water too last year. To them Nick is God! To us he's still Sid the Sloth from the Ice Age movies!
Saturday 13th July 2013-
Official! Koh Tao has now been voted Asia's very best Island! Known it all along but now its officially official! We've beaten all sorts of exotic spots teeming with islands throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, even other local hotspots here in Thailand! Sun soaked beaches, Golden Sands, crystal clear waters, Palm fringed bays,teeming marine life, bronzed bikini clad babes, Charles Atlas styled hunks, first class cuisine, awesome beach front bars, blood red sunsets, excellent vibe & Asia's Best Dive Shop- Big Blue Diving... on Asia's best Island.
“Big blue is where it's at!”
I was really anxious about diving but signed up for my open water anyway
and I am so glad I did because it was the most amazing experience of my
life!! I was nervous to go under and had problems with equalizing my
ears which made me panic a bit however the instructors there Lisa and
John were extremely patient and helped me throughout the dives. I would
recommend this school to anyone visiting koh Tao as the trainers are
really friendly and make the experience one to remember alot of fun
stuff and u make friends with them!! Great stuff guys awesome job fully
enjoyed it and look forward to diving again!!
I was really anxious about diving but signed up for my open water anyway
and I am so glad I did because it was the most amazing experience of my
life!! I was nervous to go under and had problems with equalizing my
ears which made me panic a bit however the instructors there Lisa and
John were extremely patient and helped me throughout the dives. I would
recommend this school to anyone visiting koh Tao as the trainers are
really friendly and make the experience one to remember alot of fun
stuff and u make friends with them!! Great stuff guys awesome job fully
enjoyed it and look forward to diving again!! Thursday 11th July 2013-
And here is the sponsor form for those of you doing the swim, bring it back with you on the day, with the sponsorship, in order to enter into the swim! Cheers and Save our Sharks!
“Diving”
I have nothing but good things to say about Big Blue. From being met at
the boat, to made to feel welcome, to having Donny (assisted by John)
teach me to dive. I booked to do just the Open Water but went on to do
my Advanced. Donny was exceptional - experienced, knowledgeable, calm
and made diving so enjoyable, fun and opened my eyes to a whole new
world. He treated everyone individually and respected that people move
along at different paces but kept us together as a group also. I doubt I
could have had a better instructor as a total beginner and a nervous -
but also excited- one at that! And he was also just a genuinely nice
friendly guy on top of that - even if he is Aussie! Definitely recommend Big Blue - am hoping to get back and futher my diving and enjoy the island more.Just signed off a whole bunch of Divemasters in Training who are now fully certified Diving professionals all earning a crust in the underwater world. In fact signed off so many we've practically found ourselves with very few other Divemaster Interns remaining. So if you are looking to become a consummate diving professional or are having a Gap year & want to do something worthwhile before University then get in touch & ask us about our Divemaster Internship options with either PADI, SSI or BSAC. Courses start every day and take between 4-6 weeks to complete. Look forward to making you a professional beach bum soon!
Wednesday 10th July 2013-
“Exceptional Experience at Big Blue!”-
I arrived at Big Blue the first week in July and wasn't quite sure what
to expect. Immediately upon arrival myself and the other new arrivals
received a warm welcome form Rick (who would later be my instructor for
the Open Water course).
I arrived at Big Blue the first week in July and wasn't quite sure what
to expect. Immediately upon arrival myself and the other new arrivals
received a warm welcome form Rick (who would later be my instructor for
the Open Water course).
He briefly explained how things worked at
the resort, costs, options, accommodations, etc. and handed out
necessary paperwork. From start to finish, every instructor I came into
contact with at Big Blue was a consumate professional. I quickly
realized that Rick was a stellar instructor: patient, outgoing, and
exceptionally good at explaining the basic physiology of diving. At
no point did I ever *not* feel comfortable in the water with any of the
instructors; quite the opposite in fact. I found it to be an extremely
relaxing, serene experience. The only thing stopping me from immediately
signing up for the advanced course with Rick (which my entire group of 5
other individuals did) was my tight timeline and itinerary which had my
leaving Koh Tao the day after completing the Open Water certification. All
in all, Big Blue (1 & 2) was generally clean, staff friendly,
service good. The word "easy-going" immediately comes to mind when I
think of one word to summarize the atmosphere at Big Blue. The food at
the restaurant was good, the beer cold, and the environment extremely
warm and welcoming. I cannot speak to the accommodations specifically as
I stayed elsewhere on Koh Tao but all of my group-mates had nothing but
good things to say about the free-or-nearly-free lodging provided. The
only thing to be conscientious about if you come to Koh Tao (as with
any other small tropical island) is that 24hr bugs (i.e. stomach
viruses) seem to go around quite frequently. However, such is the nature
of the beast and this is in no way a reflection upon Big Blue...just
remember to bring some traveler's meds and hand sanitizer! Regards and Happy Travels, Tom Bailli.
No Bull sharks were spotted at Sail Rock yesterday I'm sorry to say despite all the hype. Shame but not to worry I'm sure they'll be there soon. However it was awesome conditions so everyone had a great day diving in 30+meter visibility. Our next Full Day Trip is in a couple of days off to the Chumphon Marine Park which is definitely one of the best places to go diving as there's no one else who dives there, just us, & last time we went got to dive with a Whaleshark & came across a brand new sunken Fishing boat which was cool. Come in or send us an email for more info on this & all our other Full Day Trips. English Breakfast, Thai Buffet Lunch, 3 dives & Chocolate brownies for everyone!
No Bull sharks were spotted at Sail Rock yesterday I'm sorry to say despite all the hype. Shame but not to worry I'm sure they'll be there soon. However it was awesome conditions so everyone had a great day diving in 30+meter visibility. Our next Full Day Trip is in a couple of days off to the Chumphon Marine Park which is definitely one of the best places to go diving as there's no one else who dives there, just us, & last time we went got to dive with a Whaleshark & came across a brand new sunken Fishing boat which was cool. Come in or send us an email for more info on this & all our other Full Day Trips. English Breakfast, Thai Buffet Lunch, 3 dives & Chocolate brownies for everyone!
Tuesday 9th July 2013-
“Open water Dive course”
We made our booking online without knowing what to expect from Big Blue,
and were amazed by how well we were treated. Free pick up from the
ferry terminal on arrival was great, as the initial experience on the
island can be a little over whelming.
We made our booking online without knowing what to expect from Big Blue,
and were amazed by how well we were treated. Free pick up from the
ferry terminal on arrival was great, as the initial experience on the
island can be a little over whelming.
All the staff were very
friendly and always willing to help out. We did our open water course
with Chris Cherry, who is a very confident, relaxed instructor. My
girlfriend was a little nervous going into the course, but was made to
feel comfortable immediately. She enjoyed it so much, that we stayed and
did the advanced course too :) I would recommend going to Big Blue
no matter what experience level you are, as there is something on offer
for everyone - no matter your age. Big Blue has made us re-think our future travel destinations just so we can dive.
So we've recommended by a big marketing guru to pull in all our brands and redesign the logos so they stay in synch with each other which is of course blindingly obvious but apparently being this close to the action we've kind of been a little blind to it. So we're undergoing a bit of a font stlye change for our different outfits within Big Blue. So of course our main get up is Big Blue Diving. Then our eco arm is called Big Blue Conservation. Our Apnea guys run Big Blue Freediving. SSI Instructor Trainers Tosh & Simo head up Big Blue Instructor Training. James & Ian organise our wreck, cave, tech & specialties through Big Blue Tech Thailand & also Big Blue BSAC. Then on the West Coast over in Khao Lak we also have Big Blue Diving Khao Lak of which our biggest business is Big Blue Liveaboards. So synching them all together... you've pretty much got the Best Dive Center in Thailand!
So we've recommended by a big marketing guru to pull in all our brands and redesign the logos so they stay in synch with each other which is of course blindingly obvious but apparently being this close to the action we've kind of been a little blind to it. So we're undergoing a bit of a font stlye change for our different outfits within Big Blue. So of course our main get up is Big Blue Diving. Then our eco arm is called Big Blue Conservation. Our Apnea guys run Big Blue Freediving. SSI Instructor Trainers Tosh & Simo head up Big Blue Instructor Training. James & Ian organise our wreck, cave, tech & specialties through Big Blue Tech Thailand & also Big Blue BSAC. Then on the West Coast over in Khao Lak we also have Big Blue Diving Khao Lak of which our biggest business is Big Blue Liveaboards. So synching them all together... you've pretty much got the Best Dive Center in Thailand!
Monday 8th July 2013-
“Great first diving experience with Chloe”
I did my Open Water Diver at Big Blue with Chloe as an instructor who
was really great at easily explaining things, especially for non-native
English speakers. As she immediately sensed that I was pretty scared in
the beginning, she took extra care of me and made me feel safe all the
time! She prepared us very well for the adventure and great
experience-she always payed attention to the specific problems everyone
in our group had and made sure everyone felt comfortable! For me it was
one of the greatest experiences and I would definitely recommend and go
back to diving with Chloe at Big Blue!
I did my Open Water Diver at Big Blue with Chloe as an instructor who
was really great at easily explaining things, especially for non-native
English speakers. As she immediately sensed that I was pretty scared in
the beginning, she took extra care of me and made me feel safe all the
time! She prepared us very well for the adventure and great
experience-she always payed attention to the specific problems everyone
in our group had and made sure everyone felt comfortable! For me it was
one of the greatest experiences and I would definitely recommend and go
back to diving with Chloe at Big Blue! Saturday 6th July 2013-
“Great Experience”
Just did my Open Water Diving course with Big Blue, it was the best
experience of my trip. My instructor, G was really helpful, I had a lot
of trouble with my ears (due to a bad cold), she was so patient and did
everything she could to get me down and she did. Good value for money,
didn't feel unsafe at any point would highly reccommend it here.
Just did my Open Water Diving course with Big Blue, it was the best
experience of my trip. My instructor, G was really helpful, I had a lot
of trouble with my ears (due to a bad cold), she was so patient and did
everything she could to get me down and she did. Good value for money,
didn't feel unsafe at any point would highly reccommend it here. Friday 5th July 2013-
Its like I speak Whaleshark! Yesterday predicted a Whaleshark. Today dive with a Whaleshark! The biggest fish in the sea! Not this one though. This one was just a baby. This was the smallest biggest fish in the sea! An awesome experience diving with Whalesharks & a regular occurrence here in Koh Tao. Most likely dive sites to see Whalesharks are Chumphon Pinnacle, Southwest Pinnacle, Sail Rock & lately we've seen a few around the island of Nang Yuan. If you want to know when our next whaleshark sighting will be then just ask Jim- the Whaleshark whisperer.
“fun diving on koh tao”
Booked off the internet a fun dive package of 16 in total dives during
an 8 day period in June for the sum of 11,000 baht (£234) Was duly
picked up at the ferry terminal and taken to the beach front dive centre
which was full of divers and many people chilling out .Greeted by very
friendly staff and they gave me keys to various lodging options nearby I
chose a seperate fan room with plenty of space and a hot shower which
was 600 baht (£12)a night if I was diving .The whole period spent with
Big Blue was so good and professional that I wouldn't hesitate to
recommend them to friends. There were dive boats going out many times a
day and night with different levels of diving skills so everyone was
catered for There was an on site bar and restaurant and at night a
scrumptious barbeque wwhich included Barracuda ,squid ,red snapper
,steaks and kebabs all for around 300-400 baht This is a PADI resort and
the dive masters and instructors spoke many languages so many thanks
for a good time to a very honest outfit who also are eco friendly
Booked off the internet a fun dive package of 16 in total dives during
an 8 day period in June for the sum of 11,000 baht (£234) Was duly
picked up at the ferry terminal and taken to the beach front dive centre
which was full of divers and many people chilling out .Greeted by very
friendly staff and they gave me keys to various lodging options nearby I
chose a seperate fan room with plenty of space and a hot shower which
was 600 baht (£12)a night if I was diving .The whole period spent with
Big Blue was so good and professional that I wouldn't hesitate to
recommend them to friends. There were dive boats going out many times a
day and night with different levels of diving skills so everyone was
catered for There was an on site bar and restaurant and at night a
scrumptious barbeque wwhich included Barracuda ,squid ,red snapper
,steaks and kebabs all for around 300-400 baht This is a PADI resort and
the dive masters and instructors spoke many languages so many thanks
for a good time to a very honest outfit who also are eco friendly Thursday 4th July 2013-
In this time of hardship, global financial crisis & high unemployment isn't it nice to know that here in Koh Tao we're desperate for new recruits! We got so much work coming up for Scuba Diving Professionals. Not only is it high season any day now which will mean I'llbe ringing round every night for Freelance Instructors to start courses the following day I'm also going to be looking for a fixed German speaking Instructor. Know of anyone? On top of that our Big Blue Conservation team are looking for a new recruit so I need someone there who's passionate about the environment & wants to join us in saving the world, organising fund raising events, beach & coral clean ups & monitoring our artificial reefs. And I'm also looking for a retail store manager. Someone who knows all about diving, equipment has excellent administrative skills & creative sales ideas. If you think any of these jobs has your name written on it then I'd highly recommend getting in touch with me ASAP. I'll be advertising on the PADI & SSI websites soon so here's your chance to get in with your application & CV's before the crowds. Its a hard life but someones got to do it. Why not you? Please address all applications to jim@bigbluediving.com
“Best dives, best trip, best instructor!! Must do!!!”
I came to koh Tao with a friend as we'd heard all about the diving! On
arrival we didn't really know which company was best! We had a couple of
recommendations from people on the boat on the way for Big Blue and
thought we'd go for it!! As we were both beginners we were a little
nervous but there's no need!! Our instructor G was just incredible!! She
taught us everything we needed to know and more and the diving
experience we had was just top! If you're looking for an amazing diving
experience I'd look no further than Big Blue and G!!! Amazing time, want
to do it all again! TEAM G!!!!
I came to koh Tao with a friend as we'd heard all about the diving! On
arrival we didn't really know which company was best! We had a couple of
recommendations from people on the boat on the way for Big Blue and
thought we'd go for it!! As we were both beginners we were a little
nervous but there's no need!! Our instructor G was just incredible!! She
taught us everything we needed to know and more and the diving
experience we had was just top! If you're looking for an amazing diving
experience I'd look no further than Big Blue and G!!! Amazing time, want
to do it all again! TEAM G!!!! Wednesday 3rd July 2013-
“Welcoming Dive Shop with Excellent Dive Instructors”
From the moment we wondered into Big Blue (on a word of mouth
recommendation during the ferry from Koh Samui) we felt at home and at
ease. The front desk accomadations worked hard to find us a room during a
sold out weekend and got us into the open water diving course
immediately. From the beginning, our instructor, Kyle, was easy going,
insightful, knowledgeable, and willing to work with all comfort levels. Kyle
guided us through the open water course from beginnng to end taking
time to assist each group member as needed. The pace of the course was
perfect, and we feel prepared to take on further dives in and outside of
Koh Tao. All the instructers seemed great at Big Blue, but if you do
choose to dive with them definitely request Kyle as your instructor!
From the moment we wondered into Big Blue (on a word of mouth
recommendation during the ferry from Koh Samui) we felt at home and at
ease. The front desk accomadations worked hard to find us a room during a
sold out weekend and got us into the open water diving course
immediately. From the beginning, our instructor, Kyle, was easy going,
insightful, knowledgeable, and willing to work with all comfort levels. Kyle
guided us through the open water course from beginnng to end taking
time to assist each group member as needed. The pace of the course was
perfect, and we feel prepared to take on further dives in and outside of
Koh Tao. All the instructers seemed great at Big Blue, but if you do
choose to dive with them definitely request Kyle as your instructor! Tuesday 2nd July 2013-
“Amazing”
There are sooo many dive schools to choose from on Koh Toa we really
struggled to pick without knowing anything about them really but as soon
as we saw the trip advisor results we decided to stay here. It was a
really good decision. We stayed in a 4 bed dorm which yes wasn't the
most amazing 5* accom we have ever had but we are in Thailand and it was
free?! Also our dive instructor Steveo was amazing he was so patient
and was really proud of us when we mastered a skill under water which
was really nice. He helped us whenever we needed it and stayed around on
an evening for drinks and we all went out for a meal. The course made
me feel really safe for when we did our first dive on the OW course and
it was amazing! The sites that they take you too are absolutely
spectacular and the fish and sealife is amazing. Sometimes the
visability isnt amazing but they tried to change to the sites that were
the best. We have nothing to complain about and we stayed on to do the
advanced course too we enjoyed itthat much. Big love to steveo he was
amazing and really made me feel safe when I was nervous. Thankyou Big
Blue!!
There are sooo many dive schools to choose from on Koh Toa we really
struggled to pick without knowing anything about them really but as soon
as we saw the trip advisor results we decided to stay here. It was a
really good decision. We stayed in a 4 bed dorm which yes wasn't the
most amazing 5* accom we have ever had but we are in Thailand and it was
free?! Also our dive instructor Steveo was amazing he was so patient
and was really proud of us when we mastered a skill under water which
was really nice. He helped us whenever we needed it and stayed around on
an evening for drinks and we all went out for a meal. The course made
me feel really safe for when we did our first dive on the OW course and
it was amazing! The sites that they take you too are absolutely
spectacular and the fish and sealife is amazing. Sometimes the
visability isnt amazing but they tried to change to the sites that were
the best. We have nothing to complain about and we stayed on to do the
advanced course too we enjoyed itthat much. Big love to steveo he was
amazing and really made me feel safe when I was nervous. Thankyou Big
Blue!!
So its been a while but its as if nothing has changed. The sun is still shining, the sea is still flat. The whalesharks are still frolicking. Simo & Tosh are still doing their Instructor Training courses. The Instructors are teaching the students & the Divemasters are leading the certified divers. The AC rooms, fan rooms bungalows & dorms are all pretty much full. The shop girls are still accepting payments and the bar & restaurant are still serving 5 star cuisine. Its as if I never went away for 2 months to Bangkok to have another baby... except for the sleepless nights, & baby bile down my shoulder! Thanks everyone for taking such great care of the place for me while I been away. Especially to Tosh, Guy & Jess who've done an awesome job. So good in fact that I think I might bugger off for another month or 2! See ya suckers!
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