PADI courses in the Similan Islands with Similan Diving Safaris

PADI Open Water Diver Course

(4 days, 4 dives), starting at 16,500 Baht.

If you are a water-baby and enjoy new challenges and you have a few days to spare, then our PADI Open Water Diver course is just for you.

There are 5 chapters in the Open Water Manual (yours to keep) and you need to complete a review at the end of each chapter. There are also quick quizzes for you to see how you are getting on. There is a Final Exam, which covers all of the theory that you have just learnt, but don’t worry… its not too bad!

There is also water work, and it breaks down like this:

There are 5 Confined water sessions, where you learn the skills that you will use whenever you dive, and there are 4 Open Water training dives, where you have a chance to practice the skills you have mastered in Confined water, and see the beautiful diverse marine life of the Similan Islands.

In order to do this course, you need to be able to swim (of course!) a distance of 200m (prior to certification) and tread water for 10min (prior to dive 2).

During your course you receive a logbook, to log your dives, and receive your temporary PADI Open Water Certification card

Click here to read about our PADI Open Water Diver Course
4 days/4 dives schedule by speedboat.

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PADI Advanced Open Water

(2 days, 5 dives), starting at 16,000 Baht.

This course concentrates on giving you more experience in diving in different conditions, depths and using new equipment – That interests you! This certification allows you to dive to a maximum depth of 30m, opening up more of the dive sites for you to explore!

For both days 1 & 2 after a light breakfast, you are off to the Similan Islands for either 2 or 3 dives (depending on what choices you have) where you have the opportunity to spend the night on one of the stunning islands that make up the Similan National Park.

Upon return to the Dive Centre, you will certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (30m max).

If you are short on time then you can complete one Adventure Dive at a time, then after you complete any 3 Adventure Dives, you are eligible for the PADI Adventure Diver certification.

For the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course you receive an Adventures in Diving Manual (yours to keep), complete the Knowledge Review at the end of each chapter and complete 5 Adventure Dives, 2 of them are compulsory: Deep Diving and Underwater Navigation. You have a choice for the other 3. We recommend for beginners Peak Performance Buoyancy, and Multilevel & Computer Diving. Build yourself confidence, feel safe, dive safe.

There are 11 subjects to choose from for the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course:

After completing your Advanced Open Water Diver course it is normal that Divers want to dive deeper and in different conditions. However, all of the different kinds of specialized diving that come after entry level training have unique procedures, techniques, equipment, problems and hazards that require training to master. The best way of getting this experience is to take PADI Adventure Dives, with one of our experienced PADI Instructor.

Why not combine the Advanced Course with a specialty, such as, the Nitrox specialty ? With Nitrox you get to stay down at depth for longer!  Why not try a photography combo for those wishing to get into Photography, which is just an extra dive with a camera as long as one of the Adventure Dives was a photography dive.

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PADI EFR

4,000 Baht

Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) Course

Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) teaches you how to respond to life-threatening emergencies, both in and out of the water. This course focuses on primary care through a combination of knowledge development, skill development and realistic scenario practice to make sure participants have the confidence to act when needed.

Primary Care (CPR) skills taught in this course:

Recommended Skills included in the course:

Emergency First Response Secondary Care (First Aid) Course

Emergency First Response Secondary Care (first aid) covers injuries or illnesses that are not immediately life threatening. Participants focus on secondary assessment (top to toe) and first aid through knowledge development, skill development and realistic scenario practice.

Secondary Skills taught in this course:

PADI Rescue Diver

9,000 Baht

For those of you who want to take things even further, see if you can handle the PADI Rescue course, a pre-requisite for the PADI Dive master course.  In order to do this, you need to be a PADI Advanced diver (or equivalent) and we teach you to be more aware in the water, how to recognize problems and how best to deal with these problems…. You need to be fit, and keep your eyes and ears open, you NEVER know what will happen!

This is the course that is the most fun for divers! And the most challenging!

You need to be trained in CPR and First Aid either with Emergency First Response (EFR) or other organization, and this needs to be current  (within the past 18 months).

If you need to do the EFR course you will be taught to the highest standards, adding to your confidence and ability to respond.

There are both knowledge development and practical training sessions that will take place in the classroom, swimming pool and open water over a period of 3 days, based in Khao lak (please add an extra day for the EFR course if required).

The theory topics covered are:

The Psychology of Rescue
Preparation for a Diving Emergency
Accident Management
Responding to Diving Emergencies

The practical training covers basic things again like Cramp Removal, Tired Diver Tow and Use of and Alternate Air Source. In addition we teach you how to respond to problems such as irrational and Panicking divers both at the surface and underwater, how to correctly respond from the boat or shore, surfacing, perform rescue breathing and egress with an unconscious diver and throw in a couple of scenarios for you to practice your skills

On to the beach, here in Khao Lak, were we do the Rescue courses, it takes 3 days to complete the PADI Rescue Diver Course.

PADI Divemaster

2 liveaboard trips, 28 dives ! For 35,000 Baht

Congratulations for deciding to become a PADI Professional the PADI Dive master course could change your life!

The Similan Diving Safaris Program is intended to provide you with ‘real life’ experience for you if you wish to pursue a career in the Diving Industry. We offer Assistance with Diving CV’s, Career Development and Opportunities and we have close links with schools all over Thailand.

For our Dive master Course there are no set start dates so feel free to rock up in Thailand, take a couple of days to get into the Thai life and then we can start your course, or we can start straight away, it is up to you.  Below is a sample schedule based on 5 weeks including 3 trips (2 as part of the Dive master Package, and 1 at a professional rate of 10,000THB + 1,600 baht park fees), so that you have an idea of how the course is structured. We also can do part of your training from our speedboat, giving you even more experience.

From day 1 you will be treated as part of the Similan Diving Safaris staff, and you will be expected to assist in the running of the Dive Centre and doing everything that we do on a day-to-day basis.

Course details. (link)

PADI Materials needed (not included in the price). (link)

All other training materials for the Dive master course can be provided (BCD, Reg, Mask, Snorkel, Fins, Booties and Wetsuit), although you may find that you will want your own by the end of the course. You will also need your own Dive tool and compass (part of the required equipment). We offer discounts and advice on equipment for the dive professional, and our prices are very competitive. 

If you have your Dive master Manual it would be a great benefit to you to complete all 9 knowledge reviews from the PADI Dive master Manual, prior to arrival and read and completed the Knowledge Development Workbook questions, but you can also do it here, no worries.

5 week / 3 Trip dive Master Schedule. (link)

Similan Diving Safaris is involved in a PADI project AWARE to look after our environment, our project is called, Save our Pelagic's collect Plastic from our oceans, you can help us collect plastic and rubbish and receive a free T-shirt. For more information on helping the environment PROJECT AWARE