I got my Open Water diver training and cert here with Scuba Junction. Ko Tao is pretty much just diving and partying. There are some schools on the island that churn out students like a factory. Scuba J was a good wee school, with max of 4 students per instructor. We stayed at their accommodation for a discounted student price but I understand some schools will provide you with free accomm if you take a course with them.
'Class' started at 9am. The only place around open for breakfast was the Coffee boat. They must coat the tables in syrup because there is so many FLIES. Pretty gross and a wee shame because the food is ok.
Class (theory and videos), lunch, dive and practise skills, cold shower, dinner, homework.
Our 1st visit to Koh Tao was all about diving. Maybe because it was where I first got diving but its definitely one of my favourite places. The sites were all beautiful. Most memorable was my 4th dive. The waters were rough and before the 3rd dive I was already thinking I can't wait to get back to the mainland. My instructor Linzi asked if I wanted a sea sick pill. 'Will it not make me drowsy?' I ask. 'I dunno, probably not.' I went without. 'As soon as you get in the water its okay.' while she was briefing us I had to go be sick over the side of the boat !! Not nice.
Dive 3 was good. Still looking for a turtle though.
Dive 4 we moved to calmer waters. I was warying of eating anything on the break but also realised my lunch had gone so hopefully I'd be ok. I'm still not sure whether diving is a strenuous activity or not... The site was called 'white rock', really pretty. Near the end of the dive Linzi made the hand gesture for a turtle, and I put out my hands like where?!?! And flippered quickly over to her forgetting that turtles are slow creatures. He was just hanging out. It was ace. And the perfect end to the diving, after feeling so horrible earlier too. It seemed all the dive schools had groups surrounding him but he was just minding his own business.
Koh Tao means turtle island and I assumed that was because there was lots of turtles there but apparently its because the island is shaped like a turtle shell. Our video was shown at Hippo restaurant/bar and I guy said he had been on over 100 dives and still hadn't seen a turtle... I guess we were lucky!
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