The Scuba Dive Online ownership team are all proud to be active PADI Course Directors both in the digital world and underwater! We (Monique, Natalie, and Tim) have worked hard to become respected dive educators, award-winning instructors, and dive industry leaders. While we specialize in teaching PADI Divemasters and PADI Instructors, we enthusiastically work with anyone willing to learn from beginner to professional. As it happens, our individual paths crossed as each of us decided to align with the most successfully PADI facilities on the planet – Ban’s Diving Resort & Asssava Dive Resort. Here’s what makes these dive centres so impressive and why they’re Scuba Dive Online core partners in teaching PADI pro’s.
250,000 Diver Certifications!
On the back of quality diver education Ban’s Diving Resort, together with Assava Dive Resort, has been recognized as a PADI 5 Star Career and Instructor Development Centre and the most certifying dive operation in the world. It is a remarkable achievement to have been trusted by more than 250,000 students who wanted to earn their PADI diver license. What does this mean for your training? If you are learning how to become a dive professional, there is no other location that allows you to interact with as many real student divers! Being part of the transformative experience of teaching this number of Open Water, Advanced, Rescue and Specialty divers, is truly once in a lifetime.
Resort and Educational Facilities
We’re situated on the principal beaches of Sairee & Chalok, on the beautiful island of Koh Tao, Thailand. For 23 years these family run businesses have been at the centre of southern Thailand’s ‘must-do’ list. Nestled amongst a lovingly landscaped resort, Ban’s runs uninterrupted from white-sand beachfront through orchards into jungle mountains. Here you’ll find 270 rooms and luxury villas, 4 swimming pools, a 100m2 gym, and destination bars/restaurants. Assava Dive Resort, also located on the beach, boasts a uniquely familiar, warm and private feeling. This property also has a swimming pool, private bungalows, and a fantastic beachside restaurant. Both locations have the right blend of modern comfort, Thai charm, and hint of adventure. What does this mean for your training? Studying in a comfortable environment compliments the learning process. In addition, if you’re exposed to greater number of environments, you will become a more well-rounded dive professional. It is unique to be able to choose a resort, choose a classroom, choose a pool and choose a boat – all in one dive program. Not to mention, with 4 dedicated dive boats that are scheduled for multiple dives in a day, your time underwater and your choice of dive sites will never be limited.
Dedicated Pro-Training Team
Mostly due to logistics, facilities limitations, and student enrolment, it is very difficult to find dive centres who have a dedicated pro-training team. It is nearly impossible to find one that hosts 3 full-time Course Director on this team. At Ban’s and Assava we can offer just that! Divemaster and Instructor candidates can learn from, share ideas with and team-teach with this highly experienced team. We also bring the knowledge of Tech Diving and Commercial Diving into the program on the backs of our PADI Master Instructors Anthony & Neil. What does this mean for your training? While we are proud to have developed a great online diver training system, we back it with in-person and in-water programming, served up by dive professionals who have taught tens-of-thousands of students. Nothing replaces experience when you’re learning how to safely guide, teach and mentor divers. We encourage you to steal ideas from all of us to create your own unique way of teaching others.
Contribution to the Environment
The owners, management, and dive staff at our partner facilities don’t just say they’re “green” to pay lip service to a conservation movement, they practice what they preach! Their marine conservation projects include artificial reef deployment, coral transplant program, Dive Against Debris and Adopt a Reef. Their land conservation projects include farming, gardening, recycling/repurposing, eco-education centre, waste, and water management. Their community projects include monthly island clean-up, reef restoration, mooring line installation and mangrove recovery. What does this mean for your training? Quite frankly, without the health of our oceans, we have nowhere to work. Yes, we teach our students how to dive safely but more importantly we encourage them to be ambassadors for our reefs. By introducing ways to protect the environment on all our courses from Open Water Diver to Dive Instructor, we can make big impact.
Our partnership with the best PADI 5 Star Dive Centres means that you can trust the training you receive with Scuba Dive Online. We hope to see you underwater soon!