WHERE CORAL CAVERNS MEET CAREER GOALS!

Yes, you can! Before arriving in Koh Lanta, you’ll complete the “IDC LIVE” online section, which covers all classroom curriculum workshops. This online module takes place over 7 consecutive days, with 3-hour sessions per day (plus an optional 8th day for EFR Instructor academics). The sessions are flexible and can accommodate different time zones.
After completing the online section, you’ll join the in-water training at Lanta Diver over eight days, followed by the two-day PADI Instructor Exam (IE). You can start the IDC LIVE on the 1st or 15th of any month.

We recommend completing it the month before your IDC to keep everything fresh.

The full PADI IDC Course in Koh Lanta costs 72,800 THB, which includes both the IDC LIVE online section and the in-water training at Lanta Diver, plus your full IDC Crewpak.
You’ll begin with the 7-day IDC LIVE online, featuring:

• All IDC workshops and presentations
• Unlimited access to digital practice exams (dive theory + standards)
• Live progress tracking and extra support if needed
• Our exclusive Digital Instructor’s eBundle, including a dive theory eBook and recorded theory presentations

Once in Koh Lanta, the 8-day in-water IDC includes:

• Full instructor-level training at Lanta Diver
• The EFR Instructor Course with new digital materials
• Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty Instructor rating
• Extra classroom sessions, practice exams, and workshops
• A complete PADI IDC Crewpak, including cue cards, workbook, digital suite, and more

💡 PADI application and exam fees are not included. These are paid directly to PADI in AUD:

• Instructor Exam (IE): 1,190 AUD
• Instructor application: 350 AUD
• EFR Instructor application: 242 AUD
• Specialty Instructor applications: 139 AUD each

There is accommodation to suit all budgets nearby. Lanta Diver can help you find the perfect place within your price range, long or short-term.

In 2025, Lanta Diver will run three in-water IDC sessions, each followed by a two-day Instructor Exam (IE). We recommend completing your IDC LIVE online section the month before your in-water course begins, so everything stays fresh and focused. Here are the confirmed dates:

• IDC: January 31 – February 7  |  IE: February 8 – 9
• IDC: May 6 – 13  |  IE: May 14 – 15
• IDC: November 11 – 18  |  IE: November 19 – 20

To enroll in the PADI Instructor Course in Koh Lanta, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old. 
• Be a certified Divemaster (or an equivalent certification from another agency).
• Have been a certified diver for at least six months. 
• Have at least 90 logged dives (with experience in night, deep, and navigation diving) before the course starts, and 100 logged dives before the Instructor Exam.
•  (IE) Be medically fit for diving, with a physician-signed medical statement issued within the last 12 months. 
• Have completed CPR and First Aid training within the last 24 months (The PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) course fulfills this requirement)

If you are missing any prerequisites, our team can advise you on how to meet them before your arrival.

Yes, most likely. As of 2025, Thailand offers a 60-day visa exemption for many nationalities—more than enough to complete the IDC and IE. However, visa rules can change. Always check the latest entry conditions for your passport before you travel. If needed, you can also apply for a tourist visa or extend your stay at a local immigration office.

Koh Lanta’s surrounding waters offer exceptional diving across limestone pinnacles, coral gardens, and deep walls. Sites like Koh Haa feature crystal-clear lagoons and striking coral caverns, while Hin Daeng and Hin Muang are known for dramatic drop-offs and soft coral-covered ridges teeming with marine life. Between December and April, nutrient-rich currents attract larger pelagics, offering the chance to spot manta rays and, occasionally, whale sharks. From colourful reef fish to rare macro species like ghost pipefish and harlequin shrimp, the region offers something for every level of diver.