The talk around Thailand is that Koh Tao is the place to get certified to scuba dive. No need to twist our arms - consider us there. It was only a quick boat ride from Koh Samui and 300 dollars out of our pockets before we were signed up for the next PADI course offered on the island.
We spent the first couple of days in the classroom learning the scuba basics. In order to receive your certification you have to watch a cheesy introduction video (a product from 1992) that failed to fill our brains with knowledge. A few actors wearing neon-colored short shorts spent hours covering all of the common sense aspects of diving. We now know you're not supposed to dive without air in your tank (humans don't have gills) and you shouldn't pet sharks (they might bite). Get it? Got it? Good.
The invaluable lessons happened underwater. The latter half of our course took place in the ocean where we learned how to check our equipment, calculate our bottom time, clear our masks, make safety stops, and control our breathing.
Koh Tao has the most ideal conditions for diving. It's basically like swimming in one big aquarium. Visibility ranged from 12 - 18 meters, the water was warm, and the sea life was abundant.
We don't have any pictures from down under, but here's some of the views from land:
